Top 10 Biggest Stories Of 2025 In Secaucus

SECAUCUS, NJ — As 2025 draws to a close, Patch rounded up the top 10 most highly-read stories of the year in Secaucus.

We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable start to 2026.

1. Secaucus To Pay Superintendent For More Than A Year Of Not Working Feb. 14, 2025 The saga of former Secaucus school superintendent Erick Alfonso came to a close this year, as Patch reported he was paid his $184,500-yearly salary ever since the Secaucus school board put him on a paid leave in March 2024. The school board never said why they put Alfonso on paid leave, but they were unable to void his five-year contract. He was paid his full salary for 13 months of not working, through April 21 of this year. Alfonso has since been hired as the superintendent of Belleville public schools. In addition to paying Alfonso his full salary while he did not work for a year, the Secaucus school district — on the advice of the BOE's lawyer, Stephen Fogarty —then paid an additional $13,250 to hire a lawyer to investigate the mysterious complaints made against Alfonso. That report has been completed but it's never been made public. Patch filed an OPRA for it and was denied. Accusations against public school employees are rarely made public, unless they rise to the level of criminal charges.

Mayor Mike Gonnelli previously said the way this was handled has been "totally ridiculous and a waste of taxpayer money," and that he was "very disappointed in the Board of Education members ... It's not just this Board. They and all the previous Board just aren't getting it right. This is the sixth superintendent Secaucus has had in the past seven years. And some of them we actually had to pay them when they leave. That means taxpayer dollars. This has been a waste of taxpayer dollars."

Gonnelli said in February 2025 of Alfonso:

"He got a year+ pay and now he's leaving. If they could have gotten rid of him, they would have. Let's move forward."

2. Former Secaucus Police Dog Involved In Clash With Other Dogs April 21, 2025 Just when the weather started to warm up, a former Secaucus Police dog, now privately owned by a current Secaucus Police officer, got loose from his yard, and had a clash with two other dogs being walked on a leash. The woman who owned the two dogs posted about what happened on Facebook, and she said the former police K9 took "chunks" out of her one dog, which required seven stitches. An investigation by Secaucus Police depicted what happened as a clash between all three dogs; additionally, witnesses said the ex-police dog seemed fearful and not aggressive. The woman accused the Secaucus Police Dept. of covering up to protect one of its own, allegations the police denied.

Body Camera Footage Released In Ex-Secaucus Police Dog Clash (May 7)

Secaucus Police Conclude Investigation Into Ex-Police Dog Clash (May 12)

3. Man Shot At Secaucus Police Officers On County Ave. June 2, 2025 A mechanic for Peter Pan bus company on County Avenue became involved in a shoot-out with Secaucus Police. It was a woman who called 911 on him, and police say he started firing at them from inside the bus shop when they responded. Dass was not killed in the shoot-out; he was taken into police custody and charged with two counts of attempted murder, among other charges.

4. China Chef In Secaucus To Become Pancake House June 3, 2025 But it did not happen. When China Chef closed, the property was eyed by a Muslim group to be turned into a mosque, however those plans also fell through, for unknown reasons. Gonnelli then said it was going to become a diner/pancake house, but that did not happen, either. The former Chinese restaurant in the center of town is still for sale/lease.

5. Secaucus Town Employees Accused Of Stealing Town's Pool Chemicals For Their Own Business June 10, 2025 Arguably the biggest story of 2025 in Secaucus, when the community was shocked to hear that four town employees, all of whom have lived in town for decades and are well-known, were accused of lifting chemicals from the town swim complex for use in their own private pool maintenance business. The fall-out continued over the summer, as Secaucus Police arrested more employees of the pool company. 2 More Arrested In Alleged Theft Of Secaucus Pool Chemicals By Town Employees

6. Mosque Coming To Secaucus, Across From Town Hall Aug. 14, 2025 Patch was the first and only media outlet to report the news that a Muslim religious group plans to open a mosque in what used to be a private home, at 805 Cedar Avenue on Paterson Plank Road, across from town hall. The mosque has not opened yet. Work on the interior is happening now.

7. Secaucus Housing Authority Director Placed On Paid Leave August 25, 2025 Chris Marra, director of the Secaucus Housing Authority, was placed on a paid leave in August after accusations were made against him. The town and Housing Authority has never said what those accusations were. Marra has since resigned. His salary to run Secaucus public housing was $104,650 per year.

8. People Shoot Fireworks At Secaucus Police Cars, Climb On Squad Cars As Cops Break Up Street Racing Aug. 31, 2025 More than 100 cars were doing doughnuts in the middle of County Avenue on a Saturday night, and the Secaucus Police officers who responded to break it up came "under attack," said Police Chief Dennis Miller. More than 50 people surrounded the patrol cars, while others climbed on top of the marked police cars. People in the crowd shot fireworks at and under the police cars, and officers inside the squad cars appeared terrified to get out. Over 10 people have since been arrested in connection with this, and Miller said his department is looking for more: Secaucus Police Arrest 12 People From August 'Street Takeover' On County Avenue (Dec. 18, 2025)

9. Man Dies In Suicide At Secaucus Gun Range Sept. 5, 2025 A tragic story of a 29-year-old Yonkers man who shot himself in the head at LongShot gun range on County Avenue.

10. Priest Who Died In Secaucus Catholic Church Identified Oct. 6, 2025 The community was saddened with a priest at Immaculate Conception Catholic church, Father Jose Marie, died before church services one Sunday morning. His body was found inside the rectory. He was 65 years old and died of natural causes.

Bonus: Secaucus Woman Encounters Car Thieves In Her Home At 2 A.M. Feb. 5, 2025 At 2 a.m. two men broke into a home on Grace Avenue and they were confronted by a woman who lives in the home. She called 911 and the men fled. They did not appear to be armed. SPD pursued them onto the Turnpike but then lost sight of them.

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