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2016 HASKELL INVITATIONAL

HERE COMES
EXAGGERATOR

MONDAY 08.01.16

Ocean County
prosecutor
fires detective
Investigator had filed
lawsuit earlier this year
ERIK LARSEN @ERIK_LARSEN

PETER ACKERMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

TOMS RIVER - A detective in the Ocean County

Prosecutors Office who alleged in an April lawsuit he
was retaliated against for speaking out against official
corruption has now been fired from his post, according
to county officials.
Investigator Steven Mecka was terminated effective July 2, following an administrative disciplinary
hearing, said Keith J. Goetting, director of Ocean County Government Employee Relations. The reason was
not disclosed.
Goetting said the decision to terminate Mecka was
made by Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato.
The director referred all questions about the dismissal
to the prosecutor, who was not available for comment
Thursday.
Mecka, 41, had served as a detective in the Prosecutors Office since March 22, 2004.
He received a total annual salary of $104,340 at the
time of his dismissal, according to county records.

Exaggerator, with jockey Kent Desormeaux, won the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Sunday.

See FIRED, Page 4A

Haskell Invitational win places Preakness victor

in line to challenge for No. 1 horse in the world
More coverage inside

STEPHEN EDELSON
COMMENTARY
OCEANPORT - Exaggerator left
the rest of the 3-year-old division
behind him in the sloppy wake Sunday when he ran down the leaders,
including Kentucky Derby winner
Nyquist, impressively in the $1 million betfair.com Haskell Invitational.
Now theres a new target.
Yup. You guessed it. None other than California
Chrome.
Because with the Breeders Cup Classic at Santa
Anita set to be Exaggerators final race of the year,
his performance at Monmouth Park places him
right at the top of the list of potential challengers
for the No. 1 horse in the world.
I think the horse is going to be ready for the
challenge by then, said jockey Kent Desormeaux

The track was sloppy, but that didnt stop Preakness winner
Exaggerator from roaring to victory. Sports, 1C

Get more online

Be sure to visit us online at APP.com for more from the
2016 Haskell Invitational, including photos and much more.
AUSTIN BOGUES/STAFF PHOTO

after their 112 length win over American Freedom.

And why not Exaggerator?
With Creator and Destin, the top two finishers in
the Belmont Stakes, getting outrun by a maiden in
the Jim Dandy Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga. And
Beholder suffered a stunning loss in the Clement
Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar.
So while the Travers Stakes at Saratoga is up
See HASKELL, Page 5A

Christian Fuscarino outside of the new Garden State Equality

office in Asbury Park.

Garden State
Equality moving
to Asbury Park
AUSTIN BOGUES @AUSTINBOGUES

PETER ACKERMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Crowds braved the rain at the 2016 Haskell Day at Monmouth Park in Oceanport.

ASBURY PARK - Inside the office space with dark,

hardwood floors and rainbow-colored banners hanging
in the front glass sit a few fold-up chairs, a desk, a computer and a very friendly dog named Jack.
But soon, Christian Fuscarino of Belmar hopes it will
be filled with volunteers eager to help advance the efforts of Garden State Equality. Formed in 2004, its the
states largest LGBTQ advocacy group. Fuscarino, the
groups new executive director, said the new office
space in Asbury Park would be crucial to broadening
access to the organization across the state.
Since the beginning of July, Fuscarino and two other
full-time staffers have slowly moved operations into
their new office at 1408 Main St. from their current
headquarters in Essex County.
Ahead of the groups Asbury Park opening today,
Fuscarino, 26, sat with the Press to share his thoughts
on the move and ways to advance civil rights for the
See EQUALITY, Page 4A

Developers beard awaits zoners OK

PAYTON GUION @PAYTONGUION

RED BANK - Hes acknowledged that his wife isnt

too happy about it and that he may end up looking like
Rip Van Winkle, but Ray Rapcavage has pledged not
to shave his beard until the borough approves his contentious residential project slated for downtown.
The plan calls for 16 market-rate, three-bedroom
condos each about 2,800 square feet and two
1,000-square-foot carriage houses that would be affordable units. Rapcavage, owner of RayRap Realty,

Worst hot air balloon crash in

U.S. history prompts look at
federal safety regulations. 1B

ADVICE
BUSINESS
CLASSIFIED
COMICS
LOCAL

4C
6A
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3A

wants to build on property he owns bound by Harding

Road, Clay Street and Hudson Avenue, just west of
Broad Street.
Rapcavage slowly is reintroducing the project to
Red Bank town officials after an earlier proposal for
the site was rejected in December by the boroughs
zoning board. That plan was for 22 units; the board
decided it was too dense.
Erik Yngstrom, a zoning board member, said the
See SHAVE, Page 10A

LOTTERIES
OBITUARIES
OPINION
SPORTS
WEATHER

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VOLUME 137
NUMBER 183
SINCE 1879