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Monday, feb 17

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

Obituaries

Sudden Death Of Greenbelt Teen Leaves Community Reeling: Remembering Kentrelle Smith A Maryland family is mourning the heartbreaking loss of 18-year-old Kentrelle Smith, whose life was cut tragically short, leaving loved ones grieving and rallying to give him a proper farewell. Smith, of Greenbelt, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 5, leaving behind family and friends struggling to come to terms with the loss of a young man known for his warmth, kindness, and love for others. "He brought so much joy and love into our lives, and his warmth touched everyone he met," his mother shared. "The love we have for him is immeasurable, and the love he showed to his family and friends will …

by Zak Failla

02/13/2025

News

Predator Who Stalked, Kidnapped Victims In Alexandria Gets 20 Years: Feds A violent predator who orchestrated two terrifying kidnappings in Virginia and Maryland—one of which ended in gunfire—will spend nearly 20 years behind bars, federal authorities announced. District resident Tyree Eugene McCombs, 29, was sentenced to 228 months in federal prison this week, for his role in the September 2022 abduction and armed robbery of a couple in Alexandria, and the November 2022 kidnapping, robbery, and shooting of a 25-year-old woman in Maryland and DC. McCombs, who was already on supervised release for a previous violent crime at the time of the attacks, pleaded guilty…

by Zak Failla

02/13/2025

Lifestyle

Winning Numbers For Wednesday, Feb. 12 Powerball Drawing With Estimated $154M Jackpot The winning numbers have been announced for the Wednesday, Feb. 12 Powerball drawing. The estimated jackpot is $154 million with a $71.4 million cash option. If no winner wins the top prize, the jackpot will continue to roll until the next drawing at 10:59 p.m. on Saturday, Feb 15. The winning numbers for Wednesday's drawing were 21-32-36-45-49 with a Powerball of 18 and the Power Play was 2X. Lottery players have a 1 in 292,201,338 chance of winning a Powerball jackpot by matching all five balls plus the Powerball, according to officials. Prizes then range from $1 mill…

by Zak Failla

02/12/2025

Schools

Spotsy Schools Closed For Third Straight Day On Thursday For the third straight day, schools in Spotsylvania will be closed on Thursday, Feb. 13 as the region continues to dig out from the storm earlier this week. Parents were sent scrambling on Wednesday when officials announced that classes were again canceled due to the inclement weather in the region. According to the school system, 12-month employees are on a Code 2 delay and will report two hours late as safety permits. Essential personnel are expected to report at designated times. Additionally, all school-sponsored activities, including student externships, have been canceled. No furthe…

by Zak Failla

02/12/2025

Schools

Assault During HS Basketball Game Leads To Charges For Odenton Teen In Maryland: Police A high school basketball game turned chaotic in Anne Arundel County when a teen allegedly assaulted multiple people and pulled out what appeared to be a firearm on school grounds, authorities announced. The incident happened around 8:20 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, during a basketball game at Old Mill High School in Millersville, according to the Anne Arundel County Police Department. A school resource officer working the event was alerted to an assault that had just occurred on the Old Mill North Middle School property, investigators said. Initial reports indicated that the suspect confr…

by Zak Failla

02/12/2025

Police & Fire

'Take Me To Rappahannock:' Assault Suspect Surrenders In Stafford, Sheriff Says "Take me to Rappahannock." Sean Carr faces multiple charges after allegedly attacking someone with a Taser, then fleeing and resisting arrest while intoxicated in Stafford, authorities said. Carr, 21, was arrested after deputies responded to a reported assault on Ottinger Lane around 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 10, according to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators say Carr was involved in a verbal argument that turned physical when he used a taser on the victim, and before deputies arrived, Carr fled the scene. A short time later, deputies found Carr intoxicated an…

by Zak Failla

02/12/2025

News

'Internal Decapitation' Nearly Killed Gaithersburg HS Football Player — He Defied The Odds A Maryland high school senior is fighting for his life after a devastating crash left him with catastrophic injuries, and his family is now seeking help as they navigate the football player's long road to recovery. Antonio “Tony” D’Urso Martinez, 18, lost control of his vehicle on his way home from work on Wednesday, Feb. 5, and suffered a series of unimaginable injuries, according to a GoFundMe created to support his family. Despite being left with a fractured skull, spine fractures, internal bleeding, and what doctors have called an “internal decapitation,” Martinez survived thanks to lif…

by Zak Failla

02/12/2025

News

Glock Sued By Maryland, Baltimore Over Rise In Fully Automatic Weapons On Streets Maryland and Baltimore officials are taking on one of the biggest names in the firearms industry, filing a lawsuit against Glock, Inc. over the ease with which its pistols can be turned into illegal machine guns, authorities announced. Attorney General Anthony Brown and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced the suit against the firearm manufacturer on Wednesday, Feb. 12, alleging the company knowingly endangers public safety by selling handguns that can be easily modified with “Glock switches”—devices that convert semiautomatic pistols into fully automatic weapons. “We will not allow the …

by Zak Failla

02/12/2025

Police & Fire

Teen Shoplifter With Loaded Glock Tracked Down In Frederick Parking Lot: Police A routine shoplifting call in Frederick took a dangerous turn when officers found a loaded gun hidden in the suspect’s jacket, authorities announced. Officers from the Frederick Police Department responded to a business in the 1500 block of Opossumtown Pike around noon on Saturday, Feb. 8, for a reported theft in progress. When officers arrived, they found the suspect in a nearby parking lot, where a witness identified the juvenile as the shoplifter, police said. During the arrest, officers discovered a loaded 9mm Glock 19 handgun concealed in the suspect’s jacket, along with ammunition. …

by Zak Failla

02/12/2025

Weather

Here's How Much Snow Fell In These Maryland Communities During Storm (Updated) With the DMV beginning to dig out after being battered by snow during the latest major winter storm of 2025, the National Weather Service is providing final snowfall totals throughout the region. Snow is expected to transition to ice and rain on Wednesday before things dry out and winds pick up on Thursday, Feb. 13, according to forecasters. Crews continue working to clear roadways, as residents begin to thaw out and clean up the mess Mother Nature caused during the storm. Snow totals in the region. National Weather Service As of 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 12, here's how much …

by Zak Failla

02/12/2025

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