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

Germantown, MD
Breaking News
WATCH: Bright Green Lamborghini Erupts In Flames On Busy Germantown Roadway WATCH: Bright Green Lamborghini Erupts In Flames On Busy Germantown Roadway WATCH: Bright Green Lamborghini Erupts In Flames On Busy Germantown Roadway
Watch: Bright Green Lamborghini Erupts In Flames On Busy Germantown Roadway A bright green Lamborghini went up in flames on a busy Germantown roadway Friday afternoon, sending thick black smoke billowing through the air as stunned drivers looked on, officials said. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue crews were called around 2 p.m. on Ridge Road near Frederick Road (Route 355), where the luxury sports car was fully engulfed in flames, according to department spokesperson Pete Piringer. Montgomery County firefighters work to extinguish a fully engulfed 2020 Lamborghini on Ridge Road near Frederick Road in Germantown on Friday afternoon, Oct. 17. Twitter/@m…

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by Zak Failla
Leesburg, VA
Your Community
Virginia Student Brought Gun, Ammo To Academies Of Loudoun, Sheriff Says Virginia Student Brought Gun, Ammo To Academies Of Loudoun, Sheriff Says Virginia Student Brought Gun, Ammo To Academies Of Loudoun, Sheriff Says
Virginia Student Brought Gun, Ammo To Academies Of Loudoun, Sheriff Says A Virginia high school student is facing charges after deputies found a firearm and ammunition in his car at a Loudoun County school, authorities said. According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, the incident unfolded around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Academies of Loudoun when the school’s resource officer (SRO) was alerted that a student may have been under the influence. During the investigation, deputies discovered that the 17-year-old male student had allegedly brought a gun and ammunition onto school property inside his vehicle. The SRO quickly secured the car and loc…

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by Zak Failla
Lexington Park, MD
Your Community
Maryland Del. Charles Otto Dies Unexpectedly After More Than a Decade of Service Maryland Del. Charles Otto Dies Unexpectedly After More Than a Decade of Service Maryland Del. Charles Otto Dies Unexpectedly After More Than a Decade of Service
Maryland Del. Charles Otto Dies Unexpectedly After More Than a Decade of Service Longtime Maryland Del. Charles Otto, a Republican representing Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties, passed away unexpectedly, officials said on Friday. The news was first reported by Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones, who released a statement, and the news was confirmed by Gov. Wes Moore.  No details about the Salisbury native's death have been provided. "I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Maryland State Delegate Charles J. Otto," Jones said. "Since 2011, he served the Maryland House of Delegates with integrity and an unwavering dedication to the people of Dis…

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by Zak Failla
North Bethesda, MD
Breaking News
Artificial Idiocy: North Bethesda Woman Uses AI To Stage Phony Home Invasion, Police Say Artificial Idiocy: North Bethesda Woman Uses AI To Stage Phony Home Invasion, Police Say Artificial Idiocy: North Bethesda Woman Uses AI To Stage Phony Home Invasion, Police Say
Artificial Idiocy: North Bethesda Woman Uses AI To Stage Phony Home Invasion, Police Say The machine led a Maryland woman down a dark path that landed her behind bars, authorities announced. North Bethesda native Moesha Gardener, 27, is facing charges for falsely reporting a home invasion involving a computer-generated image created entirely with artificial intelligence, according to the Montgomery County Department of Police. On Wednesday, Oct. 8, officers were called to probe a reported burglary in the 5000 block of McGrath Boulevard in North Bethesda, which led to several AI-driven discoveries. Police determined that Gardener had texted her husband claiming a stranger …

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by Zak Failla
Alexandria, VA
Your Community
MS-13 Gang Leader On El Salvador’s ‘Most Wanted’ List Caught Hiding In Alexandria: ICE MS-13 Gang Leader On El Salvador’s ‘Most Wanted’ List Caught Hiding In Alexandria: ICE MS-13 Gang Leader On El Salvador’s ‘Most Wanted’ List Caught Hiding In Alexandria: ICE
MS-13 Gang Leader On El Salvador’s ‘Most Wanted’ List Caught Hiding In Alexandria: ICE A fugitive described as one of El Salvador’s "most wanted" MS-13 gang leaders was captured by immigration agents in Alexandria, Virginia, authorities announced. Ismael Enrique Mendoza Flores, known by his alias “El Calaco,” was arrested earlier this month by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), authorities said this week.  The agency said Mendoza Flores is wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide and illicit associations and is listed in the Salvadoran National Police “Most Wanted Gang Members” Program. ICE said Mendoza Flores was previously arrested in Virginia on Aug. …

