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

Alexandria, VA
Obituaries
Virginia Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Before Daughter’s Graduation Virginia Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Before Daughter’s Graduation Virginia Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Before Daughter’s Graduation
Virginia Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Before Daughter’s Graduation A Virginia family is grieving the sudden loss of a husband and father after a fatal motorcycle crash. Dan Murray died on Wednesday, April 15, leaving behind his wife, Maureen, and their two daughters, including one who is preparing to graduate, according to those closest to him. In Alexandria, friends and loved ones say Murray — affectionately known as “Shorty” — was a devoted family man who always showed up for others. “Dan was a devoted husband, a loving father, and someone who showed up for others without hesitation,” organizers of a fundraiser set up for his family after his death wrot…

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by Zak Failla
Arlington, VA
Breaking News
DC Police Hunt Jeep With Maryland Plates After Woman Killed In Crosswalk Hit-Run Crash DC Police Hunt Jeep With Maryland Plates After Woman Killed In Crosswalk Hit-Run Crash DC Police Hunt Jeep With Maryland Plates After Woman Killed In Crosswalk Hit-Run Crash
DC Police Hunt Jeep With Maryland Plates After Woman Killed In Crosswalk Hit-Run Crash DC police are searching for a white Jeep with Maryland plates after a woman was reportedly killed in a hit-and-run while crossing the street. In Northwest DC, officers responded around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, to the intersection of 23rd and L Street for a reported crash involving a pedestrian. Investigators say a woman was struck in the crosswalk by a driver who then fled the scene. Paramedics took her to an area hospital with critical injuries, where she later died, according to reports. Police are now on the lookout for a white Jeep bearing Maryland tags believed to be the stri…

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by Zak Failla
Leesburg, VA
Breaking News
'Blessing' Scam Targeting Seniors In Virginia Leads To Jewelry Thefts: Loudoun County Sheriff 'Blessing' Scam Targeting Seniors In Virginia Leads To Jewelry Thefts: Loudoun County Sheriff 'Blessing' Scam Targeting Seniors In Virginia Leads To Jewelry Thefts: Loudoun County Sheriff
'Blessing' Scam Targeting Seniors In Virginia Leads To Jewelry Thefts: Loudoun County Sheriff A bizarre scam is targeting seniors in Virginia, with suspects approaching victims with offers of a “blessing” — only to walk away with their jewelry. In Loudoun County, the Sheriff’s Office issued a warning after responding to multiple distraction thefts involving older adults in public areas. Investigators say suspects are approaching members of the South Asian community, often using cultural gestures to gain trust before making their move. In several cases, suspects offered a “blessing” or placed a necklace around the victim’s neck — then quietly removed their real jewelry without them …

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by Zak Failla
Annandale, VA
Breaking News
2-Alarm Apartment Fire In Annandale Leaves One Person Critically Injured 2-Alarm Apartment Fire In Annandale Leaves One Person Critically Injured 2-Alarm Apartment Fire In Annandale Leaves One Person Critically Injured
2-Alarm Apartment Fire In Annandale Leaves One Person Critically Injured A person is fighting for their life after a two-alarm fire tore through an apartment building in Virginia early Saturday morning. Firefighters were called shortly before 7:30 a.m. on April 18 to the 7500 block of McWhorter Place in Annandale, where there were reports of smoke coming from inside a unit. When crews arrived, flames were already showing from the top floor of a three-story garden-style apartment building, prompting a second alarm, officials said. Firefighters immediately began searching the building while working to bring the flames under control. The fire was quickly extingui…

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by Zak Failla
Towson, MD
Breaking News
Putting The Bee In BWI: More Than 20,000 Bees Swarm Airport Equipment As Beekeeper Steps In Putting The Bee In BWI: More Than 20,000 Bees Swarm Airport Equipment As Beekeeper Steps In Putting The Bee In BWI: More Than 20,000 Bees Swarm Airport Equipment As Beekeeper Steps In
Putting The Bee In BWI: More Than 20,000 Bees Swarm Airport Equipment As Beekeeper Steps In Un bee-lievable. A massive swarm of bees turned heads at a major Maryland airport after thousands descended on equipment in a scene that looked straight out of a movie. At BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, officials confirmed on Friday, April 17, that approximately 20,000 bees gathered on a baggage cart before being safely removed. “Quite a sight!” the airport posted on social media. “If you've never seen thousands of bees in one place, this is what it looks like.” Photos and video from the scene show the swarm blanketing part of the cart, with bees clustering tightly together and fi…

