KFLAG COUNTRY MUSIC UPDATE

Keith Urban will be performing five shows with headliners The Eagles and special guests the Dixie Chicks. The trek officially begins on June 8th in Ontario, but Keith will join the bill on June 10th in East Rutherford, New Jersey. His last show on the tour will be on June 19th in Chicago.

Here is the complete list of dates:

8-Jun Toronto, ON Rogers Centre
10-Jun East Rutherford, NJ New Meadowlands Stadium
12-Jun Boston, MA Gillette Stadium
14-Jun Philadelphia, PA Citizens Bank Ball Park
15-Jun Washington, DC Nationals Park
19-Jun Chicago, Il Soldier Field
22-Jun Winnipeg, MB Canad Inns Stadium
24-Jun St. Louis, MO Busch Stadium

• Tickets go on sale to the general public on March 29th at 10 a.m. ET. American Express Cardmembers will have early access to tickets beginning March 22nd at 10 a.m. ET. For complete ticket information, log onto LiveNation.com.

FAST FACT

• It's been four years since the Dixie Chicks have performed on the stage.

Luke Bryan, Gloriana and Joey + Rory have been named Top New Solo Vocalist, Top New Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duo, respectively, by the Academy of Country Music. All three categories were fan-voted, and now Luke, Gloriana and Joey + Rory go on to compete for the overall Top New Artist award. That winner will be announced during the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 18th at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

• Fan voting for Top New Artist begins on April 1st online at VoteACM.com. Voting will end at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 18th.
• Luke, Gloriana and Joey + Rory will perform and receive their trophy on the GAC special, ACM Top New Artists, hosted by Trace Adkins. The show will premiere on April 1st at 10 p.m. ET and air multiple times before the ACM Awards. For the first time ever, the special will be taped during the regularly-scheduled Tuesday Night Opry at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

The invention of Twitter has given Martina McBride a reason to smile. The singer loves to give fans a glimpse into her daily life, whether it's what she's doing at the moment, her thoughts on other celebrities or the latest movie she's seen.

Martina tells us that Twitter has become a powerful tool in keeping her connected with fans. "It's fun! I mean, that's the thing -- if it's not fun then I don't want to do it at this stage. I enjoy it, and it is a different way to keep in contact with your fans and also to let them know about things, and you can reach, you know, 60,000 people with the push of a button, and we've been able to do some fun things like hiding tickets for shows, and it's just fun, you know?"

She also likes that fans have been able to get to know who she is as a person, rather than just a glossy picture in a magazine. "It's just a way for people to see a different side of you, too, because typically people see interviews, or they see you perform on a show or they read an interview and that's really all they get, and this is a way for them to see, 'What is she doing today?' Oh, she's doing her laundry or she's talking about how frustrating it is for this or that or whatever, you know? It's just real life and I think that's really unique and interesting that we can do that now, something we couldn't do before."

• Martina continues on her Shine All Night tour with Trace Adkins. Their next show is on March 26th in St. Louis.
• She will join the Lilith tour this summer.
• Her new video, "Wrong Baby Wrong," may be viewed online at vevo.com.

Details about Lilith Tour 2010 have been surfacing in bits and pieces, and the latest information regarding cities and venues is no exception. So far, specifics for only eight of the 36 North American cities have been revealed for the summer festival. Tickets for the initial shows will go on-sale to the general public beginning Saturday, March 27th via LilithFair.com and LiveNation.com. Pre-sale offers will be announced this week.

Similar to the original Lilith Fair, there will be 11 artists on each date, with only two consistencies per show: the Lilith Local Talent Search OurStage.com winner who starts the day and headliner Sarah McLachlan. The other 80 or so acts will rotate.

• This year's festival will feature Martina McBride, Sugarland, Loretta Lynn, Emmylou Harris, Miranda Lambert, Kelly Clarkson, the Go Go's, Sheryl Crow, Colbie Caillat, Mary J. Blige, Norah Jones, Suzanne Vega, Jill Scott and others.
• Lilith 2010 tour dates (subject to change):
  July 2 - Portland, OR - The Amphitheatre at Clark County
  July 3 - Seattle, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre
  July 17 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
  July 20 - Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center
  July 24 - Toronto, ON - Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
  July 27 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center
  August 8 - Atlanta, GA - Aaron's Amphitheatre
  August 10 - W. Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre

CHECK IT OUT: For a list of artsts performing at each venue: http://www.lilithfair.com/tour

If you like Blake Shelton's current hit, "Hillbilly Bone," then you'll probably love his new CD of the same name, according to the singer. All six songs on the "Six Pak" album are in the same vein as the title track, Blake tells us: "With 'Hillbilly Bone' bein' the hit off of this record, I decided you really can't go a bunch of different directions like I have been doin' with my past records in six songs, so let's just stick with that theme. The whole album, I think, is fun. There's only one ballad -- love song -- on the record, and it's even fun. I think it's a pretty funny song."

