FOX 21 Local News has promoted Xavier Walt to morning anchor after several months of filling in on the station’s weekday broadcasts.
Walt will co-anchor the station’s morning news from 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday alongside meteorologist James McAllister.
A Northland native, Walt attended Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and later graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Superior. He joined the station as a production assistant and has since taken on expanded on-air roles.
“It’s a privilege to be able to wake up and have morning coffee with the Northland each and every day,” Walt said. “With the support of my family and this community, I now have the opportunity to do that for many mornings to come.”
News Director Matt McConico said Walt’s dedication to both journalism and the region has been evident since he joined the station.
“Since Xavier started with us as a production assistant, it was evident he cared about the community, good reporting and serving viewers,” McConico said. “I’m excited for this opportunity for him, and I know his family is very proud.”
McAllister said he looks forward to continuing to work alongside Walt.
“It has been an honor watching him grow into the role of morning anchor, and I look forward to sharing the desk with him for many more mornings,” McAllister said.
Walt said his Northland upbringing continues to shape his work as a journalist.
“As someone born in Duluth and raised in a small Northland town, it’s always been my goal to tell the stories of the people around me,” he said.
Walt’s family has deep roots in the region. His great-grandmother helped found the American Indian Community Housing Organization, and his grandfather served as a local fire chief.