53°

Thursday, may 29

Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

zfailla@dailyvoice.com

FOLLOW ON

Facebook Twitter Linkedin Instagram

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

'No Prior Knowledge' Of Rape Allegations Against Retired Member: PG County Fire Officials Top fire officials in Prince George’s County are breaking their silence after a retired member was accused of raping a junior firefighter at a volunteer station decades ago. The Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department says it had “no prior knowledge” of the allegations involving retired firefighter John Inman, who was arrested earlier this month after a grand jury indicted him on multiple rape charges. The alleged abuse happened between 1991 and 1996 at the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Station. The victim was a junior firefighter. According to a statement released Wednesday, May 21, the d…

by Zak Failla

05/22/2025

Police & Fire

Stafford Woman Uses Bathroom Excuse, Fake Call To Stall Arrest On Drug Charges: Sheriff A wanted woman in Virginia tried to talk her way out of trouble — then allegedly called the cops pretending to be someone else — but still ended up in cuffs. Holly Wickline, 57, was arrested early Wednesday, May 21, after what deputies described as an awkward attempt to dodge felony drug warrants, including charges involving fentanyl, according to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office. It all started shortly before 2 a.m., when Deputy P.J. Leon responded to a home on Barnum Drive. Wickline was wanted out of Orange County on several drug-related charges. The deputy knocked on the door — and …

by Zak Failla

05/22/2025

Schools

Frog Of Honor: Kermit Leads UMD’s Class Of 2025 Sendoff The skies may be gray in the DMV on Thursday, but there was a little green on campus at the University of Maryland. Kermit the Frog was on campus on Thursday ahead of his commencement speech scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on May 22, after it had to be rescheduled. "Hi-ho, UMD, Kermit the Frog here," the Peabody Award winner, and best-selling author said in a post shared by the school. "That's right, I am here. "If you see me hopping around the quad, say 'Hi.'" .@KermitTheFrog is HERE at UMD! 🎉💚 We simply can't wait for his Commencement speech tonight. See you there, grad…

by Zak Failla

05/22/2025

Police & Fire

Fire Rips Through Vacant Burtonsville House Overnight, Cause Under Investigation: Officials A fast-moving fire tore through a vacant house in Montgomery County early Thursday morning, drawing more than 50 firefighters to the scene. Just after 3 a.m. on May 22, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue responded to a blaze in a single-family cape cod-style home in the 15100 block of Peach Orchard Drive, between Siebel Drive and Thompson Road, according to a department spokesperson. Fire crews arrived to find heavy fire showing from the basement and first floor. The flames had burned through part of the floor and spread throughout the house. Twitter/@mcfrsPIO Firefighters performed a p…

by Zak Failla

05/22/2025

Police & Fire

Maryland Police Boost Synagogue Patrols After Deadly DC Shooting There were increased police patrols around some places of worship on Thursday following the fatal shooting of a couple outside the Capital Jewish Museum in DC. Both the Montgomery and Prince George's County police departments issued an alert advising that they would increase their presence around Jewish institutions in the wake of the murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. Both agencies made note there is no known threat, and the moves were simply out of precaution. "At this time, there is no known threat," officials in Montgomery County said. "However, we remain committed to…

by Zak Failla

05/22/2025

Police & Fire

Detectives Seek Victims After Frederick Sex Offender Charged With Dozens Of Child Porn Offenses A convicted sex offender in Maryland is back behind bars — this time after investigators say they found dozens of child porn files in his social media accounts. Andrew Brock, 25, of Middletown, was arrested on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, following an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigation launched by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, officials announced Thursday morning. Brock, already a registered sex offender, is facing 73 total charges after investigators say they uncovered new evidence linking him to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The i…

by Zak Failla

05/22/2025

Police & Fire

Father Says Man Pointed Gun At 2-Year-Old Daughter In Elkton Road Rage Incident: State Police A Maryland father says a man pointed a gun at him, his wife — and their 2-year-old daughter — during a road rage encounter on Route 279 in Cecil County, according to Maryland State Police. Javoughn Berbick, 43, of Elkton, was arrested, and is being held without bond after troopers say he brandished a loaded handgun during a traffic dispute over the weekend. The incident happened on Saturday, May 17, on Route 279 near Fletchwood Road, police said. According to investigators, the victim told troopers the driver of a black Kia Optima aimed a gun at him, his wife, and their 2-year-old child du…

by Zak Failla

05/21/2025

Police & Fire

Fired Up: Severn Woman Shoots At Tow Truck Driver Over Delay, Police Say A Maryland tow truck driver came under fire during a heated argument over wait time — and now a Severn woman is under arrest. Devylle Raquita Campbell, 33, was arrested by Anne Arundel County Police in connection with a shooting that took place back in March on Reece Road in Severn, police announced on Wednesday, May 21. The incident happened around 6:40 p.m. on March 7, when a tow truck operator arrived for a service call. According to police, Campbell became irate, began yelling at the driver, and argued about how long it took him to arrive. The driver declined the tow and started…

by Zak Failla

05/21/2025

News

‘Voices Told Me To Burn It’: Carroll County Arsonist Torches Homes, Faces Prison, Deportation A Maryland man who admitted to setting a fire that destroyed two homes and a shed told a judge that he only did it because “voices told him to.” Now, he’s headed to prison. Milton Salguero-Vargus, 24, was sentenced to 10 years behind bars after pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree arson for the March 2022 fire that tore through a mobile home park on Woodbine Road in Westminster, prosecutors announced on Wednesday, May 21. According to the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office, the fire began around 2:40 p.m. on March 1, 2022, when firefighters from the Winfield Community Volunt…

by Zak Failla

05/21/2025

Police & Fire

Virginia Father Smuggled 17-Year-Old Honduran Girl To Help Raise His Kids, Feds Say A Virginia man who allegedly paid to smuggle a 17-year-old Honduran girl across the border so she could help raise his kids has been charged with conspiracy, federal officials announced. Luis Alonso Argueta-Diaz, 35, was arrested without incident on Monday, May 19, in Virginia, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Agents say Argueta-Diaz arranged and partially paid for the unaccompanied teen to be illegally transported into the United States from Honduras. On May 3, she was apprehended by US Border Patrol near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, after unlawfully crossing the bo…

by Zak Failla

05/21/2025

Prev Page 7 of 3362 5 6 7 8 9 Next

61 - 70 of 33,616 articles