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Tuesday, may 13

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

Firefighter Injured In Elmont Blaze Caused By Lighting Strike A firefighter suffered injuries battling a blaze that broke out in a Long Island home that was tied to a nearby lightning strike, police said. In Elmont, first responders were met with thick smoke coming from a second-story window from a Circle Drive West home at approximately 4:15 p.m. on Monday, May 16, according to authorities. Original story - Lightning Strike Causes House Fire In Elmont Upon arrival, officers met with three victims - ages 65, 61, and 22 - who were residents of the home that were displaced by the fire, Nassau County Police said. The Elmont, Valley Stream, and Sou…

by Zak Failla

05/17/2022

News

Amityville Man, Age 52, Admits To Sexually Abusing Two Children, DA Says A man who was out on bail for sexually abusing a minor by posing as a babysitter admitted to sexually abusing two children in the same multi-family homes on two separate occasions. Amityville resident Ascension Cruzsantamaria, age 52, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two minors under the age of 11 between August 2019 and December 2021, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced. Specifically, Cruzsantamaria pleaded guilty to: First-degree criminal sexual act; Two counts of sexual abuse; Two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Tierney said that Cruzsantamaria …

by Zak Failla

05/17/2022

News

Covid-19: Infection Rate Above 13 Percent; Hospitalizations Up In CT; Latest Rundown By County Alarm bells are sounding for some in Connecticut as the positive COVID-19 infection rate across the state crossed new dubious milestones as the battle with the virus continues. In his latest update on Monday, May 16, Connecticut Gov. Lamont said that in the past seven days, there have been more than 84,000 COVID-19 tests administered, resulting in 11,044 laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus. The average seven-day positive infection rate statewide now sits at 13.05 percent. Fifty-five more COVID-19 patients were admitted to Connecticut hospitals, as the number being treated statewide ro…

by Zak Failla

05/17/2022

Police & Fire

Stamford Firefighters Honored At White House After Making Underwater Save A trio of firefighters from Fairfield County was celebrated by President Joe Biden at the White House after making a heroic underwater save during a blizzard. Stamford firefighters John Colander, Michael Rosero, and Chad Titus were in Washington, DC on Monday, May 16 to be awarded the Medal of Valor in a celebration in the East Room. White House officials said that the three firefighters were on duty during a blizzard in Connecticut when they were called into action when a truck made a splash landing in nearby waters and began to sink. Officials said that Colander, Rosero, and Titus dove i…

by Zak Failla

05/16/2022

Police & Fire

Lightning Strike Causes House Fire In Elmont A bolt of lightning that struck a Long Island home led to a house fire that was quickly knocked down by fire crews, officials announced. First responders in Elmont received an alert of a house “struck by lightning” on Monday, May 16, causing a fire on the second floor of a Circle Drive West property. The fire was reported at approximately 4:20 p.m. Upon arrival, first responders were met by smoke billowing out of windows on the second floor of the home, and crews were able to knock down the flames and declare the fire under control within an hour, shortly before 5 p.m. on Monday. No injur…

by Zak Failla

05/16/2022

Traffic

Ramp Closure Scheduled On Northern State Parkway To Long Island Expressway In Nassau County A new ramp closure has been scheduled on the Northern State Parkway leading to the Long Island Expressway in Nassau County, the New York Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced. The NYSDOT issued an advisory cautioning motorists that on Tuesday, May 17, the Exit 37A ramp from eastbound Northern State Parkway to the eastbound Long Island Expressway (Interstate 495) in the Town of Oyster Bay. According to NYSDOT, the ramp will be closed between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Wednesday, May 18 to allow crews to conduct highway maintenance in the area. During the closure, motorists have been instr…

by Zak Failla

05/16/2022

News

Hewlett Man Convicted For Fatally Stabbing Man In Heart, DA Says A Long Island man has been convicted of fatally stabbing a man in the heart and killing him on a busy street corner in 2020, authorities announced. At approximately 9 p.m. on June 28, 2020, in Hempstead, Hewlett resident Keith Pooler, now age 56, got into a verbal altercation with 49-year-old Andre Garry, which escalated into violence. During the subsequent altercation, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said that Pooler pulled out a five-inch steak knife and stabbed Garry in the heart. He was transported to NYU Langone Hospital Long Island (Winthrop) where he was later pronoun…

by Zak Failla

05/16/2022

Lifestyle

Improved Public Access Announced For Hempstead State Park Some improvements have been completed at one of Long Island’s most popular parks. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the completion of a near $4 million improvement project at the Hempstead Lake State Park to enhance public access to the park and lake, which represents the largest body of freshwater in Nassau County. The project includes the creation of nearly five miles of trails that can be used for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, as well as improved connections to the lake and ponds with a new kayak launch and fishing pier. The fishing pier at Hempstead Lake State Park.Flic…

by Zak Failla

05/16/2022

Police & Fire

Clerks At Seven Shelton Businesses Busted Selling Tobacco, E-Cigs To Minors Employees at seven businesses were busted selling tobacco and e-cigarettes to minors during a special sting operation, police in Fairfield County announced. In late April, in Shelton, law enforcement agencies conducted unannounced compliance inspections at 17 locations to see if clerks would sell to underage buyers. Of the 17 locations, seven were found to be non-compliant and offending clerks were ticketed and fined $300. These locations in Shelton were found to not be in compliance, according to the Shelton Police Department: Shelton Smoker on Howe Avenue; Howe Market & Deli …

by Zak Failla

05/16/2022

News

CFO Of Ct-based Company Admits To Embezzling $433K A former Chief Financial Officer in Connecticut admitted to embezzling nearly $500,000 from his company through a scheme to steal funds from his employer, federal authorities announced. Hartford County resident David McManus, age 56, of Granby, pleaded guilty in Bridgeport federal court to fraud and tax offenses stemming from his embezzlement of funds from his former company. US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said that McManus was the CFO for a Hartford-based company for nearly 14 years. Between 2012 and 2018, McManus admitted to embezzling approximately $433,584 from the company by…

by Zak Failla

05/15/2022

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