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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
Wanted Man Nabbed With Firearms After BMW Stopped In Springfield Wanted Man Nabbed With Firearms After BMW Stopped In Springfield
Wanted Man Nabbed With Firearms After BMW Stopped In Springfield A routine traffic stop for a driver with expired license plates in a BMW led to the arrest of a wanted man in Western Massachusetts, state police announced. Shortly before 1 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 7, troopers on patrol in Hampden County were on patrol on Route 91 in Springfield when they spotted a gray BMW X3 with expired license plates, prompting a traffic stop. During the subsequent stop, police said that the driver, Chicopee resident James Douchette, age 42, informed troopers that he did not have a license when asked for one, and it was confirmed that his license was suspended. According …

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Hospitalizations, Infection Rate Down In CT; Latest Rundown Of Cases, Deaths COVID-19: Hospitalizations, Infection Rate Down In CT; Latest Rundown Of Cases, Deaths
Covid-19: Hospitalizations, Infection Rate Down In CT; Latest Rundown Of Cases, Deaths The daily COVID-19 positive infection rate in Connecticut is back near 5 percent as the number of patients being treated for the virus dipped under 600 statewide. On Tuesday, Feb. 8, there were 20,325 COVID-19 tests administered in Connecticut, resulting in 1,048 confirmed cases of the virus for a 5.16 percent daily positivity, down nearly 2 percent from the previous day. Fifty-five more COVID-19 patients were discharged from Connecticut hospitals, as the number being treated for the virus dipped to 552 statewide. Of the 552 COVID-19 patients, officials noted that less than half (272) were…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Students, Parents Hold Anti-Mask Rallies At State Capitol COVID-19: Students, Parents Hold Anti-Mask Rallies At State Capitol
Covid-19: Students, Parents Hold Anti-Mask Rallies At State Capitol Students, parents, and anti-mask advocates gathered at the Connecticut state Capitol as part of a pair of rallies held ahead of the start of the 2022 legislative session. On Wednesday, Feb. 9, the group gathered to express dismay about children being forced to wear masks inside school buildings, citing harm being done to students' mental health. Instead, the crowd is calling for it to be a personal choice about whether or not a student or staff member has to mask up in Connecticut schools. The rally comes at the outset of the legislative session, and days after Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: US Exiting 'Full-Blown' Phase Of Pandemic, Restrictions Could End Soon, Fauci Says COVID-19: US Exiting 'Full-Blown' Phase Of Pandemic, Restrictions Could End Soon, Fauci Says
Covid-19: US Exiting 'Full-Blown' Phase Of Pandemic, Restrictions Could End Soon, Fauci Says The light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel may be fast approaching, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci. With the number of new infections and hospitalizations plummeting over the past several weeks, Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, said that the US is almost past the “full-blown” pandemic phase. If Fauci’s prediction holds true, it could lead to a rollback of virus-related restrictions and mandates sooner than later, including an end to mandatory mask wearing by the end of 2022. 
“As we get out of the full-blown pandemic phase of COVID-19,” Fauci s…

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by Zak Failla
News
Woman Accused Of Embezzling $550K From Firm Located In Westchester, Fairfield Counties Woman Accused Of Embezzling $550K From Firm Located In Westchester, Fairfield Counties
Woman Accused Of Embezzling $550K From Firm Located In Westchester, Fairfield Counties A woman is facing charges for allegedly engaging in an elaborate scheme to bilk her employers’ business based in New York and Connecticut out of more than a half-million dollars to live a lavish lifestyle, authorities announced. Bronx resident Susana Rivera, age 40, the former Director of Accounting and Human Resources for a kitchen remodeling firm located in Westchester and Fairfield County, with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with her alleged embezzlement of more than $550,000 from her employer. US Attorney Damian Williams said that beginning in October 2019, River…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Massachusetts School Mask Mandate Update Announced COVID-19: Massachusetts School Mask Mandate Update Announced
Covid-19: Massachusetts School Mask Mandate Update Announced Massachusetts Gov. Charlie announced that he's recommending the state school mask mandate be lifted, following the lead of neighboring states that have already announced similar measures. Beginning on Monday, Feb. 28, the requirement that students, teachers, and staff wear masks inside Massachusetts schools will be rescinded, the governor announced, touting the state’s improved COVID-19 data. "Our kids have had to put up with a lot of disruption, a lot of time alone, and has suffered a real learning loss over the past two years. There's no debating those points, no matter where you stand," …

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Mask Off - Hochul Drops Mandate For Businesses, Schools Could Follow Soon COVID-19: Mask Off - Hochul Drops Mandate For Businesses, Schools Could Follow Soon
Covid-19: Mask Off - Hochul Drops Mandate For Businesses, Schools Could Follow Soon The indoor mask mandate is being largely lifted in New York as the state continues to recover from the January surge of new infections. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday, Feb. 9 that she is lifting the mandate requiring a mask or proof of vaccination to enter indoor places, including restaurants and bars. The move is effective as of Thursday, Feb. 10, though local counties, cities, and businesses can still opt to enforce mask-wearing at their discretion. “We are not where we were in early December,” Hochul said. “New Yorkers did the right thing to get through the winter su…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Woman Charged For Leaving Child Unattended In Car Outside Nassau County Mall Woman Charged For Leaving Child Unattended In Car Outside Nassau County Mall
Woman Charged For Leaving Child Unattended In Car Outside Nassau County Mall A 24-year-old woman was arrested by police on Long Island after leaving an infant in the back of an unlocked vehicle outside an area mall, authorities announced. An emergency call was made to the Nassau County Police Department shortly after 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8, when a witness spotted a young child left alone in an unattended parked car in the parking lot of the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream. Upon arrival, police said that officers found an 8-month-old child in the rear seat of the parked vehicle, which was unlocked and still running. Paramedics were called to the scene to e…

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by Zak Failla
News
Funeral Director Surrenders After Statewide Alert Issued In NY Funeral Director Surrenders After Statewide Alert Issued In NY
Funeral Director Surrenders After Statewide Alert Issued In NY A funeral director in New York who launched a statewide manhunt has turned himself in to police for allegedly improperly storing and treating uncovered human remains, authorities announced. An alert was issued by the Johnstown Police Department in Fulton County on Monday, Feb. 7 for Brian M. Barrett, who was on the run after police found three decomposing bodies and open containers at his funeral home. Barnett, the owner of the Ehle and Barnett Funeral Home, whose license to practice as a funeral director was suspended in November 2021, was wanted after police conducted a search of the home…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Positivity Rate Up 2 Percent In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases COVID-19: Positivity Rate Up 2 Percent In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases
Covid-19: Positivity Rate Up 2 Percent In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases The daily COVID-19 positive infection rate in Connecticut was back on the rise after dropping to its lowest figure in 2022 the previous day. On Monday, Feb. 7, there were 18,982 COVID-19 tests administered in Connecticut, according to the latest update from the Department of Public Health, resulting in 1,343 confirmed new cases for a 7.08 daily positivity rating, up from 4.77 percent over the weekend. Twenty-four more COVID-19 patients were discharged from Connecticut hospital, as the number being treated for the virus dipped to 607 statewide. Of the 607 COVID-19 patients, officials noted …

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by Zak Failla
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