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Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

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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

News
Former USAID Employee Turned $176K In COVID Relief Cash Into Personal Payday, Feds Say Former USAID Employee Turned $176K In COVID Relief Cash Into Personal Payday, Feds Say
Former USAID Employee Turned $176K In COVID Relief Cash Into Personal Payday, Feds Say A former USAID employee from Maryland admitted Wednesday that he used fake businesses and bogus paperwork to grab more than $176,000 in COVID relief money meant to help struggling workers and businesses survive the pandemic, federal prosecutors said. Simeon Bakare, 55, of Waldorf, pleaded guilty on June 3 in federal court to wire fraud in connection with a CARES Act fraud scheme, according to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland. Bakare previously worked on information technology matters for the US Agency for International Development. Then, prosecutors say, he turned pand…

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by Zak Failla
News
Deputies Looking For Stolen Ram Found Much More At Southern Maryland Property: Prosecutors Deputies Looking For Stolen Ram Found Much More At Southern Maryland Property: Prosecutors
Deputies Looking For Stolen Ram Found Much More At Southern Maryland Property: Prosecutors A stolen Dodge Ram from a Waldorf dealership turned into a much larger recovery when deputies arrived at a Maryland property and found more pieces of stolen equipment sitting nearby, prosecutors said. William Elliot Mitchell Jr., 62, of Bushwood, was sentenced this week to five years in prison, with 18 months of active incarceration, for the unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, according to the St. Mary's County State's Attorney's Office. The case dates back to April 21, 2025, when deputies were called to a property on Woodbush Drive after receiving information about a stolen Ram 2500 diesel…

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by Zak Failla
News
Years After College Jeopardy! Tryout, UVA Nurse Finally Gets His Shot On The Big Stage Years After College Jeopardy! Tryout, UVA Nurse Finally Gets His Shot On The Big Stage
Years After College Jeopardy! Tryout, UVA Nurse Finally Gets His Shot On The Big Stage A Virginia nurse who once earned a tryout for College Jeopardy! is finally getting his shot on America's most famous quiz show. Seth McElroy will appear as a contestant on Jeopardy! on Friday, June 5, giving local viewers a hometown contestant to cheer for when the long-running game show returns to television. The Charlottesville native is no stranger to trivia. In a University of Virginia School of Nursing alumni spotlight published several years ago, he was described as someone who "loves facts" and had previously earned a tryout for College Jeopardy. This time, he's made it all the …

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
'Ride Free, JStud': Cecil County Community Mourns Justin Rhodes, 22, Just Months From Birthday 'Ride Free, JStud': Cecil County Community Mourns Justin Rhodes, 22, Just Months From Birthday
'Ride Free, JStud': Cecil County Community Mourns Justin Rhodes, 22, Just Months From Birthday In just three months, Justin Rhodes would have celebrated his 23rd birthday in Maryland. Instead, friends, family, and fellow riders across Cecil County are mourning the sudden loss of the 22-year-old known simply as "JStud," a dirt-bike and Harley enthusiast remembered as fiercely loyal, endlessly generous, and always ready to help those around him. A GoFundMe campaign launched to help cover funeral expenses describes Rhodes as someone who "left a lasting impact on everyone he met" through his adventurous spirit, kindness, and unwavering support for friends and family. Photos shared by lo…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Driver Killed After Blowing Past Stop Sign At Route 50 Intersection In Maryland: State Police Driver Killed After Blowing Past Stop Sign At Route 50 Intersection In Maryland: State Police
Driver Killed After Blowing Past Stop Sign At Route 50 Intersection In Maryland: State Police A 79-year-old Ocean City man was killed Tuesday night when his car entered the path of a pickup truck on Route 50 in Maryland, state police said. Gregory Roth was behind the wheel of a Nissan Altima shortly before 9:30 p.m. on June 3 when the crash happened in Worcester County, near Whaleyville. Investigators say Roth was driving north on MD Route 610 when his car failed to stop at the intersection with westbound US Route 50. Moments later, police said, the Nissan was struck by a Ford F-150 heading west on Route 50. Roth was alone in the car. EMS crews from Berlin pronounced him dead at t…

