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
$50M Crypto Heist Spent On Pokémon, Magic Cards, Moon Relic By Rockville Man, Feds Say $50M Crypto Heist Spent On Pokémon, Magic Cards, Moon Relic By Rockville Man, Feds Say $50M Crypto Heist Spent On Pokémon, Magic Cards, Moon Relic By Rockville Man, Feds Say
$50M Crypto Heist Spent On Pokémon, Magic Cards, Moon Relic By Rockville Man, Feds Say A Maryland man accused of stealing more than $50 million in a crypto hack didn't just stash the cash — he turned it into some out-of-this-world items. Rockville resident Joseph Spalletta, 36, is facing federal charges tied to a massive heist that led to more than $1 million in "Magic: The Gathering cards," along with a relic that made it to the moon and back, and other frivolous purchases. Spalletta was charged after allegedly hacking a cryptocurrency exchange and draining more than $50 million from it, federal prosecutors announced. Authorities say the Maryland man started off small befor…

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by Zak Failla
Towson, MD
Breaking News
Four Baltimore Cops Indicted After Alleged Abuse, Cover-Up Exposed By State's Attorney Four Baltimore Cops Indicted After Alleged Abuse, Cover-Up Exposed By State's Attorney Four Baltimore Cops Indicted After Alleged Abuse, Cover-Up Exposed By State's Attorney
Four Baltimore Cops Indicted After Alleged Abuse, Cover-Up Exposed By State's Attorney Four Baltimore police officers are facing criminal charges after investigators say they abused the power of their badges and then attempted to cover it up, authorities announced. The indictments were announced this week following a months-long investigation led by the State’s Attorney’s Public Trust & Police Integrity Unit. According to the Baltimore State's Attorney's Office, Officer Kevin Dugan is charged with five counts of misconduct in office, while Officer Kevin Hilton faces second-degree assault and misconduct charges. Officers Mordechai Mandelbaum and Menachem Rosenbl…

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by Zak Failla
Owings Mills, MD
Breaking News
Maryland Water Main Break Shuts Down Major Road Ahead Of Afternoon Commute In Owings Mills Maryland Water Main Break Shuts Down Major Road Ahead Of Afternoon Commute In Owings Mills Maryland Water Main Break Shuts Down Major Road Ahead Of Afternoon Commute In Owings Mills
Maryland Water Main Break Shuts Down Major Road Ahead Of Afternoon Commute In Owings Mills A major water main break disrupted traffic in Maryland just as drivers prepared for the Tuesday afternoon commute. The break was reported around 1:45 p.m. on March 31 at the intersection of Greenspring Valley Road and Reisterstown Road in Baltimore County. Both Northbound lanes are closed at Reisterstown Road and Greenspring Valley Road. Traffic pattern is set up using the Southbound lane on Reisterstown Road with one lane South and one lane North. — Baltimore County Public Works and Transportation (@BaltCoDPWT) March 31, 2026 A 16-inch water main ruptured, sending water rushing across…

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by Zak Failla
Fredericksburg, VA
Breaking News
Propane Tanker Overturns In Northern Virginia Crash Shutting Down Busy Road (DEVELOPING) Propane Tanker Overturns In Northern Virginia Crash Shutting Down Busy Road (DEVELOPING) Propane Tanker Overturns In Northern Virginia Crash Shutting Down Busy Road (DEVELOPING)
Propane Tanker Overturns In Northern Virginia Crash Shutting Down Busy Road (Developing) A dangerous crash involving a propane tanker forced a full road closure in Northern Virginia, prompting a major emergency response and ongoing investigation. The crash happened in Fauquier County, where the sheriff’s office closed Halfway Road between Herringdon Road and Hopewell Road following what officials described as a serious vehicle crash. Emergency crews arrived to find the tanker overturned off the roadway, with debris scattered along the shoulder, and first responders surrounding the scene. Fire and rescue units, along with law enforcement, shut down the roadway and secured the a…

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by Zak Failla
Woodbridge, VA
Breaking News
Police Hunt Scooter Rider Accused Of Assaulting Same Woman Twice In Woodbridge (UPDATED) Police Hunt Scooter Rider Accused Of Assaulting Same Woman Twice In Woodbridge (UPDATED) Police Hunt Scooter Rider Accused Of Assaulting Same Woman Twice In Woodbridge (UPDATED)
Police Hunt Scooter Rider Accused Of Assaulting Same Woman Twice In Woodbridge (Updated) Recognize him?  New close-up photos have been released of a scooter-riding suspect in Virginia who is wanted for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman. In Woodbridge, detectives with the Prince William County Police Department are now sharing fresh photos as they continue searching for the man they believe targeted the same victim more than once. Police say the latest incident happened around 6:50 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, near River Ridge Boulevard and Powells Creek Boulevard. Attempt to ID: PWCPD is seeking help identifying a suspect involved in four sexual assaults that occur…

