Lawrence.com

Russert remembers his dad

New York -- NBC's "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert has agreed to terms with Miramax Books for a memoir about "fathers and sons."

The memoir, not yet titled, is scheduled to come out for Father's Day in 2004.

"The book will share the lessons, anecdotes and advice given to Russert by his dad while growing up in Buffalo, N.Y.; about family, faith, patriotism, sports, politics, school, work, cars, relationships and more," a Miramax statement said Monday.

Queen injures knee

London -- Queen Elizabeth II strained a ligament in her knee and is using a cane to walk, Buckingham Palace said Monday.

The palace said the monarch injured herself Friday during a visit to Newmarket, in Suffolk, eastern England.

"She is making a quick recovery with the occasional use of a stick," a palace spokeswoman said on customary condition of anonymity. She declined to say how the queen injured her knee, or which knee it was.

The queen was keeping all her official engagements and planned to attend church on Christmas with her family near the royal estate at Sandringham in eastern England, said the spokeswoman.

Marsalis jazzes up senior center

New York -- Wynton Marsalis had senior citizens dancing until the early morning hours as he and his jazz quartet gave a rousing performance at a center for the elderly.

The sold-out event was held at Fort Greene Senior Citizens Center in Brooklyn on Friday night to save certain centers from closing because of budget constraints. Though the setting wasn't as swanky as Lincoln Center, where Marsalis is artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, the audience was far more animated, hooting and hollering and even shouting out requests.

Marsalis' quartet performed until past midnight at the event, which raised $12,000. Organizers say two centers in the area are in danger of closing because of city budget constraints.

Reiner directs bank protest

New York -- A group of Hollywood activists and celebrities, led by director Rob Reiner, has written to City Council members in New York, where Washington Mutual Bank recently expanded operations, alerting them to the savings and loan's role in a controversial land development project in Southern California.

The bank plans to build 3,050 homes at Ahmanson Ranch, which sits on a hilly stretch of oak savanna and grassy plains that straddles the line between Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

In addition to homes, it would include schools, a library, two golf courses, a hotel and 400,000 square feet of commercial and office space.

The letter -- signed by actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Sheen and Julia Louis Dreyfus, among others -- said the development would threaten five endangered species, add to pollution and desecrate an Indian burial ground.