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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

News
Owner of Mohegan Lake Rescue Shelter Admits To Stealing Cash Meant For Dogs Owner of Mohegan Lake Rescue Shelter Admits To Stealing Cash Meant For Dogs
Owner of Mohegan Lake Rescue Shelter Admits To Stealing Cash Meant For Dogs The owner of a not-for-profit dog rescue shelter in Northern Westchester admitted to stealing thousands of dollars earmarked for animals over the course of a year, authorities announced. Yorktown resident Lisa Marie Birdsall, age 56, the owner of Birdsall’s Recycled Paws Rescue on Main Street in Mohegan Lake in Cortlandt pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $18,000 from the not-for-profit organization.  Specifically, Birdsall pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny, a felony, and a misdemeanor count of petit larceny. As part of her plea agreement, Birdsall also agreed to pay full re…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Three Face Charges For Attempted Bank Fraud, Phony IDs In New Canaan Three Face Charges For Attempted Bank Fraud, Phony IDs In New Canaan
Three Face Charges For Attempted Bank Fraud, Phony IDs In New Canaan Three men are facing charges after allegedly attempting to pull a fast one at a Fairfield County bank in an effort to defraud the branch out of thousands of dollars. Officers were dispatched to the Bank of America location in New Canaan, located on Elm Street, at approximately 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23, where there was a report of a suspicious patron who was attempting to unlawfully access a bank account to withdraw $4,000. New Canaan Police Lt. Jason Ferraro said that employees of the bank did not approve the transaction, and the suspect patron - later identified as 60-year-old Bronx r…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees Uptick In Cases; Here's Latest Data By County COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees Uptick In Cases; Here's Latest Data By County
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Sees Uptick In Cases; Here's Latest Data By County The positive COVID-19 infection rate in the Hudson Valley ticked down slightly, though the number of newly reported cases is on the rise. In the past week, the average seven-day average COVID-19 positive infection rate in the Hudson Valley rose from 2.27 percent on Monday, March 21 to 2.33 percent the following day before dropping slightly to 2.32 percent of those tested on Wednesday, March 23.  Statewide, the positivity rate is also surging, up from 1.78 percent to 2.02 percent during the same time frame. Just five new virus-related deaths were reported in New York, according to the …

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Long Island Sees Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Here's Latest Data By Community COVID-19: Long Island Sees Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Here's Latest Data By Community
Covid-19: Long Island Sees Increases In Cases, Infection Rate; Here's Latest Data By Community The positive infection rate on Long Island and in New York are both back above 2 percent as the region contends with a rise in new cases and virus-related fatalities.  In the past week, the average seven-day average COVID-19 positive infection rate on Long Island rose from 1.91 percent on Monday, March 21 to 1.99 percent the following day and up to 2.08 percent of those tested on Wednesday, March 23. Statewide, the positivity rate is also surging, up from 1.78 percent to 2.02 percent during the same time frame. Just five new virus-related deaths were reported in New York, ac…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Positivity Rate Near 2.5 Percent In CT, 67 New Deaths Reported COVID-19: Positivity Rate Near 2.5 Percent In CT, 67 New Deaths Reported
Covid-19: Positivity Rate Near 2.5 Percent In CT, 67 New Deaths Reported The COVID-19 death toll in Connecticut has hit another dubious milestone as the number of fatalities topped 10,700 since the beginning of the pandemic. In its latest update on Thursday, March 24, the state Department of Public Health reported 67 new virus-related deaths in the past week, as the number of deaths rose to 10,744 since March 2020. On Wednesday, March 23, nearly 17,000 COVID-19 tests were administered in Connecticut, resulting in 439 confirmed new cases for a 2.64 percent daily positive infection rate, down a near full point from the previous day. One more COVID-19 patient was …

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Here's How Much CT Motorists Can Save Per Gallon When Gas Tax Holiday Takes Effect Here's How Much CT Motorists Can Save Per Gallon When Gas Tax Holiday Takes Effect
Here's How Much CT Motorists Can Save Per Gallon When Gas Tax Holiday Takes Effect Some financial relief at the pump could be on the way for Connecticut drivers as state lawmakers continue to throw their support behind a proposed “gas tax holiday.” The General Assembly unanimously approved a three-month 25-cent per-gallon state gas tax holiday that will begin on Friday, April 1, and last through Thursday, June 30. Having passed 143-0 by the House and 33-0 in the Senate on Wednesday, March 23, the legislation now goes to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont - who helped negotiate the relief plan and previously expressed his approval of it - to sign into law. 
Original story - H…

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by Zak Failla
News
Bomb Threat Leads To Evacuation At Woodlands Middle School Bomb Threat Leads To Evacuation At Woodlands Middle School
Bomb Threat Leads To Evacuation At Woodlands Middle School Students and staff were forced to evacuate a school in Westchester after a bomb threat was made targeting a building within the district. The Woodland Middle High School in Greenburgh was evacuated at around 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, when there was a reported bomb threat made, district officials announced. According to officials, the students walked calmly to the neighboring Leffell School on West Hartsdale Avenue, where they were temporarily housed in the cafeteria with faculty support. In response to the threat, there was also an increased police presence at the schools as a precauti…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Here's Why Walmart Is Suing Competitor BJ's Wholesale For Theft Here's Why Walmart Is Suing Competitor BJ's Wholesale For Theft
Here's Why Walmart Is Suing Competitor BJ's Wholesale For Theft A battle is brewing between two of the country's largest big-box franchises. Walmart is suing rival BJ’s Wholesale Club claiming that the retail giant stole technology to launch a self-checkout feature similar to the ones used at the company’s subsidiary Sam's Club, which boasts nearly 600 locations in the US. Walmart alleges that the company worked for years to develop a “Scan & Go” feature that allowed Sam’s Club customers to ring up purchases on smartphones while shopping, eliminating the need for a long checkout line. The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court, alleges that inn…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Significant Power Outage At UConn Campus Forces Canceled Classes For Second Time This Week Significant Power Outage At UConn Campus Forces Canceled Classes For Second Time This Week
Significant Power Outage At UConn Campus Forces Canceled Classes For Second Time This Week For the second time this week, the University of Connecticut was forced to cancel classes due to a “significant” power outage impacting its campus. On Thursday, March 24, UConn announced the outage on the Storrs campus, which prompted a cancelation of all afternoon and evening in-person and remote classes. The outage marks the second in four days that forced authorities to call off planned classes due to outages. Earlier story - Significant Power Outage Causes UConn To Cancel Classes At Storrs Campus It is unclear what caused the outages. Officials said that regional campus in-person lea…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Police Called To CT High School After Student Altercation Injures Staffer Police Called To CT High School After Student Altercation Injures Staffer
Police Called To CT High School After Student Altercation Injures Staffer Police were called to a Connecticut high school to investigate an “altercation” involving students, officials said. In New Haven County, officers responded to Hamden High School early on Thursday, March 24 for assistance when the fight that broke out and left a staff member with a minor injury. Members of the Hamden Police Department responded to the school to diffuse the altercation, which is being investigated by school administrators. Students were returned to the classroom following the fight, though it was unclear what cause the issue. No other information was released as of 1 p.m. o…

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by Zak Failla
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