Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

[email protected]

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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

Fairfax, VA
Breaking News
$2M Drug Bust Tied To Fairfax County Vape Shops Leads To 3 Arrests, 13 Stores Raided: Police $2M Drug Bust Tied To Fairfax County Vape Shops Leads To 3 Arrests, 13 Stores Raided: Police $2M Drug Bust Tied To Fairfax County Vape Shops Leads To 3 Arrests, 13 Stores Raided: Police
$2M Drug Bust Tied To Fairfax County Vape Shops Leads To 3 Arrests, 13 Stores Raided: Police A massive drug operation in Northern Virginia has been dismantled following a lengthy investigation targeting vape stores, authorities announced. Three Woodbridge men have been arrested and charged for their alleged roles in what detectives described as a "large-scale operation targeting a regional drug trafficking organization operating vape stores."  As a result, Omar Salim, 65, Saleh Salim, 36, and Saed Salim, 39, were all arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering. (left to right) Omar Salim, Saleh Salim, and Saed …

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by Zak Failla
Mechanicsville, MD
On Your Side
$1.7M Lottery Jackpot Unclaimed After Winning Ticket Sold At Abell's Tavern In Callaway $1.7M Lottery Jackpot Unclaimed After Winning Ticket Sold At Abell's Tavern In Callaway $1.7M Lottery Jackpot Unclaimed After Winning Ticket Sold At Abell's Tavern In Callaway
$1.7M Lottery Jackpot Unclaimed After Winning Ticket Sold At Abell's Tavern In Callaway A newly minted millionaire in Southern Maryland is sitting on a jackpot — and may not even realize it. A jackpot-winning Multi-Match ticket worth a $1.7 million prize was sold in St. Mary's County, and it remains unclaimed days later.  The winning ticket was sold for the Thursday, March 19 drawing at Abell's Tavern in the 20200 block of Piney Point Road in Callaway, which will receive a $1,000 bonus of its own for selling the big winner. The winning numbers for the March 19 draw were: 3-14-15-19-27-38. Once the prize is claimed, the lucky Lottery player will have the option…

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by Zak Failla
Manassas, VA
Breaking News
Masked Stranger Exposed Himself To 12-Year-Old Girl Walking Alone In Manassas, Police Say Masked Stranger Exposed Himself To 12-Year-Old Girl Walking Alone In Manassas, Police Say Masked Stranger Exposed Himself To 12-Year-Old Girl Walking Alone In Manassas, Police Say
Masked Stranger Exposed Himself To 12-Year-Old Girl Walking Alone In Manassas, Police Say A masked man exposed himself to a 12-year-old girl walking alone in Virginia in the middle of the afternoon, causing concern in her community, police say. The disturbing encounter happened in Prince William County, near Manassas, where officers are now searching for a suspect who targeted the child along a neighborhood footpath. Police say the incident unfolded around 3 p.m. on Monday, March 23, near Rhode Island Drive and Packard Drive. The 12-year-old victim was walking along the path when she came face-to-face with a stranger, according to investigators. Without warning, the man expose…

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by Zak Failla
Hereford, MD
Obituaries
‘Inseparable Bond’: Hereford Football Player Matt Kellam Remembered After Death ‘Inseparable Bond’: Hereford Football Player Matt Kellam Remembered After Death ‘Inseparable Bond’: Hereford Football Player Matt Kellam Remembered After Death
‘Inseparable Bond’: Hereford Football Player Matt Kellam Remembered After Death Matt Kellam was known for his toughness on the football field and kindness off it. Now, friends and family across Maryland are left grappling with the hole his death has left behind. "Matt Kellam was one of the most caring, funny, and genuine people I have ever known," best friend Jacob Scheps wrote. "No matter what he was going through, he always found a way to bring light to the people around him and make others smile." "The loss of Matt has left an immeasurable impact on everyone who knew him, especially his family, who are now facing an incredibly difficult time." Matt Kellam …

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by Zak Failla
Towson, MD
Breaking News
Gunman Tracked Down Weeks After Deadly Baltimore Shooting, Charged With Murder: Police Gunman Tracked Down Weeks After Deadly Baltimore Shooting, Charged With Murder: Police Gunman Tracked Down Weeks After Deadly Baltimore Shooting, Charged With Murder: Police
Gunman Tracked Down Weeks After Deadly Baltimore Shooting, Charged With Murder: Police A Baltimore man is now facing a murder charge weeks after a young victim was gunned down and left fighting for his life in the Southern District. Craig Anthony Parker, 42, of Baltimore, was arrested on March 24 and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of 21-year-old Kyree Plummer, Baltimore Police announced. The shooting was reported shortly before 7:15 p.m. on Feb. 25, when officers were called to the 3500 block of Fifth Street. Upon arrival, officers found Plummer suffering from a gunshot wound to his body. He was rushed to an area hospital in critical conditio…

