Obituary: "Kristina Irene Knopp, 20, of Medford, went home to be with her Lord, Wednesday March 23, 2016.  Kristina was born June 12, 1995, in Novocheboksarsk, Russia.
 
When Kristina was 13, she was adopted by the Knopp Family, who brought her to the United States on May 6, 2009. She was a 2013 graduate of Abbotsford Christian Academy, where she will be remembered as a fierce competitor who played basketball and volleyball.  Kristina was currently an employee of Phillips Medisize, having previously worked at Northland Outlet and Arbys in Medford.
 
Kristina was a free spirit and a true “people person.” She loved to be surrounded with friends, family and especially little children. Her personality lit up a room, and she never knew a stranger. Kristina could see the good in everyone, and was extremely generous through her gift giving. Through her heart for children and generosity, Kristina helped start two schools for underprivileged children overseas. Kristina attended Abbotsford Evangelical Free Church where she helped in Sunday School, Nursery and the One Way Club, and was a member of L.I.F.T Youth Group"...Read more

News Story: "A Medford man who shot and killed his girlfriend and then himself last week was a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq and still was married to another woman, according to court documents.
 
Kristina Irene Knopp, 23, died after being shot by Chad K. Mayes, 27, who then killed himself, according to police.
 
Knopp's parents found Knopp and Mayes dead Thursday evening inside her apartment in Medford and called 911 around 7:40 p.m., according to court documents. Medford is a city in Taylor County more than 30 miles north of Marshfield"...Read more

Lantern Project: Since October 2013, Hope House has joined with other domestic violence programs around the state by implementing the Lantern Project. For our part in this statewide project, we added to the lamppost in front of Hope House a purple wreath. We will turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We will post information online about the person(s) that was killed. If you drive by our building and see our lamppost on, please reflect on the deadly impact that domestic violence has on our communities. We know the list of stories we post here is incomplete. We strive to learn about and share these stories but know that there are some that we and the media miss. If you see a news story of a death in WI related to domestic violence and don't see it posted here, please feel free to let us know about it here. Thank you.
​
There is no obituary posted at this time. If we become aware of one, we will post it here.

News Story: "A 26-year-old Milwaukee man is accused of using an accelerant to start a house fire that killed a 2-year-old girl and seriously injured a 10-year-old boy. Michael Morgan was charged Wednesday with arson in the fatal fire Oct. 20 at his estranged wife's home in Milwaukee. He faces up to 40 years in prison and $100,000 in fines. Six children and their grandmother were home at the time of the fire. The grandmother was able to guide four of the children, ranging in age from 1 to 11, to safety. Firefighters found 2-year-old Tae’ Najah Morgan and Michael Morgan's 10-year-old stepson inside the home. The girl died the following day at a hospital. Her death is being investigated as a homicide"...Read more

News Story: "A father is being held on $500,000 cash bond in Jefferson County on accusations he caused the death of his five-month-old son. 22-year-old Terrance Curtis is charged with first-degree reckless homicide in the Oct. 22 death of Rhett Chesson. Prosecutors say an autopsy showed the baby had blunt force injuries to his head and neck, including skull fractures"...Read more

Obituary: "Sun Prairie - Jane Margaret Skalitzky, age 68, passed away on Friday, September 11, 2015 way too soon but is now with our Lord. She was born to Wilfred and Verena Grosse on July 9, 1947 and raised on a farm near Sun Prairie. She met the love of her life, Joseph Skalitzky, and they were married on November 25, 1967 at Sacred Hearts Church in Sun Prairie. She was a tremendous person who impacted so many people as an educator, volunteer, and friend. Jane was a generous and caring person who always put others' needs before her own. She was a loving mother and grandmother who loved to have fun and at times act much younger than her age. She will be greatly missed by all"...Read more

​
News Story: "...A search warrant to collect various biological DNA from 40-year-old Matthew Skalitzky was filed in Dane County court Tuesday. In the document, police said 68-year-old Jane Skalitzky was found decapitated at her son Matthew Skalitzky's rented condo at 1052 Providence Common Fridayafternoon. Police said Matthew Skalitzky, who had a 'significant amount of blood on him,' was taken into custody at the scene"...Read more

