Popular winery founder Williams dead at 69
SANTA ROSA, Calif., Aug. 18 (UPI) -- R. Todd Williams, brother of comedian Robin Williams and co-founder of a popular California winery, died this week at the age of 69.
After spending a career using his outgoing personality to build Toad Hollow Vineyards into a popular Sonoma County attraction, Williams succumb to complications from heart surgery he received last month, the Los Angeles Times said Saturday.
Since Williams helped create Todd Hollow Vineyards in 1993, the winery has grown in popularity and last year alone it managed to sell more than 100,000 cases of wine.
Following Williams' death Tuesday, the current controller of the winery reminisced about Williams' ability to use that personal energy to build his business from the ground up.
"He was a great storyteller, boisterous, fun-loving and a friend to everyone he met," Erik Thorson said. "Certainly, he was a showman, and I think that was a large part in how he built his business."
In addition to his more famous brother, he is survived by his wife Frankie and another brother, McLaurin Smith.
Young girl wins national literary award
NEW YORK, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- A 10-year-old girl will be presented with a national literary award this fall in New York for her moving novel about dolphins and Hurricane Katrina.
In her book "Riding the Storm Out," young McKenna Andrews details the displacement of a dolphin during Hurricane Katrina and now her harrowing novel has earned her a 2006 Mom’s Choice Award, a news release from Newswire.com said Tuesday.
Based on real-life events, "Riding" tells the story of a captive dolphin named Noah who is swept out to sea by Katrina.
Noah eventually meets a dolphin born and raised in the wild, who helps Noah learn the true nature of a dolphin.
McKenna and her family had been living in Petal, Miss., when Katrina hit and that experience, in part, helped her write "Riding" when she was only a 9-year-old.
She will be become a National Awards Child Author Recipient of the award on Oct. 13 when the annual awards are presented in New York.
Shankar: Smiling a key to good living
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was in Los Angeles this week to tell others how smiling more and helping others can lead to a better life.
During appearances in Los Angeles as part of the festival Indian Splendor, Shankar repeatedly came back to simple daily tasks such as smiling and deep breathing when asked how best to live one's life, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.
"So smile and serve," Shankar said. "Smile more, serve more."
Yet the famed spiritual leader did not have definitive answers for certain subjects, including the role of spirituality in politics and spiritual individuals who reject God.
"I want to stay away from controversies," Shankar said of the latter topic. "The most controversial thing today is poor God."
In terms of politics, Shankar suggested many seemingly powerful politicians may be as equally impotent as an ordinary citizen when confronted with the U.S. political system.
"We think the politician is creating the problem," he said. "Really, it is the whole system."
Celebrities gather to remember Griffin
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Celebrities, including actor-turned-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, were on hand this week in California to remember late TV personality Merv Griffin.
In addition to the California governor, Griffin's family and members of his TV game show empire attended a simple funeral service honoring the loss of the TV star, the Los Angeles Times said Saturday.
Among those game show alumni were "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek and Vanna White from "Wheel of Fortune." Also on hand Friday was Nancy Reagan, widow of former President Ronald Reagan.
Like Schwarzenegger, Reagan had become good friends with Griffin during his lengthy reign in the TV industry and came to pay her respects to his family.
The Times said nearly 500 mourners came out in Beverly Hills to honor Griffin, who died last Sunday at age 82.