Blake says there's nothing serious about the Hillbilly Bone CD, and that it just represents a good time. "I just wanted the whole thing to be easy to listen to, and not something you had to think real hard about, which is what 'Hillbilly Bone' is. I mean, let's face it -- it's just a melody that sticks in your head and probably ends up pissing you off by the end of the day cause you can't get it out of your head. It's one of those songs, and the record is full of that type of attitude -- you know, that redneck attitude that's just fun stuff to drink a beer and listen to."

• The song "Hillbilly Bone," a duet with Trace Adkins, tops the country charts this week. This is Blake's sixth Number One hit of his career.
• The Hillbilly Bone "six-pak" album sells for less than $6.
• The project debuted at Number Three on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, giving Blake the highest debut of his career.
• Blake plans to release one to two more "six-paks" before the end of the year.

FAST FACTS

• Blake last topped the charts in 2009 with "She Wouldn't Be Gone."
• His previous Number Ones include "Home," "Some Beach," "The Baby" and "Austin."

Jack Ingram, Steve Azar and Colt Ford will be among the celebrities joining Hootie & the Blowfish at their Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament being held on April 12th at The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort & Golf in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

• Darius Rucker said, "Country music artists and country radio have really embraced me, so it's great to see so many of my new friends joining us in an effort to raise money for the Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation. Each year, the list of great athletes and celebrities continues to grow, and to know we come to Myrtle Beach to have fun and raise money for a great cause, it is without a doubt one of things I look forward to doing every spring."
• Other celebrities and athletes participating in the event include "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, NASCAR drivers Kyle Petty and Michael Waltrip, NFL Hall-of Famer and Chicago Bears great Gale Sayers, Bernie Kosar, Jim McMahon, Kordell Stewart, and NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason.
• PGA tour players who plan to attend this year include Jim Furyk, John Daly, Woody Austin, Rich Beem, and LPGA player and Myrtle Beach resident Kristy McPherson.
• Tickets to the 2010 Hootie & The Blowfish Monday After the Masters tournament are currently on sale at the House of Blues, the Barefoot Resort & Golf pro shops and all Ticketmaster outlets.
• All ticket proceeds benefit the Hootie & the Blowfish Foundation, which supports the educational needs of children in South Carolina and the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation.

FAST FACTS

• Last year, the six-person team led by Hootie & The Blowfish lead guitarist Mark Bryan, Bill Murray and Woody Austin captured the Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament title with a score of 18-under-par.
• The 2009 event sold out for the fourth year in a row, and raised $155,000 for various South Carolina charities.

The ninth annual CMT Music Awards show will be broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on June 9th on CMT and CMT.com. Tickets go on sale April 10th at all Ticketmaster outlets and the arena box office. The CMT Music Awards show takes place the night before the official start of the CMA Music Festival, which runs June 10-13 in downtown Nashville.

Dixie Chicks members and sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison will perform as new duo the Court Yard Hounds for the first time tomorrow (Thursday, March 18th) at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas. They are one of 2,000 acts showcasing their talent at the festival.

COUNTRY TRIVIA

Q. Who was the first pop-culture icon to wear a cowboy hat in the 1930s?
A. Gene Autry

COUNTRY ON THE TUBE TODAY!

THE VIEW/ABC 11:00AM (ET)
Mindy McCready

SUPERSTAR SESSIONS: KEITH URBAN/GAC 12:00PM (ET)

GAC NIGHTS/GAC 8:00PM (ET)
Gary Allan, Danny Gokey

BLUE COLLAR COMEDY TOUR RIDES AGAIN/CMT 9:00PM, 11:30PM (ET)
Larry the Cable Guy, Ron White, Bill Engvall, Jeff Foxworthy

HANNITY/FOX 9:00PM (ET)
Craig Morgan

MY MUSIC MIX: JASON ALDEAN/GAC 10:00PM (ET)

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE/ABC 12:35AM (ET)
Gary Allan

CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS TODAY!

Rob Lowe (actor, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The West Wing) (46)

• Gary Sinise (actor, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, The Stand, CSI: New York) (55)
• Kurt Russell (actor, Escape From New York, Backdraft, Stargate, Executive Decision, Breakdown, Poseidon, Grindhouse) (59)
• Patrick Duffy (actor, The Man From Atlantis, Dallas) (61)

ON THIS DAY IN COUNTRY!