Lantern Project: Since October 2013, Hope House has joined with other domestic violence programs around the state by implementing the Lantern Project. For our part in this statewide project, we added to the lamppost in front of Hope House a purple wreath. We will turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We will post information online about the person(s) that was killed. If you drive by our building and see our lamppost on, please reflect on the deadly impact that domestic violence has on our communities. We know the list of stories we post here is incomplete. We strive to learn about and share these stories but know that there are some that we and the media miss. If you see a news story of a death in WI related to domestic violence and don't see it posted here, please feel free to let us know about it here. Thank you.

Obituary: "Vista Alexis Jackson was born in Racine, WI on June 23, 2001 to Wendell Jackson and Veia Crockett. Vista attended William Horlick High School. She was so excited about starting her first year as a freshman. Vista enjoyed singing and watching movies. There was something about Vista that always drew little children to her. She loved her family and had dreams of becoming a professional singer after college. Vista’s infectious smile will be dearly missed. Our Sweet Pea closed her eyes on September 10, 2015 at the age of 14"...Read more

News Story: "Racine police have arrested a 14-year-boy in the shooting death of a Racine girl. 

Police said Vista Jackson, 14, was shot in her home about 8:20 p.m. Thursday in the 1000 block of Albert Street. 

Vista was taken to Wheaton Franciscan Hospital by Racine Fire Rescue, and then was transferred by air to Children's Hospital in Milwaukee, where she died.

'I had just seen her, had just seen this child, you know? She ran past me crying, with one shoe. She came back 20 minutes later. She went and changed her shoes, and then two hours later this child is gone,' neighbor Tara White said.

Investigators have not released any information about what led to the shooting, but said Friday night said they will recommend charges of first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a firearm by a felon against the boy. 

​WISN 12 News spoke with close friends of Vista who said she was in an abusive relationship with the 14-year-old boy"...Read more

There is no obituary posted at this time. If we become aware of one, we will post it here.

Woman, Man She Allegedly Stabbed to Death Had History of Violence: "A 31-year-old man who police said was stabbed to death on Tuesday by his on-again, off-again girlfriend had been ordered by a judge three months ago not to have any contact with her unless he had written permission from his probation agent, according to court records.The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man Wednesday as Terrence L. Woods of Madison.

The woman, Cierra Finkley, 25, was arrested on a tentative charge of first-degree reckless homicide after stabbing Woods outside an apartment building at 1186 Moorland Road on Madison’s South Side, Madison police said. She remained in custody on Wednesday.

Police said that the stabbing followed a domestic incident earlier in the day in which Finkley called police to say that Woods had tried to run over her and her child with his car. Police spokesman Joel DeSpain said police were looking for Woods on a tentative charge of second-degree reckless endangerment before the stabbing occurred"...Read more

There is no obituary posted at this time. If we become aware of one, we will post it here.

News Story: "Prosecutors say a 42-year-old Milwaukee woman fatally stabbed her boyfriend through his heart and then tried to tell officers the man had been stabbed in an attempted robbery, according to a criminal complaint released Wednesday.Diana Cunningham faces a charge of first-degree reckless homicide in the death of Gerry Wilson, 54, who was killed Saturday at a home in the 3100 block of N. 52nd St"...Read more

Welcome to the March 2015 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!

February was Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month

Sadly the potential severity of teen dating violence was made all too real last month when 17-year-old Dean Sutcliffe killed his ex-girlfriend's sister and mom's boyfriend in Mazomanie.  Please see the list of articles and resources below related to this case and other teen dating violence issues:

• Mazomanie Homicides Shine Light on Teen Dating Violence: NBC 15 interviewed Hope House's Community Education Program Manager for a segment on teen dating violence.  See related articles: DAIS Director Says Teen Dating Violence is Common and Mazomanie Teen Threatened to Kill Before Double Homicide
  
• Teen Dating Violence Happens in Our Community: Check out Hope House's letter to the editor on Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
• [NY] State Starts Social Media Campaign Against Teen Dating Violence: Check out the 4-minute video featuring teens discussing warning signs of dating violence and encouraging bystanders to speak up.
  