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by Zak Failla
Annapolis, MD
Weather
Maryland High Court Rejects Climate Lawsuits Against Oil Giants In Major Blow To Anne Arundel Maryland High Court Rejects Climate Lawsuits Against Oil Giants In Major Blow To Anne Arundel Maryland High Court Rejects Climate Lawsuits Against Oil Giants In Major Blow To Anne Arundel
Maryland High Court Rejects Climate Lawsuits Against Oil Giants In Major Blow To Anne Arundel Maryland’s highest court just handed a major win to Big Oil — and a big setback to Baltimore, Annapolis, and Anne Arundel counties. In a sweeping decision filed March 24, the Supreme Court of Maryland ruled that local governments cannot sue energy companies for climate change damages, shutting down years-long efforts to make them pay for flooding, rising seas, and extreme weather. The ruling centers on a hard truth the court didn’t dance around: climate change isn’t local. Judges found that greenhouse gas emissions — and the damage tied to them — cross state lines and international borders…

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by Zak Failla
Towson, MD
Breaking News
Baltimore Dad Found Alive After Being Thrown 30 Feet Off Cliff In Crash: 'Miracle,' Wife Says Baltimore Dad Found Alive After Being Thrown 30 Feet Off Cliff In Crash: 'Miracle,' Wife Says Baltimore Dad Found Alive After Being Thrown 30 Feet Off Cliff In Crash: 'Miracle,' Wife Says
Baltimore Dad Found Alive After Being Thrown 30 Feet Off Cliff In Crash: 'Miracle,' Wife Says A Maryland father of three is fighting for his life after being thrown down a 30-foot cliff in a crash following a late-night shift — and survived long enough to be found by first responders. Darren Wilson suffered a medical emergency on his way home from work earlier this month, causing his vehicle to leave the roadway, resulting in a violent crash that left him critically injured, according to his wife.  He was ejected from the vehicle and thrown approximately 30 feet down a cliff, where he remained for nearly an hour before being discovered. “For an entire hour, he lay there undisc…

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by Zak Failla
Towson, MD
On Your Side
Port Of Baltimore Surges Back With Near-Record Year Amid Key Bridge Collapse Recovery Port Of Baltimore Surges Back With Near-Record Year Amid Key Bridge Collapse Recovery Port Of Baltimore Surges Back With Near-Record Year Amid Key Bridge Collapse Recovery
Port Of Baltimore Surges Back With Near-Record Year Amid Key Bridge Collapse Recovery Nearly two years to the day the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed, officials in Maryland are celebrating the Port of Baltimore’s return to form and showcasing its resilience in a big way. The port handled nearly 50 million tons of cargo in 2025, Maryland officials announced, marking the second-best year in its history as recovery continues from the massive collapse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The milestone came a year after the devastating 2024 bridge collapse disrupted shipping lanes and rattled the region’s economy. Gov. Wes Moore announced the figures in Annapolis on Tuesday, March 24,…

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by Zak Failla
Manassas, VA
Your Community
Family Says ICE Took The Wrong Guy, Now They Want Their Father Back Family Says ICE Took The Wrong Guy, Now They Want Their Father Back Family Says ICE Took The Wrong Guy, Now They Want Their Father Back
Family Says ICE Took The Wrong Guy, Now They Want Their Father Back A young Virginia family was torn apart in an instant when immigration officers reportedly took their patriarch, they said. Jennifer Portillo's partner, who was not named, was reportedly not the intended target when immigration officers arrived around 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, in Manassas and took him into custody. "Officers were reportedly looking for someone else, but instead they took him," Diana Vargas said. "Since that moment, his family, partner, and friends have been left shocked, confused, and heartbroken."  In the hours that followed, the reality set in for those close…

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by Zak Failla
Towson, MD
Breaking News
Bentleys, Bogus Bills, $2.7M Gone: PA Man Sentenced For Massive Baltimore Childcare Scam Bentleys, Bogus Bills, $2.7M Gone: PA Man Sentenced For Massive Baltimore Childcare Scam Bentleys, Bogus Bills, $2.7M Gone: PA Man Sentenced For Massive Baltimore Childcare Scam
Bentleys, Bogus Bills, $2.7M Gone: PA Man Sentenced For Massive Baltimore Childcare Scam A Pennsylvania man who lined his pockets with millions meant for Maryland’s neediest families — while cruising in Bentleys — is finally heading to prison. Jonathan Tarrell Smalls, 42, was sentenced in Anne Arundel County to four years behind bars for orchestrating a decade-long fraud scheme that drained millions of dollars from the state's childcare scholarship program. The money was supposed to help struggling families afford care. Instead, prosecutors say, it fueled a lifestyle that didn’t match the story he was telling on paper. Smalls operated multiple childcare centers in Baltimore —…

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by Zak Failla
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