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

Newtown, CT

Breaking News

Teen Killed, Others Critical After Mustang Smashes Into Newtown Tree: Police A speeding Mustang packed with five people crashed into a tree in Connecticut early Sunday morning, leaving a 19-year-old woman dead and two others critically injured, police said. The Newtown Police Department says the crash happened shortly before 2:45 a.m. on Aug. 24 on Berkshire Road (Route 34), just west of Zoar Road. Investigators determined a red 2017 Ford Mustang GT was speeding westbound when the driver failed to negotiate a curve, sending the Mustang off the road and head-on into a large tree. There were five people in the car at the time of the crash, including 19-year-old Danbu…

by Zak Failla

08/24/2025

Bel Air, MD

On Your Side

Powerball Jackpot Soars To $750M; 10th Largest In History The Powerball jackpot is approaching $1 billion after no Lottery players hit all five numbers and the Powerball. A $750 million jackpot will be up for grabs on Monday, Aug. 25, marking the 10th-largest grand prize in the game's history — with an estimated cash value of $338.6 million. The winning numbers for the Saturday, Aug. 23 Powerball drawing were 11-14-34-47-51 with a Powerball of 18. While no player matched all six numbers drawn, two tickets sold in Maine and New York matched all five white balls and won $1 million prizes. A third ticket sold in South Dakota also matched…

by Zak Failla

08/24/2025

National Interest

Trump Wants World Cup Gold For Oval Office Wall: ‘Can I Keep It?’ President Donald Trump may be eyeing a new gold decoration for the Oval Office. Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino were in DC on Friday afternoon to announce that the 2026 World Cup draw to determine the group stages will be held at noon on Friday, Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center. The World Cup is scheduled to be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico between June 11 and July 19, with the event kicking off in the nation's capital with 48 nations eyeing the famed trophy — one that Trump admired during the announcement. "The World Cup is going to be one of the largest and most complex e…

by Zak Failla

08/24/2025

Alexandria, VA

Breaking News

Rabid Fox Attacks Cat In Alexandria Neighborhood, Tests Positive: Health Alert A rabid fox found in Alexandria’s Del Ray/Rosemont neighborhood has prompted an urgent warning from health officials. The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) says a fox from the Del Ray/Rosemont neighborhood tested positive for rabies this week. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, the fox came into contact with a cat near a home in the area, officials said. The animal later tested positive for rabies. The fox is now dead, and the Health Department is working with the cat’s owner on next steps. Health officials warned that the case raises the risk of rabies exposure in the community. “If you see an…

by Zak Failla

08/23/2025

National Interest

Maryland Dad Wrongly Deported To El Salvador Now Facing Removal To Uganda Kilmar Abrego Garcia's stay back in Maryland — and the United States — may be short-lived. The Maryland father of three was released from custody in Tennessee and ordered back home to his family months after he was deported to a notorious Salvadoran prison due to "an administrative error." Abrego Garcia, an alleged former MS-13 gang member, is now likely to be deported to Uganda, according to reports, after he refused to plead guilty to human smuggling charges, which would have allowed him to serve his time in Costa Rica. "The government informed Mr. Abrego that he has until first th…

by Zak Failla

08/23/2025

Arlington, VA

Breaking News

Passenger Jet, Blackhawk Nearly Collide Over Reagan National In DC: New NTSB Report New details from a federal safety report reveal just how close Washington, DC skies came to disaster this spring, when a military helicopter and a packed passenger jet nearly collided near Reagan National Airport and the Pentagon. A Blackhawk helicopter landing at the Pentagon and a packed passenger jet approaching Reagan National came within just 0.4 miles and 200 feet of colliding, federal investigators revealed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says a near-miss over Washington, DC this spring could have ended in catastrophe. On May 1, just after 2:30 p.m., Priority Air Tr…

by Zak Failla

08/23/2025

Bel Air, MD

On Your Side

Iconic Tobey Maguire Spider-Man Suit From Raimi Trilogy Swings Into Auction For $100K+ Spider-Man fans, better check your bank accounts — Tobey Maguire’s actual red-and-blue suit from Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3 is swinging onto the auction block, and it’s already climbing past six figures. The screen-used costume — worn by Maguire during Sam Raimi’s blockbuster trilogy — is being offered by Propstore Auction, where bidding started at $50,000 and has already hit $100,000, according to the official listing. Auctioneers estimate it could sell for as much as $200,000 when the hammer drops on Thursday, Sept. 4. The suit isn’t just some replica. This is the real de…

by Zak Failla

08/23/2025

Columbia, MD

Breaking News

First Human Case Of West Nile Virus Of 2024 Reported In Central Maryland The Maryland Department of Health has confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus in 2025. On Saturday, an alert was issued by the agency advising that an adult living in Central Maryland has tested positive for the virus and is recovering from the infection. West Nile virus infections have been rare in Maryland, with the state recording four cases in 2021 and just single cases in 2020 and 2022 until spiking with seven in 2023 and 18 confirmed cases in 2024. "We are in the season when the West Nile virus can spread in Maryland,” Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Meg Sul…

by Zak Failla

08/23/2025

National Interest

Unrecognizable? Matt Lauer’s Rare Long Island Sighting Has Fans Stunned Embattled former Today Show host Matt Lauer made a rare public appearance on Long Island — and his look had some former fans doing a double-take. Celebrity photographer Danny Ordonez captured the shot of Lauer during an evening out in Sag Harbor, though his appearance was jarring for some, who had some comments on his outfit. In the photo, Lauer is clean shaven, sporting blindingly white shoes, pants, complete with a black-and-white shirt featuring a bright pattern. "Matt Lauer keeping it low-key in Sag Harbor after a dinner outing, the former Today Show co-anchor looked ca…

by Zak Failla

08/23/2025

Elkton, MD

Breaking News

Charlestown Grandfather Months From Retirement Killed by 'Grossly Negligent' Driver: Officials A distracted Maryland driver who took the life of a beloved husband and grandfather in a deadly head-on crash is heading to prison for years, authorities announced on Friday. Charles DeStefano, Jr., of Elkton, has been sentenced to serve six years in prison after being convicted of speeding and causing the fatal crash that claimed the life of William R. Rupp in September 2023, according to the Cecil County State's Attorney's Office. This week, DeStefano was handed the sentence by Cecil County Circuit Court Administrative Judge Brenda Sexton after being convicted in June of grossly negligent…

by Zak Failla

08/22/2025

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