Hope House Donation Needs
Monetary donations are most needed.  Individuals have the option of donating online.  Please note that a portion of your online donation will go towards PayPal fees.  Donations can be mailed to Hope House, P.O. Box 557, Baraboo, WI 53913. We also appreciate gas cards, gift cards (Walmart, Kwik Trip, Walgreens, Kohl’s), taxi vouchers from Baraboo Taxi, and used cell phones, iPods and iPads.  Please note that we are not accepting stuffed animals, clothes (except for sweatshirts and sweatpants), shoes, TVs, bar soap, hats, scarves or travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. Current needs include

• Bathrooms: Toilet paper, Deodorant, Disposable razors, Small garbage cans with bags, Nail clippers, Toilet bowl cleaner, Cleaning supplies such as Lysol disinfecting spray and floor cleaner, Clorox wipes, Hairspray, Bleach, Bathroom rugs and bath mats
• Kitchen: Dishwasher soap, 13-Gallon garbage bags, Paper towels, Silverware, Brush for cleaning bottles, Fruit juice, Sip cups, Milk, Saran wrap, Aluminum foil
• Laundry: Power laundry detergent, Dryer sheets, Fabric softener sheets
• Clothing for Women and Kids: Winter boots, Socks, Women’s underwear, Medium-Large size pajamas, Sweatshirts and sweatpants
• Misc: Pack 'n Play, Baby wipes, Band-Aids, Diapers and pull-ups, Pocket-sized calendars, Strollers, Baby bottles, Umbrellas, Hangers, Weather radio, Journals, Exercise balls, Yoga/exercise DVDs, Relaxation CDs, Baby thermometer, CD players, Regular light bulbs, New twin bed sheets

Special Note about Travel-Size Items: We encourage those looking to donate travel-size items to donate them to the Backpack Project. The Backpack Project strives to provide Baraboo School District students who are financially challenged to enter the school doors on the first day ‘just like everyone else’ and to show these children the community supports and encourages them to learn and do their best. If interested in donating towards this project, please contact Becky Hovde at 608-963-8230 or hivebiz@centurytel.net.

Miscellaneous

• Facebook Rolling Out Suicide Prevention Tool: “Facebook worked with mental health organizations including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to ‘provide more resources, advice and support to people who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts and their concerned friends and family members.’  The company announced a new tool that allows users to report to Facebook if a friend has posted a threat to commit suicide. These reports will be reviewed by teams who can ‘send help.’ The poster in question may receive a private message from Facebook saying, ‘...a friend thinks you might be going through something difficult and asked us to look at your recent post.’ It will then direct the person to options to talk to a friend or helpline worker, or to get tips and support”…Read more
• 1 In 3 Women Has Been Sexually Harassed At Work, According To Survey: “A new survey found that one in three women between the ages of 18-34 has been sexually harassed at work. Cosmopolitan surveyed 2,235 full-time and part-time female employees and found that one in three women has experienced sexual harassment at work at some point their lives”…Read more and view the infographic
• Ravages of Revenge Porn Spur Federal Crime Push: "Started in 2012, the End Revenge Porn campaign has helped 11 state pass laws criminalizing revenge porn. Today 16 states have criminal remedies for revenge porn, with more in the works. Though advocates say federal law is also essential to combating this vicious online crime, which is boundary-less like the Internet"...Read more

Local News

• Krystal Schmidtke, 32, of Lodi, faces a felony charge of physical abuse of a child and a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct, stemming from allegations that she restrained and injured a 13-year-old child...Read more

• Justin Wagner, 27, of Wisconsin Dells, faces charges of first-degree attempted intentional homicide, strangulation and suffocation, misdemeanor battery, and disorderly conduct, all alleged to have stemmed from domestic abuse...Read more
• Shawn LaRush, 42, of Portage, charged with false imprisonment and disorderly conduct stemming from allegations that he held a woman against her will...Read more
• Matthew Elliot, 24, of Lodi, sentenced to six months in jail and to register as a sex offender for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl...Read more
• Patrick Kraemer, 46, of Wyocena, will go on trial for first-degree intentional homicide of Traci Rataczak, his girlfriend, in April of 2013…Read more
• Natalie Murphy, 22, of Necedah, charged with first-degree intentional homicide of Andrew Dammen of Mauston, the father of her daughter…Read more

Resources
Child Abuse and Children with Disabilities: Teachers College at Columbia University has created web resources that are specifically focused on preparing for and conducting interviews with children who have been abused who also have disabilities. To view these resources, click here.

