Darrielle Fair

I am a Master of Public Policy student at the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy with experience in media, communications, public policy analysis, and research methods.

Welcome!

My prior professional and academic experiences have provided me exposure to diverse political climates and broad policy perspectives. I have a strong passion for social and media policy, politics, and journalism hoping to utilize a diverse skillset to educate and motivate individuals to be active agents and bring awareness to the issues impacting our communities. I am currently the Political Reporter for WKOW ABC27 News.

    My Latest Works

    WKOW •

    President Joe Biden drops out of race, endorses Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of campaign event in Milwaukee

    MADISON (WKOW) -- Shortly after announcing plans to drop out of the race on Sunday, President Joe Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's new nominee. Despite the fact the party has not formally accepted VP Harris, Democratic leaders are already coming forward to endorse her. Nearly 27 of the 51 senators in the Democratic caucus, including four independents, have publicly endorsed Vice President Harris. However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D - NY) has yet...
    WKOW •

    Capital City Sunday: Republican National Convention wraps up in Milwaukee, Marquette Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin on Biden and Trump's latest polling

    On Thursday, Former President Donald Trump gave his acceptance speech on the last day of the Republican National Convention, formally accepting the Republican Party's nomination for the 2024 presidential election.Trump's remarks come just days after he was rushed to safety by U.S. Secret Service agents during an assassination attempt on the former president last Saturday at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania.The theme of the convention's final day revived Trump's 2016 campaign slogan, "make amer...
    WKOW •

    Republican and Democratic delegates respond to Trump’s pick for vice president

    MILWAUKEE (WKOW) -- The Republican National Convention kicked off its first day focusing on the economy. The theme for the events on Monday was "Make America Wealthy Once Again."The convention comes just two days after a horrific assassination attempt against Former President Donald Trump at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania.Republican delegates held a roundtable discussion at the Komatsu Manufacturing Facility in Milwaukee to discuss policies impacting the manufacturing industry and how they h...
    WKOW •

    Capital City Sunday: Assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, Mayor Cavalier Johnson talks impact of RNC's impact on Milwaukee's economy, preview of the week ahead for the RNC

    Ahead of a major political event for the Republican Party, former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Shots were fired shortly after the former president began his remarks.Video taken from the event shows former President Trump giving his opening remarks before what sounded like multiple gunshots. Members of the U.S. Secret Service rushed to cover the president as he ducked below the podium.Supporters in the crowd screamed and immediate...
    WKOW •

    Local food pantries call on Dane County community for support as demand increases

    MADISON (WKOW) -- A coalition of 36 food pantries across Dane County is calling on the community to address the challenges of rising food insecurity."They are families. They are households. They are people who are working in our communities, we have people every day who come to our food pantry in what they wore to work for the day with their name tags on," said Ellen Carlson, Executive Director of WayForward Resources. "We have people with disabilities, people who have all kinds of needs. Hunger...
    WKOW •

    Capital City Sunday: Family attorney talks about investigation of inmate's death at Waupun, presidential debate preview, Center for Black Excellence and Culture breaks ground

    Charges were brought against the warden of Waupun Correctional Institution, Randall Hepp, and eight other guards who failed to provide inmates housed at the facility with basic necessities like food and water.Waupun Correctional is one of two of the state's oldest maximum security prisons that have remained under lockdown since March and June of 2023.Poor conditions and staff shortages have led to the deaths of 4 inmates at the facility. All four inmates had been placed in solitary confinement f...
    WKOW •

    Founder of Center for Black Excellence and Culture on how groundbreaking will impact Madison's Southside

    MADISON (WKOW) -- The Center for Black Excellence and Culture will serve as a landmark for the Black community, connecting Black talent and cultivating opportunities for Black culture, history, and innovation. The multi-level facility will establish programming initiatives for mental wellness and the arts and help youth engage in STEM-related learning opportunities.27 News sat down with Dr. Alexander Gee, the lead pastor of Fountain of Life Covenant Church. The church is right next to the future...
    WKOW •

    Milwaukee City officials consider new security measures for Republican National Convention protest zones

