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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

Business
Robber Returns To Scene Of Crime Targeting Family-Owned Business In Montgomery County Robber Returns To Scene Of Crime Targeting Family-Owned Business In Montgomery County
Robber Returns To Scene Of Crime Targeting Family-Owned Business In Montgomery County A robber who previously targeted a popular neighborhood shop in Maryland returned weeks later to strike again, according to friends of the owners. In late January, Ertters on Dale Drive in Silver Spring was hit by an armed robber, leaving the family in dire straits. The situation worsened when the same suspect returned on Thursday, Feb. 6. "We wanted to reassure you that appropriate action is being taken to ensure the safety not only of Kevin and his mom but of everyone in the neighborhood," organizers of a fundraiser for the owners wrote.  The owners are now working with the lan…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Suspect Ditches Gun During Fredericksburg Pursuit: Authorities Suspect Ditches Gun During Fredericksburg Pursuit: Authorities
Suspect Ditches Gun During Fredericksburg Pursuit: Authorities A Virginia man led police on a foot chase and ditched a loaded gun in a neighborhood yard before being taken into custody during a traffic stop in Fredericksburg, authorities said. Ryan White, 35, of Ruther Glen, was arrested on multiple charges after an officer caught him engaging in suspicious activity in the Central Park Townhomes area, according to police. An officer from the Fredericksburg Police Department was patrolling the neighborhood on Saturday, Feb. 1, when he spotted White in a black Honda Accord with a license plate registered to a Toyota Highlander, officials said.  Ove…

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by Zak Failla
Weather
Dangerous Ice Storm Looms, Drivers Urged To Stay Off Maryland Roads Dangerous Ice Storm Looms, Drivers Urged To Stay Off Maryland Roads
Dangerous Ice Storm Looms, Drivers Urged To Stay Off Maryland Roads A fresh Winter Weather Advisory has been put in place in Maryland and Virginia as another batch of ice and snow approaches the region. Forecasters are cautioning that some snow and sleet may accumulate in parts of the area, with precipitation moving west of I-81 before dawn on Saturday, Feb. 8. Precipitation will likely start as snow before transitioning to sleet and eventually to freezing rain through the afternoon. "A wintry mix will overspread the area Saturday morning. It may initially start as a mix of snow and sleet before giving way to freezing rain that persists through t…

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by Zak Failla
News
Newlywed Baltimore Ravens Marching Band Member Battling Severe Blood Infection Newlywed Baltimore Ravens Marching Band Member Battling Severe Blood Infection
Newlywed Baltimore Ravens Marching Band Member Battling Severe Blood Infection A newlywed Baltimore Ravens Marching Band member from Hagerstown is facing a life-threatening battle with a severe blood infection that has led to major health complications and unexpected medical bills, his family says. Colby Winpigler, 23, began feeling sick during the Saturday, Jan. 11 playoff win between the Ravens and Steelers, believing at first that he had norovirus, according to his wife.  Round one done ✅🐦‍⬛🎵🎉 Posted by Colby Winpigler on Saturday, January 11, 2025 However, as his symptoms worsened, multiple urgent care and emergency room visits revealed a much more s…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Teacher From Springfield Sexually Assaulted Students In Fairfax County: Police Teacher From Springfield Sexually Assaulted Students In Fairfax County: Police
Teacher From Springfield Sexually Assaulted Students In Fairfax County: Police A Fairfax County elementary school teacher has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting two students, authorities said. John Barger, 47, of Springfield, was taken into custody on Thursday, Feb. 6 and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual battery, according to Fairfax County Police. The investigation began on Jan. 17, when Child Protective Services received a report alleging a teacher had sexually assaulted one of his students, officials said.  While the student was not physically injured, detectives launched an investigation and later determined Barger had allegedly a…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Child Porn Found By Employees Repairing Cell Phone Lands Maryland Man Federal Charges Child Porn Found By Employees Repairing Cell Phone Lands Maryland Man Federal Charges
Child Porn Found By Employees Repairing Cell Phone Lands Maryland Man Federal Charges A broken phone in Washington County led to federal charges for a 75-year-old Hagerstown man accused of child exploitation, authorities announced. In November 2024, the Hagerstown Police Department were tipped off by employees at Boost Mobile on Maryland Avenue after William Foster Alger came to the store to repair his cellphone. During the repair, police say that employees discovered nude photos of underage girls, and detectives found that Alger had foreign connections, and believed the photos were taken in Ecuador.  Detectives contacted the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) from…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
$1M Lottery Win Turns Car Trouble Into Retirement Plans for Maryland Couple $1M Lottery Win Turns Car Trouble Into Retirement Plans for Maryland Couple
$1M Lottery Win Turns Car Trouble Into Retirement Plans for Maryland Couple What started as a bad day with car trouble turned into a million-dollar miracle for a Maryland couple, who are now mapping out their early retirement plans thanks to a lucky scratch-off ticket. The Harford County winner, who chose the alias “Corbin Martin”, was just running errands when fate intervened.  Borrowing his mom’s car to check on his own vehicle in the shop, he stopped at Royal Farms on Churchville Road to put air in the tires, and decided to grab a MONOPOLY X100 scratch-off ticket with the $20 in his pocket. A casual Lottery player, "Corbin Martin" usually sticks to Po…

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by Zak Failla
News
DC Man Convicted Of Murder, Child Abuse In Death Of GF’s Toddler In Montgomery County DC Man Convicted Of Murder, Child Abuse In Death Of GF’s Toddler In Montgomery County
DC Man Convicted Of Murder, Child Abuse In Death Of GF’s Toddler In Montgomery County A District man has been convicted of murder and child abuse in the horrific death of his girlfriend’s 16-month-old son, Montgomery County prosecutors announced. Marlon Adilson Melendez, 30, is facing life in prison, plus 65 years when he is sentenced in June in conection to the death of the boy in Silver Spring. The case began on March 11, 2023, when the child’s mother called 911, reporting that her son was not breathing after they had fallen asleep, police said. The child was pronounced dead at the hospital, and an autopsy revealed signs of child abuse, investigators said. While inte…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Dealer Busted With $100K+ Cash, Cocaine In Southern Maryland, Sheriff Says Dealer Busted With $100K+ Cash, Cocaine In Southern Maryland, Sheriff Says
Dealer Busted With $100K+ Cash, Cocaine In Southern Maryland, Sheriff Says A 65-year-old Lexington Park man is behind bars after deputies found nearly 100 grams of cocaine, a loaded shotgun, and more than $100,000 in cash during a drug investigation, authorities said. James Allen Chase was arrested on Thursday, Feb. 6, following an ongoing investigation by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Vice Narcotics Unit, officials said. Deputies initiated a traffic stop on Great Mills Road, where they executed a search warrant on Chase’s vehicle, uncovering over 10 individual bags of suspected cocaine, $400 in cash, and drug-related items. Meanwhile, investigators from…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Fire Destroys State Highway Administration Facility In Maryland, Investigators Say Fire Destroys State Highway Administration Facility In Maryland, Investigators Say
Fire Destroys State Highway Administration Facility In Maryland, Investigators Say A massive fire tore through a Maryland State Highway Administration facility in Centreville, causing an estimated $800,000 in damages, officials said. The Office of the State Fire Marshal reported that the blaze broke out around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6 at the SHA facility on 111 Safety Drive, according to investigators.  Fire crews from Goodwill Volunteer Fire Company and surrounding agencies arrived to find heavy flames consuming multiple vehicles and the storage garage where they were parked. The fire quickly escalated to two alarms, requiring dozens of firefighters to battle …

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by Zak Failla
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