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by Zak Failla
Arlington, VA
Breaking News
Locked Basement, Trusted Teacher: Former DC Educator Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Student Locked Basement, Trusted Teacher: Former DC Educator Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Student Locked Basement, Trusted Teacher: Former DC Educator Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Student
Locked Basement, Trusted Teacher: Former DC Educator Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Student A former high school teacher at the prestigious Duke Ellington School for the Arts in DC is trading the classroom for a prison cell. Mark Williams, 59, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for sexually abusing one of his students more than a decade ago, federal authorities announced on Friday afternoon. Williams was convicted by a jury in February of multiple sexual abuse charges after preying on his victim while he was her teacher. According to prosecutors, in the spring of 2014, Williams, then 47, began an independent study with his victim, who was 17 years old at the time. The…

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by Zak Failla
Gaithersburg, MD
Breaking News
Brookeville Scammer Admits To 7-Year $280K Scheme Using Fake Ravens And Commanders Suites Brookeville Scammer Admits To 7-Year $280K Scheme Using Fake Ravens And Commanders Suites Brookeville Scammer Admits To 7-Year $280K Scheme Using Fake Ravens And Commanders Suites
Brookeville Scammer Admits To 7-Year $280K Scheme Using Fake Ravens And Commanders Suites A Maryland man admitted to running a years-long scam that drained nearly $280,000 from unsuspecting victims with promises of luxury sports access and business investments that were never realized. William Bugg, 58, of Brookeville, pleaded guilty to a theft scheme over $100,000 in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Friday, April 17, officials announced. Between February 2019 and February 2026, Bugg defrauded 12 victims of $279,399 through what prosecutors described as fraudulent investment schemes. Authorities say Bugg pitched access to luxury suites for major teams, including the Washingto…

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by Zak Failla
Dunkirk-Owings, MD
Obituaries
Maryland To Honor National Champion Amanda ‘Spin’ Regan After Fatal Crash In Owings Maryland To Honor National Champion Amanda ‘Spin’ Regan After Fatal Crash In Owings Maryland To Honor National Champion Amanda ‘Spin’ Regan After Fatal Crash In Owings
Maryland To Honor National Champion Amanda ‘Spin’ Regan After Fatal Crash In Owings A former University of Maryland national champion is being remembered after Amanda Spinnenweber Regan was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Calvert County. Maryland State Police troopers were called late on Tuesday, April 14, to a stretch of East Mount Harmony Road in Owings to investigate a reported single-vehicle crash. Regan, 37, the only person involved, lost control of her vehicle for unknown reasons and crashed into a tree off the side of the road. The Chesapeake Beach resident was pronounced dead at the scene. The Maryland Women's Lacrosse team posted a tribute to "Spin" when new…

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by Zak Failla
Taneytown-Union Bridge, MD
Breaking News
Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Tiptons' Logging And Sawmill As Neighbors Step Up For Family Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Tiptons' Logging And Sawmill As Neighbors Step Up For Family Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Tiptons' Logging And Sawmill As Neighbors Step Up For Family
Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Tiptons' Logging And Sawmill As Neighbors Step Up For Family A fast-moving fire tore through a historic Carroll County sawmill, destroying a multi-generation family business in hours and leaving a Maryland community reeling. On Thursday, April 16, the blaze engulfed Tiptons' Logging and Sawmill in Union Bridge, completely gutting the structure and leaving behind charred wreckage. No injuries were reported, but the "community lost a beloved spot, taking with it decades of hard work, irreplaceable equipment, and the livelihood of three generations," organizers said. In the hours since the fire, there has been an outpouring of support from neighbors as…

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by Zak Failla
Aldie, VA
Your Community
Obama Urges Virginians To ‘Vote Yes,’ Take ‘Temporary Step To Level The Playing Field’ Obama Urges Virginians To ‘Vote Yes,’ Take ‘Temporary Step To Level The Playing Field’ Obama Urges Virginians To ‘Vote Yes,’ Take ‘Temporary Step To Level The Playing Field’
Obama Urges Virginians To ‘Vote Yes,’ Take ‘Temporary Step To Level The Playing Field’ Former President Barack Obama is stepping into a high-stakes Virginia referendum, urging voters to head to the polls and vote “yes” in a new video message. Obama shared the video in Virginia on Friday, April 17, as early voting continues ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, April 21. The referendum centers on redistricting, an issue that could impact political control and representation heading into future elections. “Early voting is underway, and Virginians are turning out in record numbers to vote yes,” Obama said. Virginia, if you haven’t done it already, make a plan to vote YES on the…

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by Zak Failla
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