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Saturday, nov 23

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

Police & Fire

20,000 Chickens Perish In Devastating Blaze At Maryland Farm: Fire Marshal A devastating fire tore through a Maryland chicken coop early Friday morning, killing approximately 20,000 chickens, officials announced. The blaze broke out at around 5:43 a.m. on Nov. 22 at a commercial chicken house on New Hope Road in Willards, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. The 500' x 40' structure, owned by Mark and Brittany Pugh, was completely destroyed. Passersby reported the fire, which drew 45 firefighters from the Pittsville Volunteer Fire Department, who took approximately 30 minutes to bring the flames under control, but the damage was already done. …

11/22/2024

Police & Fire

'Twin' Tale Falls Flat: Stafford Woman Busted After Disturbance, Sheriff Says A wanted woman’s attempt to evade arrest went south after claiming to be her twin sister during a disturbance in North Stafford, authorities said. Amanda Pacey, 31, of Stafford, was taken into custody on Thursday, Nov. 21 after deputies responded to a call on Shelton Shop Road around 6:03 p.m., the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office announced. Deputies were alerted that Pacey, wanted on multiple warrants in Stafford and Prince William counties, was at a residence where she wasn’t welcome. Authorities confirmed her outstanding warrants included a probation violation, failure to appear, …

11/22/2024

Traffic

Driver Charged For Crash In Chantilly That Left Two Dead, Two Hospitalized: Sheriff (Updated) A late-night crash in Chantilly left two men dead and two others injured when a car collided with a tree and rolled over, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. The fatal single-vehicle accident was reported around 12:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at the intersection of Loudoun County Parkway and Tall Cedars Parkway. Investigators say a 2023 Ford Mustang was traveling east when it veered off the roadway, struck a tree, and overturned. Two male passengers died at the scene, the driver, a man, and another female passenger were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of undisclosed inj…

11/22/2024

Police & Fire

Investigation Underway After Sexual Assault Reported At Osbourn Park High School: Police Authorities are investigating an alleged sexual assault reported to have occurred earlier this school year at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas, officials announced. Last week, a School Resource Officer assigned to the building, on Euclid Avenue, began an investigation after a student reported being assaulted in a bathroom near the gym on the first floor. According to the Prince William County Police Department, the student told investigators the assault occurred during the first two weeks of the 2024-2025 school year in August when an unknown person entered her stall and allegedly sexua…

11/22/2024

Schools

Students Charged In Strong-Armed Robbery At Mattawoman Middle School, Sheriff Says Three middle school students are facing charges after allegedly stealing a name-brand ski mask from a fellow student during dismissal, authorities announced. The incident happened on Nov. 18 at Mattawoman Middle School in Charles County, where investigators say three students, all 13 years old, approached another student and forcibly took their mask. A School Resource Officer was alerted to the robbery the following day and began investigating. The officer quickly identified the involved students and consulted with the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office. On Nov. 21, two of the…

11/22/2024

News

Lexington Park Man Convicted Of 'Brutal' Domestic Stabbing: State's Attorney A Maryland man is facing life in prison after being found guilty of a violent domestic stabbing that left his victim with severe injuries in St. Mary's County, authorities announced. John Otha Dickens Jr., 35, of Lexington Park, was convicted of attempted first-degree murder in connection to what prosecutors described as a "brutal stabbing" in February 2023. During a domestic disturbance on Feb. 13, 2023, Dickens stabbed his victim, who had to be rushed to an area hospital and endured a lengthy recovery following the incident. “This verdict reflects the courage of a domestic violence survi…

11/22/2024

Schools

Dozen Evaluated After Gas Leak Disrupts Classes At Western School Of Technology A dozen people were evaluated for symptoms after a gas leak prompted a temporary evacuation at a Baltimore County school, officials said. First responders from the Baltimore County Fire Department were called around noon on Friday, Nov. 22, to the Western School of Technology on Kenwood Avenue in Catonsville, where a gas leak was reported outside the building. Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) crews quickly secured the leak while students and staff were temporarily relocated. Classes resumed within an hour, and the fire department cleared the scene before 1 p.m. Paramedics evaluated 12 indi…

11/22/2024

News

Woman Admits To Running Sex, Human Trafficking Ring Across Maryland: AG A Baltimore woman has admitted to operating a sex and human trafficking ring across Maryland, authorities announced. Earlier this year, Kenika Danielle Leach, 33, was charged following a two-year multi-agency investigation, which helped the AG's Organized Crime Unit to identify nearly a dozen women from Hagerstown who were allegedly trafficked by her and her organization at hotels and motels throughout Maryland. On Friday, the Attorney General's Office announced she has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance (cocaine) an…

11/22/2024

Police & Fire

Police ID Temple Hills Woman Killed By Hit-Run Driver In Prince George's County Prince George’s County police investigators are searching for a driver who struck and killed a 52-year-old woman on Oxon Hill Road Thursday night, then fled the scene without stopping, officials say. Temple Hills resident Sandra Abarca Orellana has been identified as the person killed overnight by a hit-and-run driver. According to police, Abarca Orellana was struck and killed around 9:10 p.m. on Nov. 21 in the 6100 block of Oxon Hill Road. Officers responded to the scene and found the victim in the eastbound lane of the roadway, suffering from traumatic injuries. She was pronounced dead …

11/22/2024

Business

Jackpot-Winning $50K 'Bonus Match 5' Ticket Sold At Perry Hall Liquor Store A winning Maryland Lottery ticket worth $50,000 was sold at an area liquor store, and the winner has not yet come forward to claim their five-figure jackpot. One top-prize winning Bonus Match 5 ticket worth a five-figure jackpot was sold at Honeygo Wine & Spirits, located at 5004 Honeygo Center Drive, for the drawing on Thursday, Nov. 21, though it has not been cashed in a day later. The winning numbers for the Thursday drawing were 09-11-17-23-26 with a Bonus Ball of 18. This represents the 34th jackpot-winner Bonus Match 5 drawing sold in 2024. "Lottery officials urge…

11/22/2024

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