Light Rain 63°

Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

zfailla@dailyvoice.com

FOLLOW ON

Facebook Twitter Linkedin Instagram

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
'Strep Zoo' Infection Confirmed At Temporarily Closed Animal Shelter In Maryland 'Strep Zoo' Infection Confirmed At Temporarily Closed Animal Shelter In Maryland
'Strep Zoo' Infection Confirmed At Temporarily Closed Animal Shelter In Maryland New details have been released by health officials after a Maryland animal shelter had to shutter its doors due to a rapidly spreading infection. The Prince George's County Animal Shelter is still closed a week after the Animals Services Facility and Adoption Center (ASFAC) confirmed a bacterial respiratory infection named "Streptococcus Zooepidemicus," also referred to as Strep Zoo, as the virus that has been impacting animals at the facility. "Strep Zoo is a bacterium normally found in horses, cattle, and pigs that rarely causes disease," according to the agency. "When this bact…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Schools
Employee At Recently Defunct School In Maryland Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minor: Police Employee At Recently Defunct School In Maryland Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minor: Police
Employee At Recently Defunct School In Maryland Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minor: Police An employee at a Howard County preschool has been accused of sexually abusing an 11-year-old child over the course of two years, police say. Elkridge resident Dameon Patterson, 31, an employee of the Glenwood Country Day School was arrested by Howard County police and charged with multiple counts of sex offenses involving alleged inappropriate contact with the child. Patterson has worked in the before- and after-school programs and summer camps at the school for approximately two years, according to officials. Investigators say that the young victim came forward and disclosed the abuse las…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
District Man Convicted Of Gunning Down Teen In Northwest DC During Meeting In Alley: Feds District Man Convicted Of Gunning Down Teen In Northwest DC During Meeting In Alley: Feds
District Man Convicted Of Gunning Down Teen In Northwest DC During Meeting In Alley: Feds A 31-year-old man has been convicted of gunning down a teenager in a Northwest DC alley after a strange scene played out as he was heading to a family party. District resident Mussay Rezene was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed for a shooting that took place in September 2021, federal authorities announced on Friday afternoon. According to court documents, at around 9 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2021, 17-year-old Brayan Villatoro was with a group of friends driving in a minivan to a family party when he asked the driver to pull over so he could meet someone in the 1300 block of Nicholso…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Schools
Montgomery County High School Evacuated For Reported Bomb Threat (UPDATED) Montgomery County High School Evacuated For Reported Bomb Threat (UPDATED)
Montgomery County High School Evacuated For Reported Bomb Threat (Updated) The end of the week was a rough one for some students and staff at a Montgomery County high school that had to be cleared out on Friday afternoon. Shortly before dismissal on Friday, Jan. 12, the Montgomery County Department of Police issued an alert advising that Thomas S. Wootton High School was being evacuated due to a bomb threat targeting the building. As of 2:50 p.m. on Friday afternoon, police were still at the scene investigating the validity of the threat. School dismissal was delayed, and students will be allowed back on campus to meet their school buses "as soon as possible," of…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Hit-Run Driver Arrested Seven Months After 19-Year-Old Killed In Southeast DC, Police Say Hit-Run Driver Arrested Seven Months After 19-Year-Old Killed In Southeast DC, Police Say
Hit-Run Driver Arrested Seven Months After 19-Year-Old Killed In Southeast DC, Police Say Investigators worked around the clock and have arrested a driver who was wanted in connection to the fatal hit-and-run of a 19-year-old in Southeast DC last summer. On Friday, the Metropolitan Police Department announced that Northwest DC resident Andre Johnson has been arrested and charged with the murder of Madison Jones in June 2023, authorities announced. Johnson had been wanted for months, but managed to remain elusive to investigators until he was picked up on Thursday, Jan. 11.  The fatal incident was reported shortly before 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 8. Police say that a 20…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Shooter Charged With Veterans Day Weekend Murder Of 81-Year-Old Man In Baltimore County: Police Shooter Charged With Veterans Day Weekend Murder Of 81-Year-Old Man In Baltimore County: Police
Shooter Charged With Veterans Day Weekend Murder Of 81-Year-Old Man In Baltimore County: Police Police have arrested a suspected shooter months after a beloved 81-year-old man was found murdered in Baltimore County. Tavon Smith, 34, has been arrested in connection to the fatal shooting of Jaward Hannah in Gwynn Oak during an incident in November, authorities announced on Friday. On Friday, Nov. 10, officers from the Baltimore County were called to the 3400 block of Kelox Road, where they found Hannah suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and trauma to his upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene. According to officials on Jan. 12, detectives from the department arrested Smit…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Elections Board Member Resigns After Being Charged In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Maryland Elections Board Member Resigns After Being Charged In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot
Maryland Elections Board Member Resigns After Being Charged In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot A flag-waving Republican member of the Maryland State Board of Elections is facing charges for his alleged role in the Jan. 6 insurrection, federal authorities announced. Carlos Ayala, 52, of Salisbury, has been charged with civil disorder, a felony, and several related misdemeanor charges following his arrest earlier this week. Officials said that Ayala was arrested on Tuesday by the FBI and made his initial appearance in the District of Columbia before being released back to Maryland. According to prosecutors, it is alleged that Ayala was among a group of rioters who made their way onto …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Former Metropolitan Police Officer Guilty Of Bribery Scheme Involving Crash Victims Former Metropolitan Police Officer Guilty Of Bribery Scheme Involving Crash Victims
Former Metropolitan Police Officer Guilty Of Bribery Scheme Involving Crash Victims A former Metropolitan Police Department patrol officer who provided confidential information to attorneys for referral fees, federal officials say. Vincent Forrest, 35, was convicted this week for his role in a bribery scheme where he illegally provided private information from police documents in exchange for cash payments. Forrest and Raquel DePaula, 43, of Beltsville, were indicted by a grand jury in June 2021. According to court documents, beginning in April 2019, Forrest accessed confidential information from MPD Traffic Accident Reports. Additionally, the former officer used hi…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled In Maryland, Sheriff Says Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled In Maryland, Sheriff Says
Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled In Maryland, Sheriff Says A multi-agency investigation in Frederick County led to the downfall of a drug trafficking organization, authorities announced on Friday. Last month, three people were arrested as part of a wide-ranging inquiry into a large-scale trafficking organization operating in Northern Maryland in the areas of Frederick and Washington counties. Those charged:  William Ray Huskey, 49, of Middletown; Deandre Eugene Pryor, Sr., 45, of Frederick; Kevin Alexander Vaughan, 52, of Frederick. In December 2023, investigators executed search and seizures that led to the recovery of: 6.8 pounds of coca…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
DC Woman Who Filmed Herself Sexually Assaulting Toddler Gets 20 Years In Prison: Feds DC Woman Who Filmed Herself Sexually Assaulting Toddler Gets 20 Years In Prison: Feds
DC Woman Who Filmed Herself Sexually Assaulting Toddler Gets 20 Years In Prison: Feds A 40-year-old District woman may spend decades behind bars after repeatedly uploading graphic imagery of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers to like-minded predators, authorities announced. Tanisha Sadulski was sentenced this week to 20 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of children and the sexual abuse of children, according to federal officials. According to court documents, between Oct. 25, 2021, and April 28, 2022, Sadulski repeatedly uploaded graphic images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers to her Google account.  Sadulski also took …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Prev Page 532 of 3337 530 531 532 533 534 Next
5,311 - 5,320 of 33,370 articles