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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
Westchester 'Goonies' Street Gang Members Sentenced For 2014 Murder Westchester 'Goonies' Street Gang Members Sentenced For 2014 Murder
Westchester 'Goonies' Street Gang Members Sentenced For 2014 Murder Two alleged members of the Westchester “Goonies” street gang will spend decades in prison for their roles in a 2014 revenge murder over a stolen vehicle, federal officials announced. Raheem “Trigga” Jones was sentenced to 25 years, and Markel “Kellz” Overton was sentenced to 20 years in prison for participating in the 2014 murder of Dean Daniels in Mount Vernon and their participation in other violent incidents in furtherance of their gang. Specifically, Jones, age 33, pleaded guilty to one count each of racketeering conspiracy and using a firearm in connection with an assault with a danger…

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by Zak Failla
News
Heroin Dealer In Hudson Valley Sentenced On Drug, Weapon Charges Heroin Dealer In Hudson Valley Sentenced On Drug, Weapon Charges
Heroin Dealer In Hudson Valley Sentenced On Drug, Weapon Charges A felon with multiple previous narcotics arrests will spend nearly a decade in prison after pleading guilty to multiple drug and weapon charges. Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy announced on Thursday, Jan. 27 that Mahopac resident Kyle Novotny has been sentenced to seven years in state prison followed by two years of post-release supervision following his guilty plea in December. Specifically, Novotny pleaded guilty to: Criminal sale of a controlled substance; Criminal possession of a controlled substance; Criminal possession of a weapon; Criminal possession of a firearm. On …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Fire Tears Through Suffolk County Home Fire Tears Through Suffolk County Home
Fire Tears Through Suffolk County Home Fire ripped through a Long Island home overnight, leaving it uninhabitable, officials announced. First responders in Suffolk County were dispatched to an Emerald Lane South home in Amityville shortly before 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1, when a fire broke out in an area home. Upon arrival, officials said that flames could be seen from a distance as they completely engulfed the residence, which suffered a roof collapse and is considered a total loss. Crews worked quickly to knock down the flames, and the fire was called under control at approximately 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Crews from the A…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Positive Infection Rate Hits 2022 Low In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases, Deaths COVID-19: Positive Infection Rate Hits 2022 Low In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases, Deaths
Covid-19: Positive Infection Rate Hits 2022 Low In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases, Deaths The daily COVID-19 positivity rate in Connecticut has hit a new low for 2022 after dipping below 10 percent for the first time late last week. Over the weekend beginning on Friday, Jan. 28, there were 45,449 COVID-19 tests administered in Connecticut, resulting in 3,330 laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus for an overall positivity rate of 7.33 percent, the lowest of the year. The previous low for 2022 was set at 9.73 percent twice last week, marking the only times Connecticut has seen a positivity rate in the single digits. One hundred and forty-one more COVID-19 patients were discharg…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Moderna Vaccine Gets Full Approval From FDA COVID-19: Moderna Vaccine Gets Full Approval From FDA
Covid-19: Moderna Vaccine Gets Full Approval From FDA Federal officials have granted full approval to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine following its authorization last year for emergency use. On Monday, Jan. 31, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Moderna’s vaccine has been granted its full approval, joining the Pfizer shot which was authorized months ago. The move comes after tens of millions of doses of the Moderna vaccine have already been administered across the country. It also represents Moderna’s first FDA-approved product in the US. Officials said the FDA reviewed months of additional follow-up data submitted by Moderna to…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Mother, Daughters Accused Of Using Fake Vax Cards To Work In Northern Westchester COVID-19: Mother, Daughters Accused Of Using Fake Vax Cards To Work In Northern Westchester
Covid-19: Mother, Daughters Accused Of Using Fake Vax Cards To Work In Northern Westchester A Dutchess County mother and her two daughters are facing charges for allegedly using fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards to maintain and obtain employment at a Northern Westchester nursing home, the District Attorney announced. Poughkeepsie residents Antoinette Clarke, age 48, Dzjara Clarke, age 27, and Jajvia Clarke, age 22, were arraigned on Monday, Jan. 31 in Cortlandt Town Court, where they were charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument, a felony, for attempting to dupe a Croton-on-Hudson nursing home in Northern Westchester. Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Ro…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Here's Percentage NY Cases Have Dropped Since First Week Of Month COVID-19: Here's Percentage NY Cases Have Dropped Since First Week Of Month
Covid-19: Here's Percentage NY Cases Have Dropped Since First Week Of Month The COVID-19 numbers in New York continue to show marked improvement as the state distances itself from the post-holiday seasons surge of new infections. After peaking on Friday, Jan. 7, COVID-19 cases in New York have dropped 90 percent, according to the latest update from the Department of Health, which is reporting improved virus-related data across the board. In the past 24 hours, the number of COVID-19 patients being treated for the virus in state hospitals is down by more than 550, and each of New York’s 10 regions has seen its average seven-day positive infection rate drop since the …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Two Busted With 148 Grams Of Crack Cocaine During Taconic Parkway Stop, State Police Say Two Busted With 148 Grams Of Crack Cocaine During Taconic Parkway Stop, State Police Say
Two Busted With 148 Grams Of Crack Cocaine During Taconic Parkway Stop, State Police Say New York State Police troopers on patrol on the Taconic State Parkway in Dutchess County busted two with nearly 150 grams of crack cocaine, authorities announced. Troopers conducted a traffic stop on a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu at approximately 4:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26 for a vehicle and traffic violation on the parkway in Pleasant Valley, investigators announced on Monday, Jan. 31. According to police, during the subsequent stop, it was determined that the driver, Jazzmen Johnson, age 31, and passenger, Jaquell Fleming, age 26, both of Brooklyn, were in possession of approximately 148 gr…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
Former Fire Chief In Westchester Dies Former Fire Chief In Westchester Dies
Former Fire Chief In Westchester Dies Joseph Francis Cerrone, a former fire chief in Westchester and decorated Navy veteran, died at the age of 92. Born in Mount Vernon on Feb. 27, 1929, Cerrone attended Hamilton Elementary School and was graduated from Edison Technical and Vocational High School in 1949. He received an Associate Degree in Fire Science from Westchester Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Technology from Empire State College. Cerrone served two tours in the US Navy (1946-48 and 1950-52) and was awarded the World War II victory medal, Korean Service medal, and United Nations Korean Service medal. …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Storm Cleanup Causes Closures At These CT Schools Storm Cleanup Causes Closures At These CT Schools
Storm Cleanup Causes Closures At These CT Schools Some schools in Connecticut were forced to close on Monday, Jan. 31 as the state continues to clean up from the weekend storm that dumped more than a foot of snow in certain parts of the region. In New London County, which was among the hardest-hit areas in Connecticut, Norwich and Groton Public Schools were closed on Monday to allow the town to continue cleaning up from the storm. Officials said that the amount of snow was too much for public works staffers to remove in one day. “The health and safety of all students is our priority, and we look forward to returning to campus (on) Tuesday…

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by Zak Failla
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