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by Zak Failla
Hagerstown, MD
Obituaries
Keedysville Wife Shares Heartbreak After Husband Dies At 26: ‘I Just Want One Last Hug’ Keedysville Wife Shares Heartbreak After Husband Dies At 26: ‘I Just Want One Last Hug’ Keedysville Wife Shares Heartbreak After Husband Dies At 26: ‘I Just Want One Last Hug’
Keedysville Wife Shares Heartbreak After Husband Dies At 26: ‘I Just Want One Last Hug’ A Maryland woman is sharing her grief with the world after losing her husband at just 26 — a life she says was only just beginning. John Ramos Ordona IV, known to loved ones as Ramos, died in Keedysville on March 22, leaving behind his wife, Brylee Ordona, just months after they were married. Now, less than a year after tying the knot, Brylee is left trying to navigate life without him. “I genuinely don’t have the words yet. You were my everything, and it doesn’t feel real,” she wrote in a tribute. “My soulmate, my best friend. My literal world. I love you so much, and I just want to have …

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by Zak Failla
Pasadena-Lake Shore, MD
Breaking News
Pasadena Man Who Sprayed Bullets Into Home With Child Inside Learns Prison Fate Pasadena Man Who Sprayed Bullets Into Home With Child Inside Learns Prison Fate Pasadena Man Who Sprayed Bullets Into Home With Child Inside Learns Prison Fate
Pasadena Man Who Sprayed Bullets Into Home With Child Inside Learns Prison Fate A Maryland man who unleashed a barrage of bullets toward a home — nearly striking a 6-year-old child sitting inside — is headed to prison for decades. Montrelle Alusine Musa was sentenced on March 30 after a jury found him guilty in connection with a late-night shooting on Huff Court, according to the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office. The 28-year-old Pasadena man was sentenced to 75 years with all but 25 years suspended following his conviction on six counts of first-degree assault and multiple firearm charges. The harrowing night began shortly after 10:45 p.m. on Jan. 12, 202…

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by Zak Failla
Clear Spring-Hancock, MD
Breaking News
Deadly Hancock Shooting Ruled 'Justified' As Grand Jury Declines Charges Against Minor Deadly Hancock Shooting Ruled 'Justified' As Grand Jury Declines Charges Against Minor Deadly Hancock Shooting Ruled 'Justified' As Grand Jury Declines Charges Against Minor
Deadly Hancock Shooting Ruled 'Justified' As Grand Jury Declines Charges Against Minor A deadly shooting in Maryland that left a man dead has now been ruled justified — with investigators, prosecutors, and a grand jury all agreeing the juvenile who pulled the trigger acted in self-defense. In Washington County, officers from the sheriff’s office were called to a home on Whispering Wind Road on Feb. 21, where a man had been shot. The victim, later identified as Brian Keith Lavoie Jr., was taken to Meritus Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. Following a weeks-long investigation, authorities determined the shooter acted in self-defense, according to the Washington …

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by Zak Failla
Annapolis, MD
Breaking News
Body Found Under Bridge Near US Naval Academy Sparks Death Investigation In Annapolis: Police Body Found Under Bridge Near US Naval Academy Sparks Death Investigation In Annapolis: Police Body Found Under Bridge Near US Naval Academy Sparks Death Investigation In Annapolis: Police
Body Found Under Bridge Near US Naval Academy Sparks Death Investigation In Annapolis: Police A death investigation has been launched in Maryland after a body was found in the water under the bridge near the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. At 4:21 p.m. on Monday, March 30, officers from the Annapolis Police Department responded to investigate reports of a man who was found under the College Creek Bridge. Officers were called to the 300 block of Rowe Boulevard, officials say, where they found the man. Google Maps street view There were no obvious signs of foul play, according to investigators. The body has since been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to identi…

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by Zak Failla
National Interest
Pain To Purpose: Family Of Man Believed Killed By Quadruple Amputee In LaPlata Takes Action Pain To Purpose: Family Of Man Believed Killed By Quadruple Amputee In LaPlata Takes Action Pain To Purpose: Family Of Man Believed Killed By Quadruple Amputee In LaPlata Takes Action
Pain To Purpose: Family Of Man Believed Killed By Quadruple Amputee In LaPlata Takes Action Friends and loved ones are hoping to "turn pain into purpose" to honor Bradrick Michael Wells after a quadruple amputee cornhole player in Maryland gunned the 27-year-old down. The Waldorf resident is being remembered as a "son, friend, and someone who brought so much light to everyone who knew him," after he was killed, allegedly by Dayton James Webber, 27, during an argument. "Brad’s life was tragically taken by gun violence, leaving an emptiness in our lives that can never be filled," loved ones wrote. Webber was arrested in Charlottesville, Virginia, and held behind bars following the …

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by Zak Failla
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