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Thursday, aug 14

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

Man Threatened Mass Violence At School Children’s Camp Near Virginia Border: Sheriff A man is behind bars after authorities said he threatened mass violence at a children’s camp on Tuesday and then assaulted two deputies trying to arrest him. Benjamin Dewees, 28, of Emmitsburg, made the threats around 10:11 a.m. on July 29 at Emmitsburg Elementary School, where the camp was being held, according to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. Children and staff were immediately brought inside the building, which was placed on lockdown for safety precautions, investigators said. Deputies located Dewees a short time later nearby on West Main Street in Emmitsburg, the sheriff…

by Zak Failla

07/30/2025

Police & Fire

Virginia Family Devastated After Two-Alarm Fire Destroys Home, Kills Dog And Bird A Virginia family is starting over after a fast-moving two-alarm fire gutted their home and claimed the lives of their two beloved pets. Shortly after noon on Sunday, July 27, Fairfax Fire and Rescue crews were called to a residence in the 5900 block of Amherst Avenue in Springfield, where they were met by heavy fire and smoke conditions throughout the house. The family was able to escape safely, though the family reported that a pet bird and dog both perished in the flames, leaving them devastated, according to the organizers of a fundraiser set up on their behalf. Fairfax County Fire a…

by Zak Failla

07/30/2025

Obituaries

Virginia Teen Cresencio Chavez Velasquez Dies After Drowning Off Assateague Island A tight-knit Eastern Shore community is grieving the sudden death of a teenager whose family said he could light up any room. Cresencio Lucas Chavez Velasquez, 18, of Parksley, drowned after struggling in the water off Assateague Island National Seashore on Thursday, July 24, 2025, according to the National Park Service. Officials said Chavez Velasquez was swimming near the southern end of the Chincoteague Beach Parking Lot around 4:15 p.m. when he and another person began struggling offshore. A relative ran to alert lifeguards stationed about 150 yards away, though Chavez Velasquez …

by Zak Failla

07/30/2025

Obituaries

Taylor Jones, 32, Mourned by Virginia Motorcycle Community After Sudden Death: ‘Ride In Peace’ The motorcycle community is reeling after the sudden loss of a dedicated rider and technician whose skill, kindness, and passion left an unmistakable mark on everyone who knew him. Taylor Jones, 32, of Alexandria, died unexpectedly on Monday, July 21, leaving his friends and family shocked. Born in Falls Church, Jones was remembered by family, friends, and coworkers as someone who poured his heart into both his work and his love of riding before his life was cut short. Taylor Jones GoFundMe Motorcycles of Dulles, where Jones had been a member of the service team since 2021, cal…

by Zak Failla

07/30/2025

Lifestyle

Six Flags America Axes Fright Fest In DMV For Family-Friendly Fare In Final Fall Season Maryland’s Six Flags America won’t be bringing back its wildly popular Fright Fest this year as the Bowie park heads into its final fall season before closing for good. Six Flags officials announced the change this week, saying the park will “focus on daytime fun” with its family-friendly Kids Boo Fest and thrill rides on weekends starting Saturday, Sept. 6 until the park closes in November. “After much research and planning, we’ve made the strategic decision to modify our fall operating schedule,” Six Flags officials said. “This means that our spooky Fright Fest event will not return…

by Zak Failla

07/30/2025

Police & Fire

Swim Instructor Sexually Abused Children During Private Lessons At DMV Community Center: Police A swim instructor from Silver Spring is accused of sexually assaulting two children he was teaching at a Maryland community center, police said. Tyler Wang’Ombe-Gichuru, 25, was arrested by members of the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Child and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Unit (CVAA) following an investigation into the teacher having inappropriate contact with the children. Last week, on Tuesday, July 22, police say that two victims under the age of 10 came forward to an adult about the alleged sexual assaults. Investigators said the victims’ family had hired Wang’Ombe-Gichuru…

by Zak Failla

07/30/2025

Police & Fire

Patient Tries To Disarm Officer After Breaking Free At Sentera Medical Center, Police Say A man being evaluated at a Virginia hospital allegedly broke free from his restraints and tried to take an officer’s gun, police said. Anthony Jermaine Bowles, 33, of Woodbridge, was in custody for an evaluation at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center on Opitz Boulevard in Woodbridge around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 29, when he became combative and removed his restraints, according to the Prince William County Police Department. Police said Bowles left the room, and a struggle ensued with the officer. During the encounter, Bowles “attempted to reach for the officer’s firearm,” the departm…

by Zak Failla

07/30/2025

Lifestyle

‘Help Me Keep My Wife Safe At Home’: Husband’s Heartbreaking Plea After 50 Years Of Marriage A beloved bluegrass musician in Maryland is pleading with the community to help keep his ailing wife safe at home as her health deteriorates. T. Michael Coleman, who will celebrate 50 years of marriage to his wife Robin this October, is raising money to renovate their Potomac home so she can remain on the first floor and avoid the daily struggle of climbing stairs, he said. The project he has planned will create a walk-in shower and other safety improvements to keep Robin comfortable as her conditions progress. Robin, who has been under the care of specialists at Johns Hopkins for mo…

by Zak Failla

07/30/2025

Business

$1.4M Maryland Fraud: Couple Lived Large With Cruises, Exotic Birds, Home Renovations: Feds A South Carolina husband and wife lived it up for more than a decade — jetting off on cruises, renovating their home, spoiling their pets, and racking up six figures at Walmart — all on the dime of a Maryland business they targeted in a $1.4 million fraud scheme, federal prosecutors said. Robin Joseph, 64, of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, was sentenced on Monday, July 28, to 39 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in the massive embezzlement and identity theft scheme, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Joseph …

by Zak Failla

07/30/2025

Sports

Maryland's Katie Ledecky Extends 1,500 Free Undefeated Streak With World Championship Gold Maryland's Katie Ledecky continues to rewrite the record books. The Bethesda native added some new hardware to her trophy case, claiming another gold medal at the swimming world championships in her signature event in Singapore. Ledecky, 28, easily outpaced the field, and was in line to challenge her own world-record in the 1,500-meter freestyle final on Tuesday, clocking in at 15:26.44, the fifth-best time in the event's history. 15 years of 1500m freestyle DOMINANCE from Katie Ledecky.📺: Peacock | #AQUASingapore25 pic.twitter.com/DwHnRtbtxn — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympi…

by Zak Failla

07/29/2025

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