Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

zfailla@dailyvoice.com

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

Area Drug Dealer Caught With Cocaine In His Shoe Sentenced, DA Says Area Drug Dealer Caught With Cocaine In His Shoe Sentenced, DA Says
Area Drug Dealer Caught With Cocaine In His Shoe Sentenced, DA Says A man from the region with a pair of prior violent felony convictions is heading back to prison after being busted with an unlawfully loaded handgun and cocaine in a shoe left behind the scene of the crime as he fled from police, the District Attorney announced. Sullivan County resident Sequan Lewis, age 32, of Monticello, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty during a felony jury trial for narcotics and weapons possession in Orange County. Specifically, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said that on Monday, Feb. 14, Lewis pleaded guilty to third-degree crimi…
Community Rallies Around Sleep Hollow Families Impacted By Devastating Fire Community Rallies Around Sleep Hollow Families Impacted By Devastating Fire
Community Rallies Around Sleep Hollow Families Impacted By Devastating Fire A Westchester community is rallying around the families who were left homeless after a devastating fire destroyed an area home. More than two dozen residents were displaced on Sunday, March 27 in Sleepy Hollow when a fire broke out in a three-story multi-family home on North Washington Street. Original story - Three-Alarm Fire Breaks Out At Multi-Family Sleepy Hollow Home Video of the fire can be found here. More than 100 firefighters from 15 departments responded to the fire, which left the home uninhabitable after a complete roof collapse. Officials said that firefighters were forced …
This Commack Eatery Voted Long Island's Best Greek Restaurant This Commack Eatery Voted Long Island's Best Greek Restaurant
This Commack Eatery Voted Long Island's Best Greek Restaurant A longtime Long Island staple has been voted the best Greek restaurant in the region for the second straight year, according to a newly released poll. Each year, the Bethpage Best of LI polls Long Islanders to lay down a roadmap “to the best, top-notch businesses and services throughout both Nassau and Suffolk counties.” Organizers of the contest have been counting votes since it began, with the winners ultimately chosen by the Long Islanders who rely on those businesses each and every day. Related story - Related story - This Suffolk County Eatery Voted Long Island's Best Diner This yea…
COVID-19: FDA Authorizes Second Booster Shot For This Group Of Americans COVID-19: FDA Authorizes Second Booster Shot For This Group Of Americans
Covid-19: FDA Authorizes Second Booster Shot For This Group Of Americans Federal health officials authorized a second booster shot of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older Americans. On Tuesday, March 29, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a second shot has been approved for Americans who are 50 and older once four months have passed since their initial booster. With the FDA's approval, the decision now falls on Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who is expected to sign off on the additional shot as soon as Tuesday afternoon. The second booster shot had already been …
Stop Of Vehicle With No License Plates Leads To Narcotics, Firearms Bust In Western Mass Stop Of Vehicle With No License Plates Leads To Narcotics, Firearms Bust In Western Mass
Stop Of Vehicle With No License Plates Leads To Narcotics, Firearms Bust In Western Mass A Massachusetts State Police trooper on patrol in Franklin County busted a New England man and minor who were in possession of drugs and illegal weapons, authorities announced. Trooper Tyler Hersom was on patrol at approximately 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22 when he stopped a vehicle on I-91 in Whately for driving without front or rear license plates. During the subsequent stop, investigators said that Hersom found five people inside the vehicle, and the driver, Shaftsbury, Vermont resident Dylan Graskey, age 35, was allegedly “deceptive,” according to police. 
“While speaking to the occupan…
Winning $500,000 Lottery Ticket Sold At CT Supermarket Winning $500,000 Lottery Ticket Sold At CT Supermarket
Winning $500,000 Lottery Ticket Sold At CT Supermarket One CT Lottery player is feeling extra lucky after cashing in a winning scratch-off ticket worth a half-million dollars. In Hartford County, a resident of Avon who chose not to disclose a name won $500,000 playing "$500,000 Extravaganza!" on Monday, March 28 after cashing in a ticket sold at the Big Y Class Market on West Main Street in Avon. "$500,000 Extravaganza!" players have a 1 in 3.09 chance of winning, lottery officials said. According to CT Lottery, “when a winning scratch ticket is validated through a Lottery Retailer's terminal, the remaining number of unclaimed prizes for that …
COVID-19: Here's Latest Rundown Of CT Cases, Deaths, Other New Data COVID-19: Here's Latest Rundown Of CT Cases, Deaths, Other New Data
Covid-19: Here's Latest Rundown Of CT Cases, Deaths, Other New Data The daily COVID-19 positivity rate in Connecticut is back above 3 percent as the number of patients being treated for the virus in statewide hospitals rose slightly, according to the latest update from the Department of Public Health. During the weekend that began on Friday, March 25, there were more than 33,000 COVID-19 tests administered in Connecticut, resulting in 1,014 confirmed COVID-19 cases for a 3.07 percent positivity rate, holding steady from the previous week. Two new COVID-19 patients were admitted to Connecticut hospitals over the weekend, bringing the number being treated sta…
Data Of Nearly One Million NY Students Compromised In Hack Of Online Grading System Data Of Nearly One Million NY Students Compromised In Hack Of Online Grading System
Data Of Nearly One Million NY Students Compromised In Hack Of Online Grading System The personal data of nearly a million New York students has been compromised by hackers attempting to alter grades, investigators announced. In January, Illuminate Education, a taxpayer-funded software company that tracks grades and attendance for the New York City Department of Education, was targeted, resulting in the data of approximately 820,000 students being made available. Specifically, officials said that the hackers gained access to students’ names, birthdays, ethnicities, English-speaking, special-education, teacher schedules, and free-lunch statuses, though information including …
Somers Man Sentenced For Double-Fatal Wrong-Way Crash Somers Man Sentenced For Double-Fatal Wrong-Way Crash
Somers Man Sentenced For Double-Fatal Wrong-Way Crash A Northern Westchester man will spend years in prison after being sentenced for a wrong-way, head-on collision he caused while driving drunk that led to the death of a man and teenager, the District Attorney’s Office announced. Somers resident Jaime Paucar, age 52, has been sentenced to a term of between eight and one-third to 25 years, followed by five years of post-release supervision after being found guilty on multiple charges. Specifically, Paucar was found guilty following a four-week trial of: Two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide; Two counts of manslaughter; Second-degree as…
Reward Issued For Information On Long Beach Fatal Shooting Suspect Reward Issued For Information On Long Beach Fatal Shooting Suspect
Reward Issued For Information On Long Beach Fatal Shooting Suspect A reward has been offered for information that leads to the arrest of a man wanted for a fatal shooting on Long Island. Nassau County Crime Stoppers and the department’s Homicide Squad issued an alert as they attempt to locate a shooting suspect who allegedly shot and killed 37-year-old Humberto Manuel Francis Hernandez in Long Beach. Earlier story - Man Dies From Injuries Suffered In Long Island Shooting Police said that shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 19, Hernandez (pictured above) was shot outside an apartment building on East Broadway in Long Beach. In response, Nassau Cou…
11,401 - 11,410 of 33,503 articles