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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
COVID-19: Nine New Omicron Cases ID'd in CT COVID-19: Nine New Omicron Cases ID'd in CT
Covid-19: Nine New Omicron Cases ID'd in CT Connecticut saw a slight dip in its daily COVID-19 positive infection rate, though the state recorded nine new infections tied to the Omicron variant, according to health officials. In his latest COVID-19 update, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced that there were 53,948 tests administered on Thursday, Dec. 9, resulting in 3,280 laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus as the daily positive infection rate dipped to 6.08 percent, down from 6.48 percent the previous day.  Lamont said that of the 3,280 new cases, nine were confirmed to be of the Omicron variant, bringing the total to 11 …

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Man Killed After Fast-Moving Fire Tears Through Business In Westchester Man Killed After Fast-Moving Fire Tears Through Business In Westchester
Man Killed After Fast-Moving Fire Tears Through Business In Westchester One man was killed in a three-alarm fire that destroyed a Westchester business, authorities announced. Late on Thursday, Dec. 9, crews responded to Bronx River Bicycle Works on Mount Vernon Avenue in Mount Vernon, when a fire was reported inside the bike shop. Officials said that one employee - reportedly an assembly technician for the business - died during the fire, which was difficult for crews to battle. The fire was contained to the bike shop and didn’t spread to neighboring buildings. The roof of the business also collapsed during the blaze. It is unclear what caused the fire, whi…

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by Zak Failla
News
CT Resident Who Embezzled From Family Company Admits To Tax Evasion CT Resident Who Embezzled From Family Company Admits To Tax Evasion
CT Resident Who Embezzled From Family Company Admits To Tax Evasion A Connecticut man is facing prison time after admitting to embezzling from his family’s company over the course of several years, federal officials announced. New Haven County resident Matthew Blackwell, age 40, of Woodbridge, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in federal court before US District Judge Sarah Merriam to one count of tax evasion. Acting US Attorney Leonard Boyle said that Blackwell was the Vice President of Operations at a family-owned food company based in the Town of Orange.  Between 2012 and 2016, Blackwell embezzled $927,143 from the company by crea…

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by Zak Failla
News
Strong Winds Could Cause Weekend Power Outages, Central Hudson Warns Strong Winds Could Cause Weekend Power Outages, Central Hudson Warns
Strong Winds Could Cause Weekend Power Outages, Central Hudson Warns Some Hudson Valley residents could see power outages over the weekend as severe storms bringing whipping winds to the area could cause problems for area utility companies, officials are cautioning. Central Hudson issued a warning on Friday, Dec. 10 to advise that the company is readying crews and advising customers to prepare for potentially severe windstorms that could have an impact on electric service beginning Saturday (Dec. 11) afternoon through early Sunday (Dec 12) morning Earlier story - Severe Thunderstorms With Strong Winds Possible During Topsy-Turvy Stretch According to Ryan Ha…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Threat Of Gun Violence Under Investigation At Two Hudson Valley Schools Threat Of Gun Violence Under Investigation At Two Hudson Valley Schools
Threat Of Gun Violence Under Investigation At Two Hudson Valley Schools A social media threat is making the rounds through several Hudson Valley school districts, authorities announced. In Orange County, threats of gun violence at unspecified schools in the Cornwall and Monroe-Woodbury districts have been reported, though they were ultimately deemed not credible. Police said that all threats have been investigated by area police and were ultimately determined to be a hoax. In response to the threats, police beefed up security at both districts and put extra security measures in place as a precaution. 

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Long Island High School Goes Remote After Threat Long Island High School Goes Remote After Threat
Long Island High School Goes Remote After Threat Two threats to a Long Island high school prompted district officials to transition students to its remote learning plan as police investigate. The threats were made targeting the West Babylon Senior High School on Friday, Dec. 10, which led the district to switch to its distance learning model amid the investigation. According to police, a threat was posted on social media on Thursday, Dec. 9 from that appeared to show the student with a gun and the words "I'll start shooting, I hate that school.” “As a result of some concerning images and threatening language that was shared with the high…

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by Zak Failla
News
Hudson Valley Man Charged With Beating Cops With Bat At Capitol Rejects Plea Deal Hudson Valley Man Charged With Beating Cops With Bat At Capitol Rejects Plea Deal
Hudson Valley Man Charged With Beating Cops With Bat At Capitol Rejects Plea Deal An area man accused of attacking police officers with a weapon during the insurrection in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 has rejected his plea deal and plans to fight the charges against him at trial. Orange County resident Edward Jake Lang, age 26, of Newburgh, a Sullivan County native from Narrowsburg, was arrested in his hometown on Jan. 16 for participating in the riots and posting photos on social media. It is alleged that Lang punched and kicked officers on Jan. 6 and beat them with a baseball bat and riot shield during the most heated moments of the riot. Original story - Hudson Valley…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Head Of President Biden’s Security Detail Leaving To Take Wall Street Job, Report Says Head Of President Biden’s Security Detail Leaving To Take Wall Street Job, Report Says
Head Of President Biden’s Security Detail Leaving To Take Wall Street Job, Report Says The top person tasked with keeping President Joe Biden safe will be leaving his post for a cushy job on Wall Street, according to multiple reports. David Cho, the head of Biden’s security detail, has been hired by an investment firm after being a part of the Secret Service for more than two decades. The news was first reported by Bloomberg, which cited people close to the situation who are familiar with the matter. It is unclear what firm has plucked Cho away from the White House. Cho was the first Korean American to become a special agent-in-charge of the Secret Service’s Presidential Pr…

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by Zak Failla
News
Hit-Run Driver Has Her Charges Enhanced After Hospitalizing Pedestrian In Westchester Hit-Run Driver Has Her Charges Enhanced After Hospitalizing Pedestrian In Westchester
Hit-Run Driver Has Her Charges Enhanced After Hospitalizing Pedestrian In Westchester A hit-and-run driver who hospitalized a 72-year-old retired hospice nurse is facing new charges for her role in an incident in Westchester, authorities announced. Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah announced on Thursday, Dec. 9 that New Rochelle resident Gillian Getlan, age 25, was charged with a felony count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury in City Court after striking and seriously injuring local resident Geraldine Sinceno. It is alleged that Getlan was driving near the intersection of North Avenue and 5th Avenue in New Rochelle at ap…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: New Deaths Reported, Infections Stays High In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases By County COVID-19: New Deaths Reported, Infections Stays High In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases By County
Covid-19: New Deaths Reported, Infections Stays High In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases By County More than three dozen new COVID-19 fatalities were reported in the past week in Connecticut, which has seen the number of new infections rapidly continue to spread across the state. In the past week, Connecticut hospitals recorded 37 new virus-related deaths, bringing the total as of Thursday, Dec. 9 to 8,946 statewide since the pandemic began in March 2020. The daily positive COVID-19 infection rate of those tested in Connecticut has been fluctuating in the past week, up above 8 percent for the first time in nearly a year before dipping back down to 6.48 percent of those tested on Wednesda…

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by Zak Failla
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