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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
Missouri Couple Groomed, Abducted Virginia Teen Before Sexually Abusing Her For Days: DOJ Missouri Couple Groomed, Abducted Virginia Teen Before Sexually Abusing Her For Days: DOJ
Missouri Couple Groomed, Abducted Virginia Teen Before Sexually Abusing Her For Days: DOJ A Virginia teenager thought she was talking to friends online. Instead, federal prosecutors say she was being groomed by a Missouri couple who spent weeks manipulating her before driving to Virginia, picking her up near her home, and sexually abusing her for days across state lines. Now, nearly two years later, both are heading to prison for decades. Justin Johiah Cutright, 41, was sentenced to 45 years behind bars, while his wife, Christin Marie Cutright, 33, received 27 years for their roles in the scheme involving a 13-year-old Virginia girl, according to federal authorities. Specifica…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Teen Gunned Down In PG County ID'd As Police Hunt For Answers In Targeted Killing (DEVELOPING) Teen Gunned Down In PG County ID'd As Police Hunt For Answers In Targeted Killing (DEVELOPING)
Teen Gunned Down In PG County ID'd As Police Hunt For Answers In Targeted Killing (Developing) Police have identified the teenager who was gunned down in Maryland over the weekend. Ruben Arevalo Saavedra, 16, was found shot and killed in the Town of Brentwood on Friday, prompting a lengthy investigation, according to the Prince George's County Police Department. Officers were called shortly before 5 p.m. on June 12 to the 3700 block of Shepherd Street to investigate a reported shooting. Upon arrival, they found Arevalo Saavedra suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The Hyattsville teen was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders. Investigators do not believe the crim…

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by Zak Failla
News
Maryland Family Awaits Journey Home For 28-Year-Old Recovering From Stroke In Panama Maryland Family Awaits Journey Home For 28-Year-Old Recovering From Stroke In Panama
Maryland Family Awaits Journey Home For 28-Year-Old Recovering From Stroke In Panama What was supposed to be a trip home turned into a medical emergency thousands of miles away for a 28-year-old Maryland woman whose family, friends, and community are now rallying behind her recovery. Kalin Rytina remains hospitalized in Panama after suffering a stroke while preparing to return to the United States from an international vacation, according to family members and best friend Megan Wright. The sudden medical emergency landed Rytina in the ICU, where doctors also discovered a blood clot, adding another layer of complexity to her treatment and recovery. Now, loved ones are facin…

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by Zak Failla
News
After Years Helping Others, Virginia Captain Mark 'Mooney' Crockett Is The One In Need After Years Helping Others, Virginia Captain Mark 'Mooney' Crockett Is The One In Need
After Years Helping Others, Virginia Captain Mark 'Mooney' Crockett Is The One In Need If someone on Tangier Island needed help, Captain Mark "Mooney" Crockett was usually one of the first people to answer the call. Now, the longtime ferry captain, former Tangier Volunteer Fire Department chief, and current vice president of the department is the one in need of a helping hand. Members of the agency are rallying around Crockett after complications from neuroendocrine cancer recently landed him in the hospital, forcing him to suspend his seasonal ferry service between Tangier Island and Onancock indefinitely. "Let's help our brother during this difficult time," Anna Pruitt-Par…

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by Zak Failla
Weather
Massive Tree Punches Through Mechanicsville Home, Trapping Family And Pets Upstairs (PHOTOS) Massive Tree Punches Through Mechanicsville Home, Trapping Family And Pets Upstairs (PHOTOS)
Massive Tree Punches Through Mechanicsville Home, Trapping Family And Pets Upstairs (Photos) A massive tree ripped through the roof and second floor of a Maryland home Sunday night, triggering a technical rescue response after reports that people and pets were trapped inside. The dramatic scene unfolded around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday, June 14, as strong storms swept through the region, according to the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department. Emergency crews were dispatched to a home on Summitt Court after a large tree came crashing through the two-story house. Initial reports indicated people and animals were trapped on the second floor, prompting a response that included rescue squ…

