Today's people

Robert Kennedy Jr. wrote Friday that the memorial for World TradeCenter victims should be the tallest tower in the world.

Editorial calls for

towering memorial

NEW YORK - The ideal memorial for the former World Trade Centersite should be the tallest spire in the world, according to RobertKennedy Jr.

In an op-ed piece published in Friday's Daily News, Kennedy calledfor "a spire rooted at ground zero and flowering in the heavens ...the best memorial to the nearly 3,000 souls who lost their livesthere."

"It's appropriate that American democracy memorialize the courageof the 365 blue-collar police officers and firefighters with the kindof commanding monument that other nations reserve for kings,presidents and pharaohs," Kennedy said.

The spire would not have any office space, but its footprint wouldbe less than a block, leaving room for other, more modest, commercialtowers to be built, Kennedy said.

He called for it to be taller than the CN Tower in Toronto, whichmeasures 1,815 feet.

"America's best answer to terrorism is to rise higher when we arestruck down," he said.

Ryder charged in

shoplifting arrest

LOS ANGELES - Winona Ryder was charged with four felony countsstemming from her shoplifting arrest at a Saks Fifth Avenue store inDecember.

The Oscar-nominated actress was charged Friday with theft,burglary, vandalism and possession of a controlled substance.Although she is free on $20,000 bond, prosecutors recommended raisingthe bail to $30,000.

She is scheduled to be arraigned in Beverly Hills on Feb. 8.

The maximum combined sentence is three years, eight months inprison, but a judge could impose a lesser term, including probation,said Sandi Gibbons, district attorney's spokeswoman.

The 30-year-old actress was arrested Dec. 12 for stealingmerchandise worth $4,760 and possessing painkillers without aprescription.

Beverly Hills police said store security officers saw her removesecurity tags from the store items, place them in her bag and leavethe store.

Ryder's attorney, Mark Geragos, contended after the arrest thatthe actress was merely carrying items between store departments, nottrying to steal them.

Broadway musical

set to Joel tunes

NEW YORK - The Billy Joel-Twyla Tharp musical is coming toBroadway.

Last fall, Joel told The Associated Press that Tharp was workingon a play based on his music.

"Twyla Tharp had taken a lot of the music from the pop and rock'n' roll recordings that I've done, and the classical stuff that I'vedone, and choreographed it, and made a story," Joel told The AP.

Now, Tharp's vision will become reality with "Movin' Out." Themusical will follow six friends through 1967 to 1987. It will feature26 songs and instrumental compositions by Joel.