community news brief:

Santa Monica Little League Team Mom HonoredThe Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim celebrated Mother’s Day with the winners of their Mother’s Day Little League Contest and Santa Monica Little League’s own Shelly Hyde-White was among them. The Mother’s Day promotion put the car in Team Parking, the family in a suite box for the game and Little Leaguer Jack (age 8) and “Team Mom” finalist Shelly on the field during the first pitch ceremony. The contest entry was highlighted by player Jack’s 25 word answer to “Why my Mom should be Best Team Mom,” by briefly detailing such pertinant facts as, 1) “been coaching since i was four”, and 2) “League deals with Mom”. Shelly is the GM of SMLL’s AA Division A’s. The family has been part of Santa Monica Little League since 1996, with first son Garrick. Needless to say, the family was overjoyed to take part in this Mother’s Day outing, as were the LA Angels of Anaheim and Santa Monica Little Leagues AA-A’s, on her behalf.UCLA Cardiologist Receives Award for Heart WorkSanta Monica/UCLA’s Dr. Gregg Fonarow received the prestigious 2009 Raymond D. Bahr Award of Excellence from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Presented on May 2 at the organization’s national congress, the annual award is named after one of the society’s founders and honors individuals who demonstrate extraordinary excellence, vision, and leadership in advancing healthcare.Fonarow chairs the American Heart Association’s Get With The GuidelinesSM (GWTG) programs. These innovative quality improvement initiatives provide hospital staff with tools that follow proven evidence-based guidelines and procedures for heart and stroke patients, which help improve care. Currently over 1,600 hospitals nationwide are participating and close to two million cardiovascular disease patients are enrolled. Christopher Charles Horton…the best friend everyone ever had.Christopher was a proud native Venetian, having graduated from Venice High. As a boy, he developed a keen interest in foods prepared by his neighbor’s parents and grandparents. He learned from them, yet he already had an innate sense of what to put together. It didn’t take his family long to realize that his cooking made life taste better. His zeal for new flavors led him on a flavorful journey through some of Southern California’s most noted Charcouteries and Restaurants, finally landing him in the lap of the Hollywood Elite, at Off the Wall Catering, on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, in Venice. In the more recent years, he brought his culinary magic to the mouths and hearts of the famous, the infamous, and the ordinary. Christopher was cheerful, a comic and mimic. His humor would have everyone is stitches, but what made it so touching was his big open heart, and his unconditional love for everyone. He was musical, lyrical and silly. He loved life. He will be missed by a vast sea of grateful individuals, whose lives have been improved because of Chris Horton. Contact David de Russy 310.985.2588 iamdavidderussy@aol.com for upcoming Memorials this weekend and next.