OVC’s Victim Assistance Training (VAT) Online has added five new modules to its curriculum: sexual assault, LGBTQ populations, victims with substance abuse issues, financial crimes, and identity theft.  VAT training is free and high-quality. For more information, click here. 

Transgender Sexual Violence Project: Summary of Wisconsin Data: "The Transgender Sexual Violence Project, sponsored by FORGE (For Ourselves: Reworking Gender Expression), conducted a national survey on sexual violence within the transgender and SOFFA (Significant Others, Friends, Family and Allies) community...We broadly define transgender to include a large population of people who do not strictly adhere to societally constructed gender norms and stereotypes." View the data here.

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (Feb 22-28): The National Eating Disorders Association has created tools and resources to understand eating disorders and support individuals and families on the journey to recovery.  They have an information and referral helpline, lesson plans on digital media literacy, awareness materials, and toolkits for parents, educators, and coaches.  You might also be interested in the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s online resource collection on sexual violence, trauma, and eating disorders, which you can view here.

Training Opportunity
Together for Children Conference: This conference will be held April 15-16 in Lake Geneva. Workshops include Teen Sexual Abuse: What Professionals Need to Know for Prevention and Response; Child Sexual Abuse in a Technological World: Implications for Investigation, Prosecutions and Victim Impact; A Collaborative Model for Reducing Truancy; Maximizing the Benefits of Team Building; Dangerous Homes? What injuries should make you worry about abuse after household 'accidents'; Promoting Resiliency in Young Children in Poverty who have Experienced Complex Trauma; and more. For more information and to register, visit www.preventchildabusewi.org. 

Faith Communities' Section
Save the Date: The next Faith Leaders for Healthy Relationships (FLHR) luncheon will be on April 28 on Spiritual Integrity - how to help individuals re-establish trust in themselves, others, and in a higher power when someone has broken that trust due to experiences of abuse, cheating, crossing boundaries, pastoral misconduct, or conflicts in the church. Thanks to everyone that participated in the last FLHR luncheon, Community Resources Panel, on January 21 at Trappers Turn Golf Club!

More Pastors Embrace Talk of Mental Ills: “Evangelical leaders are increasingly opening up about family suicides, their own clinical depression and the relief they have received from psychiatric medication…This month, a mental health advisory group appointed by Dr. Page offered a variety of proposals to help Southern Baptist congregants and their families with mental health challenges, the first time the church has addressed the subject in a direct and comprehensive manner. The proposals include providing churches with a database of Christian counselors and mental health providers, and offering more robust education about mental health in seminaries and at Christian colleges”…Read more

Parents' & Youth Service Providers' Section
Teaching Digital Citizenship: "In partnership with Disney's Club Penguin, NetSmartz is proud to announce that our latest resource, Teaching Digital Citizenship, is available today! This free, online training tool provides practical tips for leading class discussions and highlights NetSmartz resources ideal for teaching each topic. This program provides an in-depth review of how to teach digital literacy and ethics, inappropriate content, online sexual solicitation, online privacy, sexting, and cyberbullying."

Futures Without Violence’s How to Talk to Teens about Dating Violence: “Below you’ll find information and tools to help you talk to your kids about healthy relationships, guidelines on how to navigate their world of cell phones and social networking and how to talk to your kids about being an upstander vs. a bystander”…Read more

Miss Representation Curriculum 2.0: "Watch this video with a young person in your life and complete the accompanying activity. Next, imagine a whole library of videos like this one, inspiring media literacy and learning. In the curriculum, we've paired multiple, age-appropriate, short videos with easy to implement lessons for both in and out of school. If you want to keep spreading the love, get the Miss Representation Curriculum 2.0 for your local classroom or community group."