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by Zak Failla
Leonardtown-California, MD
Breaking News
Maryland Gunman Who Turned July 4 Block Party Into Bloodbath Gets 258 Years: 'Price To Pay Maryland Gunman Who Turned July 4 Block Party Into Bloodbath Gets 258 Years: 'Price To Pay Maryland Gunman Who Turned July 4 Block Party Into Bloodbath Gets 258 Years: 'Price To Pay
Maryland Gunman Who Turned July 4 Block Party Into Bloodbath Gets 258 Years: 'Price To Pay A Maryland man who unleashed gunfire into a July 4 crowd, killing one person and injuring seven others, will likely die in prison. Antravon Harmon, 28, of Salisbury, was sentenced to 258 years in prison, including 45 years without the possibility of parole, after being convicted of multiple counts of assault and other offenses, according to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, Oct. 17. The sentence followed a five-day jury trial held in July 2025 before Judge Matthew Maciarello in the Circuit Court for Wicomico County. Harmon remained in custody after his conviction until Th…

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by Zak Failla
Waldorf, MD
Your Community
Maryland Student Found With Knife Up His Sleeve At Theodore G. Davis MS, Sheriff Says Maryland Student Found With Knife Up His Sleeve At Theodore G. Davis MS, Sheriff Says Maryland Student Found With Knife Up His Sleeve At Theodore G. Davis MS, Sheriff Says
Maryland Student Found With Knife Up His Sleeve At Theodore G. Davis MS, Sheriff Says A Maryland middle school student who feared being attacked by classmates showed up to school with a knife tucked up his sleeve, authorities said. According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, on Thursday, Oct. 16, a staff member at Theodore G. Davis Middle School in Waldorf alerted administrators that a student might be carrying a knife. An administrative search quickly confirmed it — the knife was found hidden up the 12-year-old’s shirt sleeve, police said. “No threats were made, and the knife was recovered without incident,” a spokesperson for the the sheriff’s office said. Investig…

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by Zak Failla
Beltsville, MD
Breaking News
241 Charges For Maryland Duo Behind Dozens Of Burglaries In Beltsville Area, Cops Say 241 Charges For Maryland Duo Behind Dozens Of Burglaries In Beltsville Area, Cops Say 241 Charges For Maryland Duo Behind Dozens Of Burglaries In Beltsville Area, Cops Say
241 Charges For Maryland Duo Behind Dozens Of Burglaries In Beltsville Area, Cops Say Two Maryland men are facing hundreds of charges after detectives linked them to nearly 40 burglaries and thefts that stretched across Beltsville, police announced Friday. Paul Moegel III, 27, and Christopher Talbott, 31, both of Beltsville, were arrested and charged in connection with a series of thefts and break-ins dating back to the summer of 2024, according to the Prince George's County Police Department. Detectives say the pair targeted sheds, vehicles, and storage areas, stealing power tools, lawn equipment, and other high-value items before investigators closed in. Following a month…

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by Zak Failla
Stafford, VA
Breaking News
Virginia Teen’s Wild Ride Ends With Flat Tires, Guns, And Weed In Stafford, Sheriff Says Virginia Teen’s Wild Ride Ends With Flat Tires, Guns, And Weed In Stafford, Sheriff Says Virginia Teen’s Wild Ride Ends With Flat Tires, Guns, And Weed In Stafford, Sheriff Says
Virginia Teen’s Wild Ride Ends With Flat Tires, Guns, And Weed In Stafford, Sheriff Says A Virginia teen is facing serious charges after a wild hit-and-run that ended with two guns and ounces of weed found in his abandoned car, officials say. Around 4:20 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, a deputy on patrol responded to a reckless driving and hit-and-run complaint near Kings Crest Drive and Crest View Drive, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office.  Witnesses reported seeing a black Nissan “driving erratically” before it slammed into a parked, unattended vehicle and sped off — even as both tires went flat. The driver eventually ditched the car and took off on foot, but …

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by Zak Failla
Waldorf, MD
Breaking News
Teens Robbed People Wearing Designer Brands In Armed Spree Across Waldorf, Sheriff Says Teens Robbed People Wearing Designer Brands In Armed Spree Across Waldorf, Sheriff Says Teens Robbed People Wearing Designer Brands In Armed Spree Across Waldorf, Sheriff Says
Teens Robbed People Wearing Designer Brands In Armed Spree Across Waldorf, Sheriff Says A crew of Maryland teens — and one 21-year-old ringleader — allegedly took their obsession with designer brands a little too far, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives say the group targeted victims wearing designer clothing and other high-end items, robbing them at gunpoint across the Waldorf area in a wild September spree that ended with five arrests and a haul of guns, stolen fashion, and charges fit for a crime show. Between Sept. 19 and Sept. 24, investigators say several victims reported being approached by armed suspects who brandished firearms and snatched lux…

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by Zak Failla
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