The Take Back Secaucus slate of political independents on the town council is planning a “Victory Brunch” Sept. 18 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel to mark the first year-and-a-half of work since breaking the Democratic majority in Secaucus. Mayor Mike Gonnelli said supporters have been asking for a fete, but town business has taken priority [...]

Former board of education trustee Michael Makarski met with President Barack Obama and members of his administration this month in Washington, D.C., as part of a program for young progressive officials who have won elected office. Makarski took part in the event as a member of People for the American Way Foundation’s Young Elected Officials [...]

Secaucus officials said this week the town will make its multimillion-dollar payment to the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission tax-sharing pool as a gesture of good faith, ending a nearly two-month holdout in a push to alter the burden of the annual payments. Representatives from Secaucus and surrounding towns, along with officials from the Meadowlands Commission [...]

Just outside of Secaucus Plaza, behind a crimson metal door covered with vague signage, is a burgeoning baseball academy. “Secaucus is very baseball savvy,” says Arthur Barone, the former pro player who instructs aspiring diamond greats. “There is a real appetite for baseball here.” Anyone driving toward the North End this spring has likely seen [...]

Secaucus is getting out of the day care business next month as the affordable, but money-losing center off the Plaza is set to close its doors. The child care operation, which lost about $105,000 last year, will run its 2011 summer program for 4, 5 and 6-year-olds but the daycare program will shut down July [...]

Big Shot, the Billy Joel Tribute band, is set to take the stage in a free public concert at the Xchange amphitheater on Saturday, June 25. The 6 p.m. show and barbecue is sponsored by the mayor and council and the Xchange development. Long Island native Michael DelGuidice is the heart of Big Shot, which [...]

Ronald Manzo, who was former Secaucus mayor Dennis Elwell’s co-defendant until Manzo cut a deal and pleaded guilty last month, is slated to be the first witness for the government as Elwell heads to trial June 20, a shift in strategy as the star witness, Solomon Dwek, was recently arrested on a new criminal charge, [...]

Area municipalities led by Secaucus taking part in a tax revolt against payments to the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission will convene Monday in town to continue discussions with a public press event. Rutherford Mayor John Hipp, whose municipality has paid into and received funds from the NJMC tax-sharing pool, said members of a committee of [...]

Thomas Yezerski, an author and illustrator who has penned a children’s book on the Meadowlands, will be at the Secaucus Public Library Saturday to sign copies and discuss his work. “Meadowlands: A Wetlands Survival Story” is an illustrated, 40-page work about the areas ecosystem, its evolution, pollution and recovery. It was published in March by [...]

Environmental advocates are looking for volunteers to mark storm drains in Secaucus on Saturday as part of a pollution prevention program. The AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors program and the Secaucus Environmental Commission have teamed up to place storm drain markers around town to make people aware that the drains are essentially pathways for litter to [...]