Putting Media to the Test: “Here at loveisrespect, we’re all about building and nurturing healthy relationships, but unfortunately the media is not always on the same page.  In honor of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, we’ve decided to dissect some media and put it to the test. The Healthy Relationship test, that is! Below are the music videos for three chart-toppers from 2014 [Jealous by Nick Jonas, Blank Space by Taylor Swift, and Animals by Maroon 5]. To test them, we’re going to focus on both the lyrics and the imagery”…Check out the songs’ scorings

NO BULL Challenge: "A social action organization, NO BULL Challenge invites youth (ages 13 to 23) from around the world to take a stand against bullying and to promote digital responsibility, leadership, and social action through filmmaking and social media. To participate, create a short film, public service announcement (PSA) or vine. To learn more about how you can be a leader, make it all the way to the award show in Los Angeles, and win a scholarship and other prizes, go to www.nobullchallenge.org. Entry deadline: April 19, 2015."

School Experiences of Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Students in Wisconsin: "The purpose of this research is to systematically document the experiences of transgender (trans) and gender non-conforming (GNC) students in Wisconsin schools to fill in the knowledge gaps about their unique needs. Six themes are addressed in the report: learning environment, physical facilities, health and wellness, safety, institutional and social support, and acceptance and respect"...Read the report

Obituaries are not available online at this time. If it becomes available, we will re-post it here.
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"TOWN OF MAZOMANIE — A 17-year-old boy, apparently upset over a breakup two weeks ago, took a handgun to his ex-girlfriend’s trailer home Monday night and killed the girl’s teen sister and another person, authorities said Tuesday.

Dean M. Sutcliffe was arrested Monday night at the scene of the shooting, said Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney. Investigators are recommending that prosecutors charge Sutcliffe with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide.

Ariyl Brady, 16, and her mother’s boyfriend, Chris Schwichtenberg, a 39-year-old father of two boys, were fatally shot, said Schwichtenberg’s mother, Joyce Zimdars.

Sutcliffe’s ex-girlfriend, Amanda Brady, 15, wasn’t at the home in the Rio Valley Estates trailer park at the time of the shooting, said her father, Justin Brady, of Deerfield.

'Amanda broke up with him and he took it out on my son and Ariyl,' Zimdars said of Sutcliffe.

Zimdars described a shooting scene that began with a surprise knock at the door from Sutcliffe in the quiet of the night.

'Chris went to (open) the door and from what I understand the kid just started shooting,' Zimdars said.

Deputies were called to the mobile home park at 10359 Highway Y, four miles north of Mazomanie, around 11:30 p.m. on Monday and found the two victims suffering from gunshot wounds that proved fatal, Mahoney said.

They also found Sutcliffe, Mahoney said.

'He was there and immediately surrendered to deputies,' Mahoney said.

Mary Brady, Schwichtenberg’s girlfriend and Ariyl and Amanda Brady’s mother, shared the trailer home with Schwichtenberg. Mary Brady was there at the time of the shooting, and ran to warn Schwichtenberg’s two teenage sons to stay in their room before she called 911, Zimdars said.

They were all unharmed, Mahoney said.

Sutcliffe and both Brady sisters were students at Wisconsin Heights High School, although according to Sutcliffe’s Facebook page he left the school last month and enrolled in the Wisconsin Challenge Academy, a program for at-risk youth.

Counselors were on hand at the high school to provide support to students and staff there, said Mark Elworthy, superintendent of the Wisconsin Heights School District.

'We have people who are available and dedicated for the next couple of days for that purpose,' Elworthy said.

Schwichtenberg raised his boys alone after their mother died about 10 years ago, Zimdars said, and was the manager of the mobile home park since 2002. Two of his sisters, Julie and Paula, also live at the trailer park, Zimdars added.

'He was my only son. Everybody around here loved him,' said a somber Zimdars, 61, of Madison, who was speaking from Paula’s home Tuesday morning prior to meeting with authorities. Zimdars said she was feeling numb ever since receiving the news just after midnight that her son was killed.