    The United States Secret Service is currently discussing with officials for the city of Milwaukee to expand its security perimeter near Fiserv Forum, where the Republican National Convention will be located this year. Mayor Cavalier Johnson and city officials had originally indicated that Pere Marquette Park would likely serve as an area for designated protest zones for the convention, but the Republican National Committee has continued to argue that the location could be a safety hazard for peo...
    WKOW •

    How Hunter Biden's charges could impact President Joe Biden's campaign for the presidency

    WILMINGTON, DE (WKOW) -- History has been made once again as Hunter Biden's conviction marks the first time an immediate family member of a sitting president has been found guilty of a crime. The jury took just 3 hours and 5 minutes to deliberate before reaching a verdict, finding Hunter Biden guilty on all three counts of felony gun charges for illegally buying and possessing a gun while abusing or being addicted to drugs.Hunter Biden faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years and a $750,000 fi...
    WKOW •

    Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford announces campaign for Wisconsin Supreme Court

    MADISON (WKOW) -- Dane County Judge Susan Crawford announced her campaign for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The race will determine whether the court's ideological balance will shift in 2025. Judge Crawford's announcement comes just two months after Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, the longest-serving justice on the court, confirmed her plans to retire. Judge Crawford said in a statement, "I am running for Supreme Court justice to protect the basic rights and freedoms of Wisconsinites under our constit...
    WKOW •

    Capital City Sunday: Wisconsin warden and 8 staff charged in inmate deaths and Attorney General Josh Kaul files felony charges in 2020 fake electors scheme

    The Waupun Correctional Institutions Warden Randall Hepp had announced plans to step down days before his arrest amid an ongoing federal investigation and several inmate deaths that have taken place at the facility since June of last year.Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said his office had conducted investigations into four deaths that occurred at the facility, identifying the events that led up to each death and the protocols officials on duty failed to follow.Dean Hoffman died of suicide in...
    WKOW •

    Biden-Harris campaign ramps up black voter outreach

    MADISON (WKOW) -- The Biden-Harris Administration is ramping up efforts to mobilize the Black vote after recent polling showed a dip in numbers for the Democrats. More than 50 state and local leaders were on hand to launch the administration's "Black Voters for Biden-Harris" campaign in Wisconsin last week.This critical voter block helped the administration secure the white house in 2020. "Black Voters for Biden-Harris" aims to bolster the administration's investments in outreach to black voters...
    WKOW •

    Divine 9 organizations host college sendoff for high school students

    MADISON (WKOW) -- As high school seniors are gearing up to enter the next phase in their academic journey, Black organizations in the community came together on Saturday to help ensure this group of students had what they needed to be successful.The Divine Nine is a group of nine historically Black Greek letter organizations, each holding a specific mission to uphold African American culture and to be agents of service within the Black community.Black Greek letter organizations have been around...
    WKOW •

    Capital City Sunday: How the latest farm bill is set to impact Wisconsin farmers and the case before the Wisconsin Supreme Court to address absentee ballot drop boxes

    MADISON (WKOW) -- On Friday, the House Agriculture Committee released a draft of its highly anticipated farm bill. The proposal will reduce funding allocated for federal food assistance programs and climate conservation projects, as laid out in previous versions of the bill.The 1.5 trillion dollar Republican-backed proposal is set to boost safety net programs for farmers, among other provisions. Senate Democrats will likely unveil a bipartisan version of the farm bill in the coming days, raising...
    WKOW •

    Wisconsin Supreme Court reconsiders ruling that banned absentee drop boxes

    MADISON (WKOW) -- A case before the Wisconsin Supreme Court aims to reinstate absentee ballot drop boxes in the state's elections. The case challenges a previous decision by the court's then-conservative majority that argued the use of drop boxes was unconstitutional under current Wisconsin law.In its 2022 decision, the court decided that voters could only mail in or return ballots in person to their municipal clerks.Priorities USA and other voting rights advocates filed the lawsuit last summer...
    WKOW •

    Capital City Sunday: Evers calls Joint Finance Committee into special session, US Firearms fuel violence at southern border

