Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

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Equal parts Lois Lane, J. Jonah Jameson and Vicki Vale, Zak! has traveled from coast-to-coast covering small and big town community news in both in print and online for nearly a decade since his graduation from the award-winning Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College in 2010.

Before settling into the Hudson Valley, Zak! previously spent time in the New York Daily News newsroom and worked for hyperlocal digital news outlets on Long Island. He wrote sports for The Ithacan and The Ithaca Journal before taking his talents to the Pacific Northwest, where he served as the sports editor at the Shoshone News-Press until heading back east to work with Daily Voice.

Zak Failla's Contributions

Rockville, MD
Breaking News
Swatting Call Prompts Police Response At Walt Whitman High School (DEVELOPING) Swatting Call Prompts Police Response At Walt Whitman High School (DEVELOPING) Swatting Call Prompts Police Response At Walt Whitman High School (DEVELOPING)
Swatting Call Prompts Police Response At Walt Whitman High School (Developing) A suspected swatting call triggered a police response at a Maryland high school, putting the campus on lockdown as officers moved in to investigate. The incident unfolded in Montgomery County, where police were dispatched to Walt Whitman High School shortly after 12:10 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5. School officials initially placed the campus in a secure status as officers arrived on scene. Police say the call appeared to be a swatting incident — a false report intended to prompt a large law enforcement response. By 12:37 p.m., the status at the school was shifted to a hold while officers condu…

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by Zak Failla
Pasadena-Lake Shore, MD
Breaking News
Former Treasurer Accused Of Stealing Nearly $250K From Pasadena Buccaneers Athletic Club: AAPD Former Treasurer Accused Of Stealing Nearly $250K From Pasadena Buccaneers Athletic Club: AAPD Former Treasurer Accused Of Stealing Nearly $250K From Pasadena Buccaneers Athletic Club: AAPD
Former Treasurer Accused Of Stealing Nearly $250K From Pasadena Buccaneers Athletic Club: Aapd A former treasurer for a volunteer organization in Maryland is facing charges for an alleged years-long scheme to steal nearly $250,000, police say. Kelley Ann Haley, 45, the former treasurer of the Pasadena Buccaneers Athletic Club, is facing charges following an investigation by the Anne Arundel County Police Department's Financial Crimes Unit. In late March, an investigation was launched into suspected theft and misappropriation from the club, which is "committed to mentoring local youth through comprehensive sports programming and dedicated coaching," officials said. The president…

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by Zak Failla
Waldorf, MD
Obituaries
Maryland Father Of Two Remembered For ‘Infectious Laugh’ After Fatal Motorcycle Crash Maryland Father Of Two Remembered For ‘Infectious Laugh’ After Fatal Motorcycle Crash Maryland Father Of Two Remembered For ‘Infectious Laugh’ After Fatal Motorcycle Crash
Maryland Father Of Two Remembered For ‘Infectious Laugh’ After Fatal Motorcycle Crash Eugene "Gene" Paul Smith III is being remembered as more than a husband, father, family member, and friend. He was a kind soul "whose presence brought strength, laughter, and love to everyone around him."  The 41-year-old father of two young children was killed on Friday, May 1, in a Maryland motorcycle crash, leaving behind his beloved wife, kids, and a devastated community that is trying to pick up the pieces. "He was a best friend to his wife, a role model to his children, and touched everyone he met with his infectious laugh, over-the-top sense of humor, and heart of gold," his obituary…

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by Zak Failla
Gaithersburg, MD
Breaking News
Gaithersburg Man Who Sold Fatal Fentanyl To Teen In Montgomery County Pleads Guilty: Feds Gaithersburg Man Who Sold Fatal Fentanyl To Teen In Montgomery County Pleads Guilty: Feds Gaithersburg Man Who Sold Fatal Fentanyl To Teen In Montgomery County Pleads Guilty: Feds
Gaithersburg Man Who Sold Fatal Fentanyl To Teen In Montgomery County Pleads Guilty: Feds The drug dealer who advertised on social media and sold a fatal dose of fentanyl to a teen girl at an elementary school in Maryland has admitted to the crime, federal authorities announced. Gaithersburg resident Kelvin Reyes, 27, pleaded guilty to a drug-trafficking offense that resulted in the death of a 15-year-old girl in Montgomery County in January 2023. According to the guilty plea, on Jan. 14, 2023, Reyes distributed fentanyl to the teen girl who later used it and died. Prosecutors say that day, the teen contacted Reyes on Instagram about purchasing fentanyl. Reyes agreed …

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by Zak Failla
Fairfax, VA
Breaking News
Motorcyclist Rides On Sidewalk, Nearly Hits Cars While Fleeing Troopers In Fairfax: Police Motorcyclist Rides On Sidewalk, Nearly Hits Cars While Fleeing Troopers In Fairfax: Police Motorcyclist Rides On Sidewalk, Nearly Hits Cars While Fleeing Troopers In Fairfax: Police
Motorcyclist Rides On Sidewalk, Nearly Hits Cars While Fleeing Troopers In Fairfax: Police A motorcyclist is on the run after leading Virginia State Police on a dangerous chase, weaving through traffic, riding on sidewalks, and nearly striking multiple vehicles. The incident unfolded in Fairfax County, where a trooper attempted to stop the rider for speeding shortly after 6 p.m. on Monday, May 4, along westbound I-66 in the Express Lanes near Monument Drive. Instead of pulling over, the rider took off. Police say the motorcyclist exited at Stringfellow Road, where he rode onto the sidewalk, nearly struck several cars, and continued speeding through the area. The pursuit ended w…

