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

Arlington, VA
Breaking News
Road Rage On I-66 In Arlington Ends With Two Pedestrians Struck, DC Man Behind Bars: Police Road Rage On I-66 In Arlington Ends With Two Pedestrians Struck, DC Man Behind Bars: Police Road Rage On I-66 In Arlington Ends With Two Pedestrians Struck, DC Man Behind Bars: Police
Road Rage On I-66 In Arlington Ends With Two Pedestrians Struck, DC Man Behind Bars: Police A District man is behind bars months after a hit-and-run injured two people in Virginia, police say. Zai Atwater, 24, was arrested and is facing multiple charges in connection with a December 2025 crash that left two with injuries, the Arlington Police Department announced on Wednesday, Feb. 25. According to police, shortly after 7:15 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2025, officers were called to the 1100 block of N. Glebe Road, where there was a reported crash with injuries. The investigation found that Atwater and his victim were each driving on I-66 when they got into a dispute.  "The suspect con…

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by Zak Failla
Woodbridge, VA
Breaking News
Alexandria Man Dies After Being Shot In Potomac Mills Parking Lot, Gunman At Large, Police Say Alexandria Man Dies After Being Shot In Potomac Mills Parking Lot, Gunman At Large, Police Say Alexandria Man Dies After Being Shot In Potomac Mills Parking Lot, Gunman At Large, Police Say
Alexandria Man Dies After Being Shot In Potomac Mills Parking Lot, Gunman At Large, Police Say A 34-year-old man found shot in the parking lot of Potomac Mills died from his injuries, according to the Prince William County Police Department. Alexandria resident Baffour Asare Gundona has been identified by the agency as the person who was shot and killed after an altercation in a vehicle at the mall in Woodbridge.  Shortly after 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, officers from the department were called to investigate reports of shots fired with a man down in the parking lot, police said. Upon arrival, they found Gundona with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Officers…

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by Zak Failla
Lexington Park, MD
Breaking News
Late-Night Jump-Start Turns Deadly As Man Trapped In Chaptico Barn Dies: Fire Marshal Late-Night Jump-Start Turns Deadly As Man Trapped In Chaptico Barn Dies: Fire Marshal Late-Night Jump-Start Turns Deadly As Man Trapped In Chaptico Barn Dies: Fire Marshal
Late-Night Jump-Start Turns Deadly As Man Trapped In Chaptico Barn Dies: Fire Marshal A late-night attempt to jump-start a car ended in horror in Maryland when a barn suddenly went up in flames, trapping a 62-year-old man inside as the inferno ripped through the structure. Firefighters in St. Mary's County were dispatched just after 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, to the 36100 block of Roosevelt Boulevard in Chaptico for a reported barn fire with entrapment, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. 911 callers reported that a barn was on fire and a person was trapped inside. Crews from Leonardtown, Mechanicsville, and several nearby departments arrived to find a 50-b…

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by Zak Failla
Aldie, VA
Your Community
Virginia Gov Torches Trump On Tariffs, Immigration, Corruption In State Of The Union Rebuttal Virginia Gov Torches Trump On Tariffs, Immigration, Corruption In State Of The Union Rebuttal Virginia Gov Torches Trump On Tariffs, Immigration, Corruption In State Of The Union Rebuttal
Virginia Gov Torches Trump On Tariffs, Immigration, Corruption In State Of The Union Rebuttal Virginia took center stage Tuesday night. Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivered the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address from the House of Burgesses in historic Williamsburg on Feb. 24, sharply criticizing the President’s policies and leadership. “Tonight, as we watched our nation’s lawmakers gather for a joint session of Congress, we did not hear the truth from our President,” Spanberger said. We as Americans have the power to make change, the power to stand up for what is right, and the power to demand more of our nation.Let us use that power for good…

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by Zak Failla
Gaithersburg, MD
Breaking News
Arrest Made After Millionaire Philanthropist Found Dead At Potomac Senior Home (DEVELOPING) Arrest Made After Millionaire Philanthropist Found Dead At Potomac Senior Home (DEVELOPING) Arrest Made After Millionaire Philanthropist Found Dead At Potomac Senior Home (DEVELOPING)
Arrest Made After Millionaire Philanthropist Found Dead At Potomac Senior Home (Developing) An arrest has been made after an 87-year-old millionaire philanthropist was gunned down in a Maryland senior living facility on Valentine's Day. The Montgomery County Department of Police announced on Wednesday, Feb. 25, that an arrest has been made in connection with the fatal shooting of Robert G. Fuller, Jr., who was found shot to death at the Cogir Potomac Senior Living Facility last week. Fuller was found unresponsive inside his apartment in the 10800 block of Potomac Tennis Lane shortly after 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, according to police. First responders found Fuller…

