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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

Police & Fire
Gold Bar Scam: Teen Admits Bilking Elderly Silver Spring Woman Out Of Thousands Gold Bar Scam: Teen Admits Bilking Elderly Silver Spring Woman Out Of Thousands
Gold Bar Scam: Teen Admits Bilking Elderly Silver Spring Woman Out Of Thousands A 19-year-old New York resident implicated in a government-imposter-related scam is facing a harsh sentence above expected guidelines after admitting to targeting an elderly Maryland woman who sought to keep Russia away from her money, authorities announced on Tuesday. Brooklyn resident Zhenyong Weng was arrested last year after preying on an 82-year-old Silver Spring woman by reaching out to her and instructing her to transfer her assets into gold bars to keep Russian hands off. The woman complied, police say, and handed off several packages worth an estimated $900,000 in gold ba…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Caught In The Act: $8K In Stolen Merch Found In Thieves' Car In Leesburg, Cops Say Caught In The Act: $8K In Stolen Merch Found In Thieves' Car In Leesburg, Cops Say
Caught In The Act: $8K In Stolen Merch Found In Thieves' Car In Leesburg, Cops Say Three Virginia women are facing a slew of felony charges after allegedly targeting Leesburg stores in an organized retail theft scheme that netted over $8,000 in stolen merchandise. Leesburg police say the arrests came after back-to-back incidents on the night of Wednesday, Jan. 15.  Officers were first called around 7:45 p.m. to the Polo Ralph Lauren store on Fort Evans Road NE for a report of three suspects stealing merchandise, and while investigating, another call came in from a nearby Dick’s Sporting Goods, where employees reported three individuals concealing items in the store. …

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by Zak Failla
News
Former Communications Professor At Virginia Tech Learns Prison Fate For Child Porn: Feds Former Communications Professor At Virginia Tech Learns Prison Fate For Child Porn: Feds
Former Communications Professor At Virginia Tech Learns Prison Fate For Child Porn: Feds A former professor of communications at Virginia Tech who downloaded hundreds of child porn images - including some as young as toddlers - will be spending time in prison, federal authorities announced. Christiansburg resident Michael Horning, 51, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to a one-count charging him with "knowingly possessing one or more visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including prepubescent minors and minors who have not yet attained 12 years of age," prosecutors said. On Tuesday, Jan. 21, they announced that he has been sentenced to 60 month…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Renowned Chef Fires Back At Trump: 'Submitted My Resignation Last Week' Renowned Chef Fires Back At Trump: 'Submitted My Resignation Last Week'
Renowned Chef Fires Back At Trump: 'Submitted My Resignation Last Week' Celebrity chef José Andrés, who has longstanding ties to the DC area, got the last laugh on Donald Trump after being "ousted" from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.  During his flurry of appointments, firings, and executive orders issued on Monday after the president's inauguration, Andrés — who founded World Central Kitchen — found himself in the president's crosshairs as he targeted those who "are not aligned with our vision to Make America Great Again."  In a bombastic social media post early on Tuesday, the new president announced that h…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
'Ride In Paradise:' Basketball Star, 18, ID'd As Victim Killed In Walkersville Motorcycle Crash 'Ride In Paradise:' Basketball Star, 18, ID'd As Victim Killed In Walkersville Motorcycle Crash
'Ride In Paradise:' Basketball Star, 18, ID'd As Victim Killed In Walkersville Motorcycle Crash Maryland State Police have identified the 18-year-old motorcyclist killed in a fatal crash Saturday night in Frederick County as Ryan Baldwin of Walkersville. The deadly accident happened shortly before 10 p.m. on Jan. 18 in the 11000 block of Woodsboro Creagerstown Road, where there was a reported crash involving a pedestrian, according to state troopers.  Baldwin was traveling eastbound on his motorcycle when he lost control, struck a guardrail, and was hit by a Mitsubishi, investigators said. First responders pronounced him dead at the scene. The driver of the Mitsubishi was un…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Daughter Kills Dad During Heated Argument In Baltimore: Police Daughter Kills Dad During Heated Argument In Baltimore: Police
Daughter Kills Dad During Heated Argument In Baltimore: Police A Baltimore woman is facing murder charges after police say she shot and killed her father during a heated argument at their home. On Saturday, January 18, at approximately 6:55 p.m., Northwest District officers were called to the 5600 block of Groveland Avenue for a reported shooting.  When they arrived, they found 59-year-old Brian Reed suffering from a gunshot wound, police said. He was rushed to an area hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Investigators quickly identified the shooter as 37-year-old Shanelle Reed, the victim’s daughter, a spokesperson from the Ba…