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by Zak Failla
Weather
Small Earthquake Strikes Bel Air, Prompting 'Did You Feel It?' Reports Across Region Small Earthquake Strikes Bel Air, Prompting 'Did You Feel It?' Reports Across Region
Small Earthquake Strikes Bel Air, Prompting 'Did You Feel It?' Reports Across Region Did you feel it? A magnitude 2.4 earthquake struck near Bel Air North at 11:02 a.m. on Monday, June 15, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake's epicenter was located about 5.5 miles northeast of Bel Air North in Harford County at a depth of roughly 3 miles, USGS data shows. While relatively minor, earthquakes are uncommon enough in Maryland that even small tremors tend to get people's attention. Residents across the region took to social media shortly after the shaking was reported, asking neighbors if they felt it too. I KNEW I felt my building shaking slightly, I thou…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Trapped Resident Pulled From Burning Arlington Home With Critical Injuries: Fire Marshal Trapped Resident Pulled From Burning Arlington Home With Critical Injuries: Fire Marshal
Trapped Resident Pulled From Burning Arlington Home With Critical Injuries: Fire Marshal A person was fighting for their life after firefighters pulled them from a burning Virginia home on Sunday. The fire broke out shortly after 5 p.m. on June 14 in Arlington, where crews were dispatched to a single-family home in the 6000 block of 25th Road North after reports of a structure fire and a possible occupant trapped inside. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy flames pushing from the one-story residence. With reports that someone was still inside, crews immediately split their efforts between attacking the fire and searching the home. They found the occupant in a first-fl…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
WATCH: Maryland Trooper Lowered Through Trees To Rescue Injured Hiker On Mountain WATCH: Maryland Trooper Lowered Through Trees To Rescue Injured Hiker On Mountain
Watch: Maryland Trooper Lowered Through Trees To Rescue Injured Hiker On Mountain A hiker stranded deep in the mountains of West Virginia got a lifeline from Maryland's skies over the weekend. Maryland State Police Aviation Command crews based in Cumberland launched a dramatic aerial rescue on Saturday morning, June 13, after a man fell while hiking in a remote section of Chimney Top in Grant County, West Virginia, according to state police. The call came in around 8:30 a.m. when rescue personnel in Grant County were dispatched to the rugged area near Cabins. But reaching the injured hiker on foot proved nearly impossible. With the victim located in difficult terrain, a…

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by Zak Failla
News
Search Continues For Missing Swimmer In Potomac River Near Great Falls Search Continues For Missing Swimmer In Potomac River Near Great Falls
Search Continues For Missing Swimmer In Potomac River Near Great Falls A Maryland search operation stretched into a second day Monday after a young swimmer disappeared in the Potomac River near Great Falls. The swimmer was reported in distress around 6:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 14, near Billy Goat Trail A and Sandy Landing in Montgomery County.  By nightfall, rescuers still had not found him. Officials said the young man became separated from a group while in the river. What followed was a massive search spanning both sides of the Potomac. The water rescue in Montgomery County. Twitter/@mcfrsPIO Rescuers searched from the shoreline, launc…

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by Zak Failla
News
Vehicle Crashes Into PG County Building Hard Enough To Force Evacuation (DEVELOPING) Vehicle Crashes Into PG County Building Hard Enough To Force Evacuation (DEVELOPING)
Vehicle Crashes Into PG County Building Hard Enough To Force Evacuation (Developing) A building in Maryland was evacuated on Sunday afternoon after a vehicle slammed into the structure, causing significant damage and triggering a collapse investigation. First responders in Prince George's County were called shortly before 2 p.m. on June 14 to the 6100 block of Sheriff Road in Capitol Heights, when a driver crashed into the building. Emergency crews arrived to find a one-story commercial building damaged by the collision. Officials said the building was evacuated following the crash as crews assessed the structural damage. Despite the impact, no injuries were reported…

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by Zak Failla
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