    MADISON (WKOW) -- Democratic Governor Tony Evers' calls to hold a special session were in response to the committee choosing not to consider funding requests it vetoed months ago.The governor urged the committee to release the $125 million in already-approved investments to fight PFAS chemicals in drinking water statewide. Evers also wanted the committee to release $15 million to address the healthcare crisis in the Chippewa Valley after two hospitals in the area closed down. Evers said in a sta...
    WKOW •

    Biden partners with Microsoft to build new $3.3 billion data center to replace Trump's failed Foxconn project in Racine

    RACINE (WKOW) -- President Joe Biden's visit to Racine comes just one week after former president Donald Trump held a rally in the battleground state of Wisconsin.The president attempted to show a direct contrast to former president Donald Trump by speaking to the failures of the previous administration to complete a project in the area.The $3.3 billion project will develop a new artificial intelligence (AI) data center in Racine set to create 2,300 union construction jobs and 2,000 permanent jo...
    WKOW •

    Republican National Committee requests moving protest areas further out from GOP convention venue

    MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WKOW) -- Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and city officials have indicated that Pere Marquette Park is likely to be the location for the Republican National Convention's designated protest zones, raising concerns for the Republican National Committee, which says the location could be a safety hazard for people going to the convention.While the mayor was not available for comment, his Communications Director, Jeff Fleming, said the city chose Pere Marquette Park to follow throug...
    WKOW •

    Wisconsin Opioid Settlement funds blocked by anonymous lawmaker on Joint Finance Committee

    MADISON(WKOW) -- Last week, the Joint Finance Committee blocked grants awarded to local governments from an opioid litigation settlement. The grants were set to establish new projects across 12 tribal nations and municipal law enforcement agencies aimed at preventing and reducing the risks of opioid use in those communities.In the Department of Health Services' proposal to the Committee on April 1, DHS summarized the grant would help to develop education programs for opioid prevention, peer supp...
    WKOW •

    Capital City Sunday: Impact of pro-Palestinian campus protests and third party candidates on election

    MADISON (WKOW) -- Protests have broken out at colleges and universities across the country, from young progressive voters aiming to send a message to the Biden administration as the U.S. continues to fund Israel's military operations.Earlier this week, the president approved more than $26 billion in security defense funds and humanitarian aid to Israel after Congress voted to pass the legislation in a matter of days, fueling tensions among students who argue the additional aid to Israel will cau...
    WKOW •

    Capital City Sunday: Former President Donald Trump's guilty verdict and what happens next

    Just one day after being found guilty on all 34 counts by a jury of his peers, former President Donald Trump is already making promises to appeal the action.Trump became the first U.S. president to be convicted on criminal charges alleging the former president made hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.During his first public appearance since the verdict on Friday, Trump said during a press conference at Trump Tower that he would continue to...
    WKOW •

    Wisconsin Judge Hears Oral Arguments in Act 10 Lawsuit

    MADISON (WKOW) -- The controversial law garnered national attention as Act 10 nearly banned collective bargaining for union employees across the state. A Dane County Circuit judge heard oral arguments today arguing that Wisconsin’s public employees were not given the same protections as public safety unions like the state’s capitol police and firefighters.Plaintiffs in the case also argue that public safety officials were granted exemptions that were not offered to other public employees. A simi...
    WKOW •

    Food prices increase ahead of Memorial Day

    MADISON (WKOW) -- Wisconsin families are firing up their grills and taking part in some holiday festivities this Memorial Day. For people planning to host a barbecue, higher food prices could mean a heavy blow to their wallets.Across the country, inflation is contributing to a rise in food costs. A recent report shows that while inflation has fallen since June 2022, it still sits above the Federal Reserve's target rate of 2 percent.In Wisconsin, families spend about 8 percent of their total inco...
    WKOW •

    House Agriculture Committee takes action on GOP farm bill draft

    MADISON (WKOW) -- On Thursday, the House Agriculture Committee held a mark-up session to consider amendments to its version of the farm bill and whether to recommend the proposal to the Senate.

    The $1.5 trillion Republican-backed bill passed late Thursday evening with a small number of Democratic votes to get it through the House chamber.

    Wisconsin Republican Congressman Derrick Van Orden, who now sits on the committee, was among those who passed the legislation.

    Van Orden advocated for a num
    Load More

    The people must know before they can act, and there is no educator to compare with the press."

    Ida B. Wells