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by Zak Failla
Fairfax, VA
Breaking News
WATCH: Firefighters Battle Fast-Moving Blaze Tearing Through Fairfax County Home WATCH: Firefighters Battle Fast-Moving Blaze Tearing Through Fairfax County Home WATCH: Firefighters Battle Fast-Moving Blaze Tearing Through Fairfax County Home
Watch: Firefighters Battle Fast-Moving Blaze Tearing Through Fairfax County Home Flames ripped through a Virginia home, sending thick black smoke into the sky as fire swallowed the structure in a dramatic scene caught on camera. The fire broke out in Fairfax County, where crews were called just after 11 a.m. on Monday, May 4, to the 6500 block of Enfield Drive in the Groveton area. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy fire pouring from the single-family home. Photos from the scene show flames racing across the roofline, blowing through windows, and consuming much of the structure as smoke blanketed the neighborhood. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue All occup…

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by Zak Failla
Joppatowne, MD
Breaking News
Police Impersonator Busted With US Marshal Gear, SWAT Vest During Harford County Stop: Sheriff Police Impersonator Busted With US Marshal Gear, SWAT Vest During Harford County Stop: Sheriff Police Impersonator Busted With US Marshal Gear, SWAT Vest During Harford County Stop: Sheriff
Police Impersonator Busted With US Marshal Gear, SWAT Vest During Harford County Stop: Sheriff A man who went the extra mile to pose as a police officer in Maryland has found himself on the wrong side of the law. Robert Dicocco, 56, got an up-close-and-personal look at law enforcement after he was busted going all-in to pretend to be a cop, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office. The case began on Thursday, April 30, when deputies spotted a curious vehicle displaying red and blue emergency lights. Dicocco did himself no favors during the stop. Investigators say that when he was questioned, Dicocco identified himself as a police officer and presented what appeared to …

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by Zak Failla
Frederick, MD
Breaking News
Fentanyl Stash Found Near Children Leads To Decades-Long Sentence In Frederick: Prosecutors Fentanyl Stash Found Near Children Leads To Decades-Long Sentence In Frederick: Prosecutors Fentanyl Stash Found Near Children Leads To Decades-Long Sentence In Frederick: Prosecutors
Fentanyl Stash Found Near Children Leads To Decades-Long Sentence In Frederick: Prosecutors A drug kingpin in Maryland is heading to prison after admitting to his role in a massive drug ring that spanned across the region.  William Joseph Jones, Jr., 38, was sentenced to 60 years in prison, with all but 35 years suspended following a months-long investigation into drug trafficking in Frederick County, authorities announced on Monday. In March 2024, the Frederick Police Department's Tactical Unit launched an investigation into reported drug dealings involving Jones, who was involved in trafficking and distributing cocaine and fentanyl across Maryland. With an assist from a wi…

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by Zak Failla
Frederick, MD
Breaking News
Blaze, Train Strike, Rollover Crash Keep Crews Racing All Morning In Frederick County Blaze, Train Strike, Rollover Crash Keep Crews Racing All Morning In Frederick County Blaze, Train Strike, Rollover Crash Keep Crews Racing All Morning In Frederick County
Blaze, Train Strike, Rollover Crash Keep Crews Racing All Morning In Frederick County Fire crews barely had time to catch their breath as a blaze tore through a building, a man was struck near train tracks, and a rollover crash left multiple people hurt in a frantic stretch of emergencies in Maryland. The incidents unfolded in Frederick County, where the day began just after 1:25 a.m. on Monday, May 4, with a report of a train striking a pedestrian near Executive Drive. Crews arrived to find an adult man suffering life-threatening injuries. He was rushed to Frederick Health Hospital for treatment. Just hours later, around 4:45 a.m., firefighters were called to a growing bl…

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by Zak Failla
Germantown, MD
Breaking News
Man Struck, Killed By Family Member In Germantown Driveway Identified By Police Man Struck, Killed By Family Member In Germantown Driveway Identified By Police Man Struck, Killed By Family Member In Germantown Driveway Identified By Police
Man Struck, Killed By Family Member In Germantown Driveway Identified By Police New details have been released after a 72-year-old man was killed when a family member accidentally backed into him. Abdul Kaium Mohammad Hakim has been identified by the Montgomery County Department of Police as the person who was struck and killed in a Germantown driveway on Friday afternoon.  Officers were called shortly after 12:30 p.m. on May 1 to the 11600 block of Drumcastle Terrace, where there were reports of a person struck. Investigators say Hakim was getting into a black 2012 Toyota Camry when the driver reversed the vehicle, causing him to fall before he was struck by the…

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by Zak Failla
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