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Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

zfailla@dailyvoice.com

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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

Schools
Schools Schedule Delays In Maryland With Snow, Ice Storm Incoming Schools Schedule Delays In Maryland With Snow, Ice Storm Incoming
Schools Schedule Delays In Maryland With Snow, Ice Storm Incoming With a snow and ice storm expected to batter Maryland and Virginia, some schools announced that there would be delayed openings in the region on Thursday, Feb. 4.  Among the schools reported to be closed include:  Arlington County Public Schools: 2 hours delayed arrival; Barrie School: Delayed 2 hours; Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School: 2 hours delayed arrival; Clarke County Public Schools: Delayed 2 hours; Culpeper County Public Schools: Delayed 2 hours; Fairfax Baptist Temple Academy: Delayed 2 hours; Fairfax Christian School: Delayed 2 hours; Fairfax County Public Schools: …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Teacher Breaking Up Fight Assaulted By Student In Maryland, Sheriff Says Teacher Breaking Up Fight Assaulted By Student In Maryland, Sheriff Says
Teacher Breaking Up Fight Assaulted By Student In Maryland, Sheriff Says A teacher was assaulted during a classroom argument at Robert D. Stethem Educational Center, setting off a chaotic series of events that ended with multiple students facing discipline, authorities said. The incident unfolded on Wednesday, Feb. 5, when two students got into an argument inside a classroom, according to the Charles County Sheriff's Office.  During the dispute, one of the students grabbed the teacher by the arm and pushed her against a wall, officials said. The other student involved in the argument left the room, while an administrator escorted the aggressor toward the f…

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by Zak Failla
News
Final Victim Of DC Plane Crash Identified Final Victim Of DC Plane Crash Identified
Final Victim Of DC Plane Crash Identified Authorities have confirmed the recovery and positive identification of all 67 victims from the tragic aircraft collision over the Potomac River, marking a major step in bringing closure to grieving families, they say. The Unified Command announced the update on Feb. 5, stating that efforts will now shift toward clearing the remaining wreckage from the waterway. "Our thoughts are with the victims’ families as they endure this heartbreaking loss," officials said. "We offer our deepest condolences and remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting them through this difficult time." While al…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Trio Trying To Protect Fugitive Fraudster Facing Charges In Stafford, Sheriff Says Trio Trying To Protect Fugitive Fraudster Facing Charges In Stafford, Sheriff Says
Trio Trying To Protect Fugitive Fraudster Facing Charges In Stafford, Sheriff Says What started as a search for one landed three people behind bars after attempting to escape out the back door of a Stafford County home, only to be met by deputies waiting outside, authorities said. Rehela Lacatus, 31, who was wanted on multiple felony offenses, was taken into custody at around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4 on Olympic Drive was taken into custody by deputies serving a fraud-related warrants, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies R.W. Stamm and W.E. Trainor approached the front door, while Deputy C.T. Richardson positioned himself in the backyard—a move that paid off when …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Nurse, Single Mother Killed Leaving Parents' Maryland Home, Police Say Nurse, Single Mother Killed Leaving Parents' Maryland Home, Police Say
Nurse, Single Mother Killed Leaving Parents' Maryland Home, Police Say A Maryland woman who was shot and killed while leaving her parents’ apartment was the target of an attack last year, according to police investigating the case. Natasha Renne Harris, 30, a nurse and single mother, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the 200 block of Snowcap Court on Oct. 29, 2024, Anne Arundel County Police said.  Officers provided medical aid before she was rushed to University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead. Homicide detectives took over the investigation, collecting evidence at the scene and inte…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
GREAT ESCAPE: Teens Attack Staffer, Steal Keys At Juvenile Facility In Manassas, Police Say GREAT ESCAPE: Teens Attack Staffer, Steal Keys At Juvenile Facility In Manassas, Police Say
Great Escape: Teens Attack Staffer, Steal Keys At Juvenile Facility In Manassas, Police Say Three teenage residents at a Manassas juvenile shelter planned and carried out an attack on a staff member, stealing his keys before fleeing the facility, police said. Officers responded to the Molinari Juvenile Shelter on Wellington Road around 9:25 p.m. on Jan. 25 after reports of a strong-arm robbery, according to Prince William County Police on Wednesday. Molinari Juvenile Shelter in Manassas Google Maps street view Investigators determined that the three juveniles—a 13-year-old, a 16-year-old, and a 17-year-old—conspired to assault the staff member before carrying out their pla…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Lockdown At High Point High School After Large Student Altercation, Police Say Lockdown At High Point High School After Large Student Altercation, Police Say
Lockdown At High Point High School After Large Student Altercation, Police Say An incident involving multiple students at High Point High School in Beltsville led to a temporary lockdown on Wednesday, authorities said. Officers responded to the school around 12:45 p.m. after reports of an altercation, according to Prince George’s County Police. As a precaution, the school was placed on lockdown while officers assessed the situation. Authorities canvassed the school grounds for a possible weapon, though no gunshots were fired, and no injuries were reported, police said. By 2:30 p.m., officers confirmed that dismissal was underway, and the situation was under control.&…

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by Zak Failla
Weather
Icy Nightmare: Maryland Drivers Warned As Snowstorm Set To Cripple Roads Icy Nightmare: Maryland Drivers Warned As Snowstorm Set To Cripple Roads
Icy Nightmare: Maryland Drivers Warned As Snowstorm Set To Cripple Roads Forecasters are cautioning DMV residents to brace for tricky and potentially hazardous conditions as the latest round of winter weather sweeps through the region. A Winter Weather and Ice Storm Warning were put in effect on Wednesday that will remain in effect until Thursday morning on Feb. 6.  "Significant icing expected," the warning states. "Total ice accumulations between two and three tenths of an inch, (with) winds gusting as high as 35 mph. "Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Power outages and tree damage are lik…

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by Zak Failla
News
Arsonist Behind Fiery Explosions During Maryland Robberies Faces Life In Prison: Feds Arsonist Behind Fiery Explosions During Maryland Robberies Faces Life In Prison: Feds
Arsonist Behind Fiery Explosions During Maryland Robberies Faces Life In Prison: Feds A Maryland man has been convicted of using explosives to set fire to 7-Eleven stores in a scheme to rob cash registers and steal from ATMs, federal prosecutors announced. After a five-day trial, a federal jury found Stephen Kennedy, 33, of Temple Hills, guilty of multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit arson, commercial robbery, and carrying an explosive device during a felony, authorities said. Investigators say Kennedy and his co-conspirator, Donnell Kelly, carried out a dangerous plan between January 2021 and January 2022, targeting 7-Eleven locations in Maryland while they were…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Officer Exposed To Fentanyl During Chase With Dealer In Maryland: Police Officer Exposed To Fentanyl During Chase With Dealer In Maryland: Police
Officer Exposed To Fentanyl During Chase With Dealer In Maryland: Police A high-stakes drug bust in Hagerstown took a chaotic turn when a Maryland man took off running, tossing suspected fentanyl capsules into the air—and onto a pursuing officer, authorities said. The Washington County Narcotics Task Force was conducting surveillance on Feb. 4 when they spotted suspicious activity indicating a possible drug distribution operation, officials said.  They called in Hagerstown Police, who stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation and identified the driver as Wesley Antonio Fulgham, 35, of Baltimore, and the passenger as Levar Atturra Octavion Cooper, 30, of Han…

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by Zak Failla
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