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Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

zfailla@dailyvoice.com

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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

Police & Fire
Hicksville Serial Burglar Busted After Targeting Nassau County Businesses, Police Say Hicksville Serial Burglar Busted After Targeting Nassau County Businesses, Police Say
Hicksville Serial Burglar Busted After Targeting Nassau County Businesses, Police Say A serial burglar is in police custody after being busted for his role in targeting at least nine businesses on Long Island over the course of fewer than three weeks and making a terroristic threat during a domestic incident, police announced. Hicksville resident Jonathan Bird, age 35, was arrested at approximately 11 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, following an investigation into multiple burglaries in Nassau County. According to a Nassau County Police Department spokesperson, the investigation determined that Bird is allegedly responsible for burglaries at these businesses on Long Island on the…

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by Zak Failla
Weather
NOAA Releases Long-Range Forecast For Summer NOAA Releases Long-Range Forecast For Summer
NOAA Releases Long-Range Forecast For Summer The hot and humid weather this past weekend may have been a preview of what to expect this summer. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is a better than average chance that it might be a long, wet summer for parts of the region, after the organization and National Weather Service (NWS) released its three-month seasonal temperature and precipitation outlooks for the summer months. According to NOAA, the warmest temperatures are expected in the Midwest, though parts of New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are expected to see a rise in slight r…

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by Zak Failla
News
NYers Can Now Choose 'X' Gender Marker On Driver License, ID Cards, Hochul Announces NYers Can Now Choose 'X' Gender Marker On Driver License, ID Cards, Hochul Announces
NYers Can Now Choose 'X' Gender Marker On Driver License, ID Cards, Hochul Announces With the start of “Pride Month” just days away, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a historic step in removing barriers for transgender and non-binary New Yorkers. Hochul announced that New Yorkers will soon have the option to choose “X” as a gender marker on driver’s licenses, learner permits, or non-driver state ID cards. “As we prepare to celebrate Pride Month in a few days, I am excited to announce this historic change that represents another victory in our fight to help ensure equality and respect for the LGBTQ+ community," the governor said.  "Every person, regardless of…

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by Zak Failla
News
Former CT Resident Sentenced For Distributing Fentanyl While Released On Bond Former CT Resident Sentenced For Distributing Fentanyl While Released On Bond
Former CT Resident Sentenced For Distributing Fentanyl While Released On Bond A convicted felon who was busted with an illegal assault rifle in Connecticut has been sentenced to additional prison time after admitting to distributing fentanyl while released on bond, the US Attorney’s Office announced. Brian “Whites” Velez, age 33, formerly of Hartford and West Hartford, has been sentenced to 57 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm and then distributing drugs while released on bond. US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said that in November 2018, Velez led police on a short car chase in Hartford’s South End befo…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
Yankees, Other Pro Sports Teams Urge Fans To Take Action On Gun Law Reform After Mass Shootings Yankees, Other Pro Sports Teams Urge Fans To Take Action On Gun Law Reform After Mass Shootings
Yankees, Other Pro Sports Teams Urge Fans To Take Action On Gun Law Reform After Mass Shootings The game of baseball took a backseat for a pair of rival teams who took the opportunity to encourage gun control and legislative action after the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, Texas, and elsewhere in the US. Social media departments from the New York Yankees and AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays teamed up during their matchup on Thursday, May 26 to forego tweeting and messaging about their game, and instead used it to promote gun law reform. “In lieu of game coverage and in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Rays, we will be using our channels to offer facts about the impacts of gun violence,…

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by Zak Failla
News
Ex-Trumbull Doc Sentenced For Illegally Prescribing Controlled Substances Ex-Trumbull Doc Sentenced For Illegally Prescribing Controlled Substances
Ex-Trumbull Doc Sentenced For Illegally Prescribing Controlled Substances A former doctor in Connecticut will spend nearly four years in prison and will pay more than $200,000 after admitting to illegally distributing prescription medication. Fairfield County resident David Ciancimino, age 63, of Trumbull, was sentenced by US District Judge Omar A. Williams in Hartford to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for distributing drugs out of his Shelton office to patients who did not require them. US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said that in October 2020, law enforcement officials launched an investigation into the suspicious distribu…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Embattled School Superintendent In Hudson Valley Cleared Of Criminal Charges: DA Embattled School Superintendent In Hudson Valley Cleared Of Criminal Charges: DA
Embattled School Superintendent In Hudson Valley Cleared Of Criminal Charges: DA A school superintendent in the Hudson Valley will not face criminal charges following an investigation into allegations of potential sexual harassment. The Orange County District Attorney will not be filing criminal charges against former Newburgh Schools Superintendent Roberto Padilla, who had been the target of an investigation into the harassment claims. Orange County DA David Hoovler announced on Friday, May 27, that Padilla would not be facing criminal charges due to a lack of evidence following the allegations. The news comes the same week the Board of Education appointed a veteran e…

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by Zak Failla
News
Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Ponzi-Like Fraud Scheme Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Ponzi-Like Fraud Scheme
Hudson Valley Man Sentenced For Ponzi-Like Fraud Scheme A Hudson Valley man will spend years behind bars after being busted for operating a multi-million dollar investment club that was actually a Ponzi scheme targeting a Haitian community, federal authorities announced. Rockland County resident Ruless Pierre, age 52, of Nanuet, has been sentenced to 84 months in prison in connection to a Ponzi-like securities fraud scheme that targeted his own community in the region. Specifically, Pierre was convicted of securities fraud, wire fraud, and structuring offenses by a jury in May 2021. US Attorney Damian Williams said that between 2016 and 2019, P…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Westchester Educator Accepts Superintendent Post In Hudson Valley Westchester Educator Accepts Superintendent Post In Hudson Valley
Westchester Educator Accepts Superintendent Post In Hudson Valley A longtime educator with lengthy ties to Westchester has been chosen to take over at the helm of one of the Hudson Valley’s largest school districts. In Orange County, Dr. Jackielyn Manning Campbell - whose 24-year career includes stops in Mount Vernon, White Plains, New Rochelle, and New York City - has been named as the new Superintendent of Schools for the Newburgh Enlarged City School District. The announcement of her appointment was made by the Board of Education during a special meeting on Thursday, May 26 following a lengthy national search. During her time in Westchester, officials…

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by Zak Failla
News
Teen Arraigned, Placed On Home Confinement After Threatening Mass Shooting At NY HS Teen Arraigned, Placed On Home Confinement After Threatening Mass Shooting At NY HS
Teen Arraigned, Placed On Home Confinement After Threatening Mass Shooting At NY HS A teenager in New York has been arraigned after being arrested for allegedly threatening to commit a mass shooting at a local school, authorities announced. On Long Island, a 16-year-old student at Bellport High School in Suffolk County was arrested by police in his home on Thursday, May 26. Original story - Teen Charged After Threatening Mass Shooting At Bellport HS, DA Says Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said that the teen - whose name is not being released due to his age - created an online post threatening a massive shooting at his hometown school. Investigators…

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by Zak Failla
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