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

DWI Driver Charged After Hit-Run Crash Outside McDonald's In Westchester, Police Say DWI Driver Charged After Hit-Run Crash Outside McDonald's In Westchester, Police Say
DWI Driver Charged After Hit-Run Crash Outside McDonald's In Westchester, Police Say An allegedly drunk driver was tracked down by officers after striking and hospitalizing a pedestrian outside a McDonald’s location in Westchester, police said. Officers from the New Rochelle Police Department responded to Main Street outside of McDonald’s shortly after 3:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 5, where there was a report of a hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian who was struck by a driver who fled the scene. Police said that the pedestrian was found in the area with serious injuries and was transported to an area hospital while members of the New Rochelle Police Department’s Acciden…
COVID-19: Positivity Rate, Hospitalizations Remain High In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases COVID-19: Positivity Rate, Hospitalizations Remain High In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases
Covid-19: Positivity Rate, Hospitalizations Remain High In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases The daily positive COVID-19 infection rate in Connecticut remains high as more patients are being admitted into hospitals for treatment of the virus.  One day after setting a record for the state's positive infection rate, Gov. Ned Lamont announced on Wednesday, Jan. 5 that Connecticut administered more than 45,000 COVID-19 tests, which resulted in 10,344 laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus for a 22.60 percent positivity rate.  The previous day, the infection rate was approaching 24 percent, marking a new daily high for Connecticut, prompting Lamont to advise that "it may get …
COVID-19: Some CT High Schools Having Early Dismissals Due To Bus Driver Shortages COVID-19: Some CT High Schools Having Early Dismissals Due To Bus Driver Shortages
Covid-19: Some CT High Schools Having Early Dismissals Due To Bus Driver Shortages Some schools in Connecticut are being forced to dismiss schools early as they face bus driver shortages due to the recent rise of new COVID-19 cases. In New Haven County, district officials announced that multiple high schools will be dismissed an hour early on Wednesday, Jan. 5, and Friday, Jan. 7 due to a shortage of drivers to get students to and from class. According to the district, these schools will be dismissed at the following times: Riverside: 1 p.m.; Hillhouse High School: 1:05 p.m.; Wilbur Cross High School: 1:05 p.m.; ESUMS: 1:05 p.m.; Cooperative Arts & Humanities High …
COVID-19: Hochul Proposes Bringing 'To-Go Drinks' Back To New York Restaurants COVID-19: Hochul Proposes Bringing 'To-Go Drinks' Back To New York Restaurants
Covid-19: Hochul Proposes Bringing 'To-Go Drinks' Back To New York Restaurants Have a drink on her? In her first “State of the State" address, Gov. Kathy Hochul called for the return of “to-go drinks” for restaurants as New York deals with the latest surge of COVID-19 cases that have struck the region. “We're going to do something bars and restaurants have been asking for, to once again allow the sale of to-go drinks,” she said. “Cheers, New York.” During the initial COVID-19 outbreak, “to-go drinks” became a popular item for New Yorkers until former Gov. Andrew Cuomo rescinded the policy when the number of new cases began plateauing in June. New York Gov. Ka…
COVID-19: CDC Issues New Update On Isolation Guidance COVID-19: CDC Issues New Update On Isolation Guidance
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Update On Isolation Guidance The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidance about who should isolate or quarantine if potentially exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19. The CDC had shortened its isolation and quarantine recommendations, while clarifying that the guidance applies to kids as well as adults. Under the new guidance, for people who catch COVID, testing is not required to emerge from five days of isolation instead of 10 days, much to the chagrin of some in the public. Previously, anyone who tested positive was required to isolate for no less than 10 days. The…
COVID-19: Westchester At Record 27K-Plus Active Cases, Latimer Calls Numbers 'Horrific' COVID-19: Westchester At Record 27K-Plus Active Cases, Latimer Calls Numbers 'Horrific'
Covid-19: Westchester At Record 27K-Plus Active Cases, Latimer Calls Numbers 'Horrific' Westchester County set a record as the number of active COVID-19 cases across the county hit a new high. During a COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 4, County Executive George Latimer said that fueled by the Omicron variant, Westchester now has 27,692 active cases of the virus, the highest that they’ve seen since the pandemic began almost two years ago. Latimer said that compared to a month ago, the current number of cases represents a “tenfold increase,” as the positive infection rate in the county rose to more than 20 percent. Related story - COVID-19: Hudson Valley Positive-Test Rate N…
COVID-19: CT Hospitalizations Up, Infection Rate Hits New High; Latest Breakdown Of Cases COVID-19: CT Hospitalizations Up, Infection Rate Hits New High; Latest Breakdown Of Cases
Covid-19: CT Hospitalizations Up, Infection Rate Hits New High; Latest Breakdown Of Cases Connecticut set a concerning record as its daily positive COVID-19 infection rate rose to a record high. In his latest COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 4, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said that the state administered 44,449 new tests in the past 24 hours, resulting in 10,602 confirmed cases of the virus for a 23.85 percent daily positive infection rate. The number marks a record high since the pandemic began, topping the previous day's 21.52 percent positivity rate, though Lamont cautioned that "it may get worse before it gets better," during his briefing. One hundred and ten more COVID-1…
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Positive-Test Rate Nears 22 Percent; Here Are Counties Most Affected COVID-19: Hudson Valley Positive-Test Rate Nears 22 Percent; Here Are Counties Most Affected
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Positive-Test Rate Nears 22 Percent; Here Are Counties Most Affected Alarm bells are sounding loudly in the Hudson Valley as the positive infection rate continues climbing as the region contends with the Omicron COVID-19 variant. In the past three days, the seven-day average percentage of positive tests in the Hudson Valley has risen from 20.79 percent of those tested on Saturday, Jan. 1 up to 21.91 percent as of Monday, Jan. 3. Statewide, the positivity rate is also spiking, up from. 20.87 percent to 21.81 percent as of Jan. 3. No region in New York has a positivity rate below 13 percent as the number of newly recorded infections continues to surge. …
COVID-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Passes 25 Percent; Here Are Communities Most Affected COVID-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Passes 25 Percent; Here Are Communities Most Affected
Covid-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Passes 25 Percent; Here Are Communities Most Affected Long Island hit a dubious milestone in its ongoing battle against the Omicron COVID-19 variant that swiftly became the dominant strain in the US. The region continues to lead the way with New York's highest seven-day average percentage of positive tests, rising up to 25.49 percent of those tested on Long Island on Monday, Jan. 3, up more than a full percentage point in the past three days. Statewide, the positivity rate is also spiking, up from. 20.87 percent to 21.81 percent as of Jan. 3.  No region in New York has a positivity rate below 13 percent as the number of newly recorded in…
COVID-19: CT Unveils New Guidance, Renews Commitment To Keep Schools Open COVID-19: CT Unveils New Guidance, Renews Commitment To Keep Schools Open
Covid-19: CT Unveils New Guidance, Renews Commitment To Keep Schools Open Though the positive COVID-19 infection rate in Connecticut has hit a new record high, the state is committed to keeping schools open amid the latest surge of fresh infections. During a COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 4, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said that despite the positivity rate topping 24 percent, the state has no intention to shut down schools and want to keep children in the classroom as long as possible. Connecticut Department of Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani said during the briefing that the state is directing school nurses to concentrate more on what will keep students …
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