'Chris did everything he could for everybody,' said Zimdars.

Residents of the trailer park described Schwichtenberg as an exceptional manager who took the time to make sure everybody’s needs were met. He was especially helpful to the many elderly residents who lived there, said James Eveland, 66.

'He plowed the snow for me when I was sick. He took care of things for me,' Eveland said. 'He’d do anything for everybody.'

Another resident, Travis Spencer, 32, said Ariyl Brady always came to the aid of his young daughter when she was picked on by older kids on the bus to school. He added that Schwichtenberg earned the residents’ respect as a good father to his boys.

'It makes no sense why somebody would do something like what happened to Chris and (Ariyl),' Spencer said. 'Everybody goes through hard times. You just have to deal with it.'

Sutcliffe’s Facebook page indicates that he and Amanda Brady started dating last September.

Mahoney said deputies had multiple interactions with Sutcliffe because of what the sheriff called 'family dynamics and school attendance issues.'

In an October Facebook post, Sutcliffe announced his plan to start attending the Challenge Academy, and thanked two Dane County deputies that he said helped 'steer me in the right direction.'

The contact with law enforcement was not related to Sutcliffe’s relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Mahoney said.

Officials with Domestic Abuse Intervention Services said the shooting shows that domestic violence can be as serious a problem in teen relationships as it is in adult ones, and that 1.5 million high school students experience physical abuse each year.

'As a community we need to support teens in building healthy relationships and also work to address the root causes of domestic violence with youth,' said Shannon Barry, the Madison group’s executive director."

Read the article in the Wisconsin State Journal
Read the Channel 3000 article

Lantern Memorial Project: Since October 2013, Hope House has joined with other domestic violence programs around the state by implementing the Lantern Project. For our part in this statewide project, we added to the lamppost in front of Hope House a purple memorial wreath. We will turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We will post information online about the person that was killed. If you drive by our building and see our lamppost on, please reflect on the deadly impact that domestic violence has on our communities.

The obituary for Donald Simon is not available at this time.  If it becomes available online, we will re-post it here.
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"A Baraboo woman accused of stabbing her brother to death told investigators the incident resulted from a dispute over cigarettes.

In court Friday, a judge ordered that 58-year-old Anne M. Simon remain jailed on a $40,000 cash bond. She has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide in the death of her brother, 56-year-old Donald E. Simon.

The criminal complaint filed Friday in Sauk County Circuit Court says Simon told investigators that her brother had been verbally abusive toward her, asking her for cigarettes early Monday morning.

'At one point, while she was standing at a kitchen counter, he approached her from behind, placed his hands roughly on her shoulders and yelled at her about his cigarettes,' the complaint says. 'She grabbed a knife from the counter, turned and stabbed him in the chest.'

The complaint says the man walked back to the recliner where he had previously been seated, and that Simon saw him collapse onto the floor on his back.

Prosecutors say that incident occurred sometime between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., after which Simon went to her room and went to sleep. About 9 hours later, she awoke to find her brother in the same position, dead on the floor, and called 911, according to the complaint.

Officers arrived at Simon’s Town of Delton home Monday morning to find her brother lying dead on his back on the floor in front of the recliner. An autopsy at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison determined the man died of a stab wound that pierced his heart.

The medical examiner told authorities that Simon’s brother would have died very quickly from the wound he suffered. During a search of the home, investigators allegedly found knives in the basement.

'Crime Lab personnel found a set of Chicago Cutlery knives hidden in the foundation of the residence in the basement,' the complaint states. 'Officers had to break through the concrete block foundation wall to recover some of the knives.'

Investigators say Simon admitted to placing the knives in the basement foundation walls, but had no explanation as to why she had done that.

Simon appeared in court Friday for a bond hearing via video conference from the Sauk County jail with Baraboo attorney Greg Sacra.

Sauk County District Attorney Kevin Calkins asked that the judge impose a cash bond of $100,000, noting that Simon has reason to flee because she faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison if convicted. He also said she has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions of drunken driving, disorderly conduct, battery and resisting an officer"...Read the full article in the Baraboo News Republic