Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

[email protected]

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

Alexandria, VA
Your Community
AG Says Lindsey Halligan Left DOJ After Judge Called US Attorney Title A ‘Charade’ In Virginia AG Says Lindsey Halligan Left DOJ After Judge Called US Attorney Title A ‘Charade’ In Virginia AG Says Lindsey Halligan Left DOJ After Judge Called US Attorney Title A ‘Charade’ In Virginia
AG Says Lindsey Halligan Left DOJ After Judge Called US Attorney Title A ‘Charade’ In Virginia Attorney General Pamela Bondi confirmed Lindsey Halligan has departed the Department of Justice after a federal judge barred her from continuing to use the title of US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — and branded the situation a “charade.” Bondi released a statement praising Halligan’s 120-day tenure as Interim US Attorney, saying she served “with the utmost distinction” while prosecuting violent offenders, murderers, and child abusers in Virginia. pic.twitter.com/IIoURr8uU3 — Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 21, 2026 The announcement came hours after …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Capitol Heights-District Heights, MD
Obituaries
Known By Many Names, Remembered For Growth: Georgetown Man Dies In Crash Known By Many Names, Remembered For Growth: Georgetown Man Dies In Crash Known By Many Names, Remembered For Growth: Georgetown Man Dies In Crash
Known By Many Names, Remembered For Growth: Georgetown Man Dies In Crash Linwood Owens was a man who went by many names before his unexpected death in a Delaware crash.  The Georgetown native, 37, affectionately known by loved ones as "BooBoo" and "BooWow," was involved in a fatal crash on Sunday, Jan. 11, after losing control of his vehicle and slamming into a tree. Owens leaves behind a family that "is devastated by this unimaginable loss."  "Losing you feels unreal, BooBoo," his cousin wrote. "I’ll miss your smile, your presence, and the journey of watching you grow. You weren’t perfect, but your heart wanted better." "You were seeking the Lord, s…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Elkridge, MD
Breaking News
Vehicle Fire Shuts Down Multiple Lanes On I-95 In Elkridge During Morning Commute Vehicle Fire Shuts Down Multiple Lanes On I-95 In Elkridge During Morning Commute Vehicle Fire Shuts Down Multiple Lanes On I-95 In Elkridge During Morning Commute
Vehicle Fire Shuts Down Multiple Lanes On I-95 In Elkridge During Morning Commute A vehicle fire brought traffic to a crawl on I-95 in Maryland during the Wednesday morning rush, forcing lane closures and backing up drivers near a major interchange. The incident happened on I-95 southbound past Exit 43B for MD 100 in Howard County around 9:29 a.m. Wednesday, January 21, according to transportation officials. Emergency crews responded to the scene, where one vehicle was involved, and multiple lanes were shut down as firefighters worked, officials said.  Three of the four southbound travel lanes were closed, along with one of the two southbound shoulders, causing sig…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Silver Spring, MD
Breaking News
Vehicle Plows Into Silver Spring Storefront, Driver Trapped As Crews Race To Save Him Vehicle Plows Into Silver Spring Storefront, Driver Trapped As Crews Race To Save Him Vehicle Plows Into Silver Spring Storefront, Driver Trapped As Crews Race To Save Him
Vehicle Plows Into Silver Spring Storefront, Driver Trapped As Crews Race To Save Him A routine morning in Maryland turned into a frantic rescue when a vehicle plowed into a shopping center storefront, leaving the driver trapped in a perilous position. Firefighters were dispatched after a van crashed into buildings at the Northgate Shopping Center along Georgia Avenue near Aspen Hill Road on Wednesday morning, January 21, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue officials. Crews arrived to find the minivan embedded in the structure near a Michaels store and Gigi’s Beauty Supply, with significant damage to the storefront and debris spread across the sidewalk and in…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Stafford, VA
Breaking News
California Visitors’ Late-Night Hotel Stop Ends With DUI Arrest In Stafford County: Sheriff California Visitors’ Late-Night Hotel Stop Ends With DUI Arrest In Stafford County: Sheriff California Visitors’ Late-Night Hotel Stop Ends With DUI Arrest In Stafford County: Sheriff
California Visitors’ Late-Night Hotel Stop Ends With DUI Arrest In Stafford County: Sheriff A cross-country trip took an unexpected detour after a California couple was arrested in a Virginia hotel parking lot when deputies spotted signs of impairment that were hard to ignore. A Stafford County deputy was patrolling the Staybridge Suites parking lot along Richmond Highway around 1:48 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, when he noticed a man urinating next to a vehicle, according to the sheriff's office. When the deputy made contact, the man showed slurred speech, bloodshot and glassy eyes, and smelled of alcohol, officials reported. As the encounter unfolded, a woman sitting in the driver’s sea…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Woodbridge, VA