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by Zak Failla
Centreville, VA
Breaking News
NTSB Identifies Leaking Gas Pipe In Centreville Explosion That Rocked Neighborhood NTSB Identifies Leaking Gas Pipe In Centreville Explosion That Rocked Neighborhood NTSB Identifies Leaking Gas Pipe In Centreville Explosion That Rocked Neighborhood
NTSB Identifies Leaking Gas Pipe In Centreville Explosion That Rocked Neighborhood Virginia residents are getting their first real clue into what may have caused the massive natural gas explosion that rocked a Fairfax County neighborhood earlier this month. The National Transportation Safety Board announced that investigators identified a leaking section of polyethylene plastic pipe near the corner of Quail Pond Court and Belle Plains Drive following the Feb. 15 natural gas-fueled home explosion and fire in Centreville. Investigators found the pipe leaked air during pressure testing and removed that section for further analysis. The damaged pipe has been sent to the NTSB…

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by Zak Failla
Ashburn, VA
Breaking News
Knife-Wielding Man Threatened Metro Riders, Touched Child On Train Heading To Ashburn: Sheriff Knife-Wielding Man Threatened Metro Riders, Touched Child On Train Heading To Ashburn: Sheriff Knife-Wielding Man Threatened Metro Riders, Touched Child On Train Heading To Ashburn: Sheriff
Knife-Wielding Man Threatened Metro Riders, Touched Child On Train Heading To Ashburn: Sheriff An armed man who threatened passengers on a Metro train in Virginia and allegedly touched a child inappropriately is behind bars after being taken into custody at an area station. Sergio Avalos Santiago, 37, who has no fixed address, is facing charges after threatening passengers on a train heading from Herndon to Ashburn, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. Shortly after 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, Metro Transit Police alerted the department about a man who was displaying a knife toward other passengers on the train. Deputies met the train at the Ashburn Station and evac…

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by Zak Failla
Fairfax, VA
Breaking News
'Dangerous' Person Of Interest Wanted For Deadly Bus Stop Stabbing In Fairfax Arrested: Police 'Dangerous' Person Of Interest Wanted For Deadly Bus Stop Stabbing In Fairfax Arrested: Police 'Dangerous' Person Of Interest Wanted For Deadly Bus Stop Stabbing In Fairfax Arrested: Police
'Dangerous' Person Of Interest Wanted For Deadly Bus Stop Stabbing In Fairfax Arrested: Police A man identified as the person of interest in a deadly Hybla Valley bus stop homicide is now in custody in Virginia. Abdul Jalloh was taken into custody on Tuesday, Feb. 24, in the 8600 block of Richmond Highway in Woodlawn, hours after he allegedly stabbed a woman to death, according to Fairfax County Police. Police say Jalloh is currently being held on an unrelated petit larceny charge. Jalloh was previously identified by detectives as the last person seen with a woman who was found suffering from trauma inside a bus shelter near Richmond Highway and Arlington Drive shortly after 7 p.m. …

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by Zak Failla
Fairfax, VA
Your Community
DHS Says Virginia Gov. Spanberger Made Commonwealth ‘Less Safe’ After ICE Ban DHS Says Virginia Gov. Spanberger Made Commonwealth ‘Less Safe’ After ICE Ban DHS Says Virginia Gov. Spanberger Made Commonwealth ‘Less Safe’ After ICE Ban
DHS Says Virginia Gov. Spanberger Made Commonwealth ‘Less Safe’ After ICE Ban Virginia is now at the center of a growing immigration firestorm. The US Department of Homeland Security publicly criticized Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Tuesday, Feb/ 24, accusing her of making Virginia “less safe” after she ended agreements allowing local law enforcement to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The statement was released from Washington ahead of Spanberger’s response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. On Feb. 4, Spanberger terminated all 287(g) agreements in Virginia, according to DHS. Those agreements allow local law enforcement agencies to …

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by Zak Failla
Glen Burnie, MD
Breaking News
Shotgun Terror: Man Fired Blasts Inside Glen Burnie Home As Family Fled, Police Say Shotgun Terror: Man Fired Blasts Inside Glen Burnie Home As Family Fled, Police Say Shotgun Terror: Man Fired Blasts Inside Glen Burnie Home As Family Fled, Police Say
Shotgun Terror: Man Fired Blasts Inside Glen Burnie Home As Family Fled, Police Say A Maryland man is facing attempted murder charges after allegedly firing multiple shotgun blasts inside a home with family members present in the room, police said. Officers responded at approximately 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24, to the 1000 block of Nancy Road in Glen Burnie for a report of shots fired, according to the Anne Arundel County Police Department. When officers arrived, they learned a man had fired multiple shots inside the residence while family members were still inside the home. Two women were able to exit the residence safely before police arrived, and officers assisted a…

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by Zak Failla
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