LEGAL FILE

Case Closed: A New Jersey grand jury on Friday decided not to indict “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammer on charges that he had sex with a 15-year-old girl in a hotel two years ago. “The matter is closed,” said Somerset County Prosecutor Nicholas Bissell, adding that there was no “physical evidence of an assault,” and “it took two years for the alleged victim to come forward with the charges.” The grand jury heard six hours of testimony Thursday from the girl before deciding not to indict Grammer, 40, on rape charges. Grammer, who did not appear before the grand jury, issued a statement Friday saying: “I have said from the outset that there was no basis for the allegations made against me. Today, after examining the facts, a New Jersey grand jury came to the same conclusion. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fiancee, Tammi, my family and all of my friends and colleagues for continuing to believe in me and for helping me through these trying times. I look forward to putting this all behind me.”

TELEVISION

Educators Support PBS: More than 20 national education groups, led by the National Assn. of Elementary School Principals and the National Education Assn., sent a joint letter to Congress this week urging support for public broadcasting, which is under fire from Republican leaders threatening its funding. The letter reminded Congress that public TV’s roots are in education and that eliminating or reducing funding would “doom” televised educational programs and services. Late Thursday, a House subcommittee voted to leave the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s $285-million budget intact for this year, but cut $47 million next year and $94 million the following year.

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Seeking Action From Kids: ABC’s Saturday-morning children’s program, “ReBoot,” is asking kids to trade in their toy guns for a chance to become a Saturday-morning cartoon character. As part of the promotion, “Non-Violence Builds Character,” the kids are asked to send with their toy gun a letter or drawing explaining “why it is wrong to play with violent toys.” The program--which aims “to teach kids that guns, even toy guns, are dangerous”--will then create a computer-generated character based on the winner for next season.

ART

Lollapalooza Art: Santa Monica gallery owner Julie Rico has signed a deal with Lollapalooza organizer Perry Farrell to create a roving art exposition for this summer’s edition of the alternative-rock tour, which is slated to visit 38 cities. Rico, who will call her traveling effort “Mean Art,” will mount various installations by artists including Los Angeles’ Robert Williams at each site, offer a “graffiti yard” of three-dimensional works from West Coast spray paint artists, erect billboard-sized outdoor images, and feature both a formal gallery-type group show and a “low-brow art room.” Participating artists include Salomon Huerta, Craig Stecyk, Jean Bastarache and Aileen Getty. Musical acts for this year’s Lollapalooza have not been named.

STAGE

Benefit Readings: The 10th anniversary of Larry Kramer’s landmark AIDS drama “The Normal Heart” will be celebrated with two weekends of benefit-staged readings at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood. The March 9-12 reading has a star-studded lineup including David Hyde Pierce (“Frasier”), Tom Hulce, Michael Kearns, Roy Brocksmith and original New York company members Robert Dorfman and Concetta Tomei. From March 16-19, the rest of the original company will reunite, including Phillip Richard Allen, David Allen Brooks, Tom Mardirosian and D.W. Moffet. Tony Shalhoub will replace the original cast’s Brad Davis, who died of AIDS. Performances will benefit the Salk Institute for AIDS Research. Tickets are $25.

QUICK TAKES

A New York court has ordered LaToya Jackson to pay $550,000 to Paris’ Moulin Rouge because she abruptly ended a 1993 performance run there with several months left on her contract. . . . Former CBS News correspondent Charles Kuralt will narrate “The Revolutionary War,” a six-part series scheduled to debut on cable’s Learning Channel in November. . . . The Los Angeles Music Center Opera has named William Vendice head of music staff/chorus master, a newly created position. Vendice, who is also music director of opera at USC, has been a vocal coach with Music Center Opera since the 1993-94 season.

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Kudos: Sid and Marty Krofft will be honored today by the American Cinematheque for their 30 years of children’s programming, including “H. R. Pufnstuf.” The 2 p.m. event, held at the Directors Guild of America as part of the public “Saturday Matinee for Children” series, will include screenings of several of the duo’s shows, as well as what is being billed as “H. R. Pufnstuf’s first live appearance in 30 years.”. . . Former “In the Heat of the Night” co-star Denise Nicholas will be honored at Harvard University today as Cultural Artist of the Year, an annual award recognizing contributions to American performing arts and intercultural relations. . . . “Northern Exposure” will receive the award for Outstanding Portrayal of the American Scene at tonight’s Screen Actors Guild Awards, airing on NBC.