Times staff
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
NEW PORT RICHEY
Woman pleads in attack on middle-schooler
A woman who took part in a racially motivated fight at Gulf Middle School has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery. Carolann Esposito, 22, originally faced felony charges of child abuse and battery. New Port Richey police said Esposito and her boyfriend, Thomas Herwander, joined in an April beating of a 14-year-old white boy whose friends are black. Reports said Esposito and her teenage brother punched and kicked the victim as they shouted the n-word to the victim's friends. Police thought the attack was retaliation for an earlier fight. Esposito, according to reports, told police: "The reason this whole thing started is because of those (blacks)." An aggravated child abuse charge against Herwander was later dropped. Esposito was sentenced to seven days in jail, followed by a year of probation, and she must complete 100 hours of community service and an anger management course.
PORT RICHEY
Free flapjack flip at Knights Hall
The Volunteer Way food bank, IHOP and Knights of Columbus will host their next free pancake breakfast from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Knights of Columbus Hall, 5850 K of C Drive (behind the Honda dealer at U.S. 19 and Ridge Road). The Cornerstone Community Church will have special activities, including crafts and face painting for children. Information and applications will be available for Florida KidCare, a state program providing low-cost health insurance for children, and for other programs. Donations are welcome but not necessary. For information, call the Volunteer Way at (727) 815-0433 or visit www.thevolunteerway.org.
DADE CITY
Plants of all sorts going on sale
The Master Gardener's Annual Plant Sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Pasco County Fairgrounds Greenhouse, 36702 State Road 52. Gardeners will find natives, perennials, tropicals, herbs, veggies, water garden plants, citrus and more. There also will be a rainwater harvesting workshop at 10 a.m. (registration required), activities for kids and more. For information contact the Pasco County Cooperative Extension Office at (352) 521-4288; (727) 847-2411; or (813) 996-2411, ext. 4288. The Extension Office will also host a free composting seminar at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Hudson Library, 8012 Library Road, Hudson (just off Fivay Road). Participants will learn how to turn kitchen scraps and garden trimmings into garden gold.