• "I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow" by the Soggy Bottom Boys (lead singer: Dan Tyminski), from the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou, made its chart debut in 2001.
• Keith Urban began a three-night stand at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium in 2005. The encore included a surprise appearance by Kenny Chesney.
• Kenny Chesney sang "Me And You" during the wedding ceremony of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Ashley Thompson in 2001.
• Jo Dee Messina's sophomore album, I'm Alright, was released in 1998.
• Randy Travis began a four-week stay at Number One on the Billboard country chart with "Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart" in 1990.
• Ricky Skaggs earned the first gold album of his career with Waitin' For The Sun To Shine in 1983.
• In her first session, 13-year-old Tanya Tucker recorded "Delta Dawn," destined to be a Top Ten hit, in 1972.
• Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" reached Number One on the Billboard country singles chart in 1956.
• Bill Monroe recorded "Kentucky Waltz" in 1951.

CELEBRITY GOSSIP

LINDSAY LOHAN DATING NEW SAM? Lindsay Lohan may or may not have a new boyfriend. RadarOnline.com reported that the starlet is dating a European model named Sam Webb, but the 23-year-old is claiming they're only friends. According to Radar, things have heated up so quickly between the two that Lohan is "looking for projects that are based in England so she can be near him."

CHARLIE SHEEN REPORTEDLY HAS SOBER COACH AT WORK: Charlie Sheen is reportedly being accompanied by a "sober coach" on the set of Two and a Half Men. RadarOnline.com reports that the actor, who plead not guilty to domestic violence charges earlier this week, is filming his show during the day and going to rehab at night. A source told Radar, "Charlie wants to get clean. He's got his demons and he knows it. But he's doing everything he can right now."

SCHOOL ANGELINA JOLIE DONATED TO OPENS: Angelina Jolie donated $75,000 toward the construction of a new primary school for girls in Tangi, Afghanistan, which is ready to open its door. The UNHCR announced that the facility, which features eight classrooms, a well and eight latrines, is set to begin classes next Monday. Jolie's donation came after a 2008 visit to a refugee settlement in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province.

SARAH SILVERMAN WILL ALWAYS LOVE JIMMY KIMMEL: Sarah Silverman may have moved on from Jimmy Kimmel, but she still feels fondly about her ex of seven years. The comedienne, who is now dating Alec Sulkin, a writer for Fox's Family Guy, told Playboy, "We were together for so long and tried our best to make it work. I can think of him now and don't have that edgy feeling anymore. I just love him to pieces. Sometimes loving each other isn't enough. You have to be responsible for your own happiness. You can't stay in a relationship because you're afraid of the unknown. But I will always love him. Sometimes I think maybe we'll die together in our old age or something."

STEVEN SEAGAL SUED: Steven Seagal is being sued by his former business partner. PerezHilton.com reported that Julius Nasso filed suit against the actor, who he says owes him over $165,000 under a 2007 settlement agreement. Nasso served a year in prison after he was found to have helped mobsters "shake down" Seagal after he breached a deal to shut down their production companies by not keeping up with his payments due. The friend of the mob also claims he made "good faith attempts" to collect from Seagal and the actor's Steamroller Productions company over the past two months and has yet to receive payment.

SITCOM STARS EXPECTING BABY: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia stars Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney are expecting their first child in August. Olson said in a statement, "Rob and I are so excited it's stupid. The last couple years have been pretty amazing for us and just when we thought things couldn't get any better, the greatest little thing in the world happened! We're totally beside ourselves." The couple married in 2008.

HOLLYWOOD NEWS

PAULA ABDUL TO HOST 'STAR SEARCH'?!?! Paula Abdul is reportedly in talks to help ABC launch a new version of Star Search. Entertainment Weekly reports that the former Idol judge would juggle a combination of hosting and judging duties for the show, which could debut this summer. It was widely reportedly that Abdul has been courted by ABC since exiting Idol last year.

'AVATAR' DVD RELEASE ANNOUNCED: Fans will be able to own Avatar in just over a month. Twentieth Century Fox announced that the blockbuster will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 22. The studio said the release coincides with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. No formal statement has been made about a 3D DVD, but Fox noted that one will be released in the future -- probably sometime next year.

MORE CAPTAIN AMERICA CASTING RUMORS: Another day, another new Captain America casting rumor. This time it's been reported that Channing Tatum and Keira Knightley have been approached for roles in the upcoming film. Tatum is reportedly in contention for the leading role while Knightley is being considered for the female lead, Betsy Ross.