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
All I-66 Express Lanes Shut Down In Fairfax After Multi-Vehicle Crash (UPDATED) All I-66 Express Lanes Shut Down In Fairfax After Multi-Vehicle Crash (UPDATED)
All I-66 Express Lanes Shut Down In Fairfax After Multi-Vehicle Crash (Updated) A Virginia rush-hour commute ground to a halt Wednesday afternoon after a multi-vehicle crash shut down every eastbound I-66 Express Lane in Fairfax County, creating major backups and delays in both directions. The crash was reported shortly before 5 p.m. on June 3 near mile marker 57.4, just before Route 50, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination program. Traffic cameras showed emergency crews on scene as vehicles stacked up for miles behind the crash. All eastbound Express Lanes were closed as first responde…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Canada Trip Ends In Felony Gun Charges For Virginia Couple At Border Crossing: CBP Canada Trip Ends In Felony Gun Charges For Virginia Couple At Border Crossing: CBP
Canada Trip Ends In Felony Gun Charges For Virginia Couple At Border Crossing: CBP A Virginia couple returning from Canada found themselves under arrest after a border K9 alerted officers to their vehicle, and agents discovered two loaded handguns inside, federal officials said. The Richmond pair, a 51-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman, were crossing back into the United States at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls on Sunday, May 31, when Customs and Border Protection officers pulled them aside for a closer look. What began with a narcotics detector dog quickly escalated. During a secondary inspection, officers found marijuana and two loaded Smith &am…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Maserati-Driving Maryland Man Released Days After Cocaine, Gun Arrest, Sheriff Says Maserati-Driving Maryland Man Released Days After Cocaine, Gun Arrest, Sheriff Says
Maserati-Driving Maryland Man Released Days After Cocaine, Gun Arrest, Sheriff Says A Maserati-driving Maryland man was busted with nearly $25,000 worth of cocaine and released from jail just days later. Tyrand Dupres Butler, an alleged drug dealer, was taken into custody and charged following a lengthy investigation into narcotics sales in and around Waldorf, according to the Charles County Sheriff's Office. Investigators obtained search warrants for Butler's residence and his 2019 Maserati Levante before moving in on May 29. The luxury SUV turned out to be just the beginning. Detectives arrested Butler as he walked away from the Maserati at a shopping center, then exec…

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by Zak Failla
News
'Today Arthur Seemed More, Arthur': Mini Donkey Recovering After Life-Threatening Illness In VA 'Today Arthur Seemed More, Arthur': Mini Donkey Recovering After Life-Threatening Illness In VA
'Today Arthur Seemed More, Arthur': Mini Donkey Recovering After Life-Threatening Illness In VA A beloved miniature donkey whose owner feared she might lose him just days ago is finally heading home after a frightening fight for his life in Virginia. Arthur, a beloved mini donkey from Stafford County, was released on Wednesday, June 3, from Piedmont Equine in The Plains after spending nearly a week hospitalized with severe colic, a potentially life-threatening condition that left veterinarians fighting to save his life. "Arthur gets to break out of the hospital TODAY!" owner Bridget Burger wrote in an update Wednesday morning. "Thankful that we didn't have to do surgery and he's doing…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Caught On Camera: Thief Steals Giant Ice Cream Cone From Popular DC Shop Near Howard University Caught On Camera: Thief Steals Giant Ice Cream Cone From Popular DC Shop Near Howard University
Caught On Camera: Thief Steals Giant Ice Cream Cone From Popular DC Shop Near Howard University A giant ice cream cone that became a favorite photo spot for Howard University students, graduates, and neighborhood families has disappeared from outside a popular DC ice cream shop after a late-night thief made off with the colorful display. The theft happened last month at Here's The Scoop, a family-owned ice cream shop on Georgia Avenue NW across from Howard University, according to owner Karin Sellers. Security cameras captured the suspect taking the decorative cone from the shop's patio area, where customers regularly stopped for photos while visiting the business. Here's T…

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by Zak Failla
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