Breaking News
Measles Case Confirmed In Northern Virginia As Officials Track Possible Exposures Measles Case Confirmed In Northern Virginia As Officials Track Possible Exposures Measles Case Confirmed In Northern Virginia As Officials Track Possible Exposures
Measles Case Confirmed In Northern Virginia As Officials Track Possible Exposures Virginia health officials are investigating another confirmed case of measles in the northern part of the state, raising concerns about potential public exposure after a young child visited several medical facilities while contagious. The case involves a preschool-age child who recently traveled internationally and is not connected to a measles case reported earlier this month.  State health officials said the child was in public settings during the infectious period, prompting an active effort to identify anyone who may have been exposed. Health officials released a list of locations…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Westminster, MD
Breaking News
From Traffic Stop To Drug Bust: Nearly 100 Fentanyl Capsules Found In Westminster, Sheriff Says From Traffic Stop To Drug Bust: Nearly 100 Fentanyl Capsules Found In Westminster, Sheriff Says From Traffic Stop To Drug Bust: Nearly 100 Fentanyl Capsules Found In Westminster, Sheriff Says
From Traffic Stop To Drug Bust: Nearly 100 Fentanyl Capsules Found In Westminster, Sheriff Says A traffic stop in Northern Maryland turned into a major drug bust after deputies discovered suspected fentanyl capsules, cocaine, and drug packaging materials inside a car driven by a pair from Pennsylvania. Members of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Pro-Active Community Enforcement Team were conducting traffic enforcement on Baltimore Boulevard shortly before 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, when they spotted a Honda Accord with a Pennsylvania registration traveling westbound. After observing a traffic violation, deputies stopped the vehicle near Gorsuch Road in Westminster and identified th…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Rockville, MD
Breaking News
DC Water Builds Emergency Bypass After Sewer Line Collapse Near I-495 In Montgomery County DC Water Builds Emergency Bypass After Sewer Line Collapse Near I-495 In Montgomery County DC Water Builds Emergency Bypass After Sewer Line Collapse Near I-495 In Montgomery County
DC Water Builds Emergency Bypass After Sewer Line Collapse Near I-495 In Montgomery County A sewage overflow from a major wastewater line shut down a lane near the Capital Beltway and triggered a public health warning after untreated wastewater was seen spilling into the C & O Canal area near the Clara Barton Parkway, officials said. DC Water crews were rushed to the scene after flow was observed coming out of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line near the I-495 interchange in Montgomery County on Monday evening, according to the agency. Contractors were also mobilized to contain the overflow, assess the damage, and begin repairs. As a precaution, the right inbound lane of the …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Stafford, VA
Obituaries
He Wanted To Serve: Stafford Fire Recruit, High School Senior Jaycob Hall Dies At 18 He Wanted To Serve: Stafford Fire Recruit, High School Senior Jaycob Hall Dies At 18 He Wanted To Serve: Stafford Fire Recruit, High School Senior Jaycob Hall Dies At 18
He Wanted To Serve: Stafford Fire Recruit, High School Senior Jaycob Hall Dies At 18 A young life marked by service ended far too soon, as a Virginia community said goodbye to 18-year-old firefighter recruit and Stafford High senior Jaycob Hall. Hall, a High School Fire Academy recruit with Stafford County Fire and Rescue, died earlier this week surrounded by family, his parents announced, after suffering severe injuries in a serious traffic crash while off-duty on Saturday, Jan. 10. Before his death, Jaycob was celebrated at Mary Washington Hospital with an Honor Walk, as doctors, nurses, hospital staff, first responders, friends, and loved ones lined the halls, according …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Olney, MD
Breaking News
Maryland Family Starts Over After Olney Fire Destroys Home Months After Daughter’s Death Maryland Family Starts Over After Olney Fire Destroys Home Months After Daughter’s Death Maryland Family Starts Over After Olney Fire Destroys Home Months After Daughter’s Death
Maryland Family Starts Over After Olney Fire Destroys Home Months After Daughter’s Death A Maryland community is helping a beloved family pick up the pieces after their home was destroyed less than two years after losing their daughter to cancer. Bill and Effie Poulakis are "starting from scratch" after a fire tore through their Olney home, leaving them with nothing but the charred clothes on their backs. Shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, first responders in Montgomery County were called to a home on Holly View Court, when a homeowner reported hearing a loud "pop" before smoke began flooding into their home. Dozens of firefighters responded to the home, but not b…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Prev Page 354 of 3978 352 353 354 355 356 Next
3,531 - 3,540 of 39,774 articles