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by Zak Failla
Weather
Arctic Blast Hits DMV: Wind Chills Below Zero Expected to Freeze Region Arctic Blast Hits DMV: Wind Chills Below Zero Expected to Freeze Region
Arctic Blast Hits DMV: Wind Chills Below Zero Expected to Freeze Region Residents in the DMV are being advised to stay inside as an Arctic blast may make it feel like it is below zero degrees in some areas, forecasters say. Beginning at midnight and lasting through 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, a Cold Advisory has been issued in the region as they expect very cold wind chills around zero to five below zero. Stay inside if you're able, dress warm if you are not, it is blistering cold out there today. https://t.co/dLWsPb7tnl — Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) (@MDMEMA) January 21, 2025 "After a very cold start to the day, conditions w…

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by Zak Failla
Business
'Wawa Has Disgusting Pizza:' Portnoy Pitches Ad Idea Outside Gas Station 'Wawa Has Disgusting Pizza:' Portnoy Pitches Ad Idea Outside Gas Station
'Wawa Has Disgusting Pizza:' Portnoy Pitches Ad Idea Outside Gas Station Following a series of mostly positive pizzeria reviews in Maryland, things took a turn for Dave Portnoy during a visit to Wawa in Anne Arundel County. "One Bite" was pretty much all the Barstool CEO needed before giving Wawa in Glen Burnie a 2.8 out of 10 while musing that he was once considered for an advertising campaign with the company (instead turned to cast members from the "Jersey Shore"). @djpaulyd Wawa Has Pizza 🍕 #wawapartner ♬ original sound - djpaulyd After having to wait until 4 p.m., when Wawa begins serving pizza, much to El Presidente's chagrin, Portnoy had a pitc…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Off-Duty Officer Catches Sleeping DUI Driver In Stafford, Sheriff Says Off-Duty Officer Catches Sleeping DUI Driver In Stafford, Sheriff Says
Off-Duty Officer Catches Sleeping DUI Driver In Stafford, Sheriff Says A Richmond man found himself behind bars after an off-duty Fairfax County police officer helped catch him allegedly driving under the influence in Stafford County. Dabar Scott, 43, was spotted by the officer, who alerted deputies from the sheriff's office about a suspected drunk driver at around 1:45 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18 on Joshua Road, officials said. The officer had reported seeing a Toyota stopped in the middle of the road with its driver slumped over the wheel, with the vehicle still in drive, and the only thing preventing it from moving being the driver’s foot resting on the brake…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Major Crash Shuts I-270 In Frederick County Major Crash Shuts I-270 In Frederick County
Major Crash Shuts I-270 In Frederick County Traffic was backed up on I-270 on Tuesday morning folloiwnig a crash involving a tractor-trailer in Frederick County, officials say. Alerts were issued after the morning commute on Jan. 21 after there was a reported crash involving a truck that blocked all northbound lanes of the interstate in the area of the Park Mills Road overpass. Some southbound lanes were also clogged due to rubbernecking in the area. UPDATE: Truck Crash with Injury. I-270 NB past MD-80 (Exit 26). Frederick County, MD. 1 right lane remains blocked before the Park Mills Rd overpass. Traffic gets by the scene using …

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by Zak Failla
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