NEW OSBOURNE SERIES IN THE WORKS? Sharon and Kelly Osbourne are teaming up for a new series about mothers and daughters with difficult relationships. Sharon revealed, "Kelly and I are doing a series called 'Osbourne Family Values', where we go across the States meeting mums and daughters who are having problems." It's unclear where or when the series will air.

MICKEY ROURKE DROPS OUT OF 'CONAN': Mickey Rourke has dropped out of the upcoming Conan the Barbarian remake. Moviehole.com reports that The Wrestler star had signed up to play Conan's father in the new movie alongside former "Baywatch" star Jason Momoa, but recently quit the role and will now be replaced by Hellboy star Ron Perlman.

TOP 12 SING ROLLING STONES SONGS ON 'AMERICAN IDOL'

It was Rolling Stones Night on American Idol, and the top 12 contestants sang hits and some not-so-popular songs by the famous band. The night started off with a performance from Michael Lynche, who sang "Miss You." Although it wasn't Big Mike's best performance, it was strong enough. Didi Benami also gave a solid performance by singing "Play with Fire." Some contestants who left the judges wanting more included Lacey Brown, and favorites Andrew Garcia and Lee Dewyze. It was Siobhan Magnus who truly blew away the judges with her rendition of the Stones hit "Paint it Black."

COREY HAIM LAID TO REST

Corey Haim was laid to rest on Tuesday (March 16th) in his hometown of Toronto. E! reports that more than 200 friends and family attended the service, while even more fans and mourners gathered outside the chapel.

Although Corey Feldman announced earlier this week that he wouldn't be in attendance -- his cousin Maytal Kotler was there and told the Toronto Star that the 45-minute service for the late 38-year-old was "very sad but with a lot of laughter."

• Feldman previously said he's planning a Los Angeles memorial for Haim, although no details on that service have been released.

TIGER WOODS ANNOUNCES RETURN TO GOLF

Tiger Woods announced Tuesday (March 16th) that he will make his return to golf at the 2010 Masters Tournament, set for Augusta, Georgia next month. The announcement came just four months after his post-Thanksgiving car crash that led to revelations about his numerous extra-marital affairs, and one month after his carefully orchestrated public apology. Tiger dropped out of the pro golf circuit during that time to go through rehab for sexual addiction, then for dependence on prescription drugs. Recently, it was reported that he and wife Elin Nordegren were back together in the same house with their two children.

• Tiger, 34, has won four Masters championships and said he was happy to come back. "After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta," Woods said in Tuesday's statement. "The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played."
• He continued, "I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy, and I am continuing my treatment. Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life."
• The tournament is scheduled for April 5 through 11th at the Augusta National Golf Club.

BETTY WHITE LANDS STARRING ROLE ON NEW SITCOM

There's no stopping Betty White! The 88-year-old screen veteran, whose currently riding a resurgence of popularity, is joining the cast of the upcoming TV Land comedy Hot in Cleveland.

People magazine reports that White will play Elka Ostrovsky, the property caretaker of the home that Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick rent after their plane makes an emergency landing in Cleveland and they decide to stay.

• TV Land President Larry W. Jones said viewers can expect to see White's "amazing sense of timing and fantastic comedy genius" in her role on the network's first foray into scripted entertainment.
• The series marks White's first starring role in a sitcom since Ladies Man went off the air in 2001. She's perhaps best known for her seven seasons on The Golden Girls, but has also had recurring roles on The Bold and the Beautiful and Boston Legal. She's set to host Saturday Night Live on May 8th.

Here's something you should know on St. Patrick’s Day

Researchers have confirmed that alcohol makes males more amorous and less sexually
inhibited. The research, led by a Penn State University neuroscientist, looked
at the effects of alcohol exposure on fruit flies. They found that male
fruit flies given alcohol became more active in their pursuit of females, and
they also actively courted males.


ST. PATRICK’S DATA
Eight out of 10 people who celebrate today (St. Patrick’s Day, 3/17) will
simply put on their brightest green tie or sweater, but others want to have
a bit more fun - nearly three out of 10 will attend a party at a bar or
restaurant. And another third will simply stay at home and cook a traditional
Irish meal.

FEAR OF BEER
St. Patrick’s Day is not a good day for people who suffer from potophobia.
Potophobia is the extreme fear of alcoholic drink.

IRISH FOOD
If corned beef and cabbage feels like the same-old same-old for St. Patrick
’s Day, then try drisheens. Drisheens, a County Cork specialty, is a blood
pudding (a type of sausage) made by combining strained sheep’s blood with
milk, water, mutton suet, breadcrumbs and seasonings.

HANGOVER HELPER
If you know you’re going to get drunk tonight, pop a multivitamin before
you down your first beer. Alcohol depletes your body of the B complex
vitamins and vitamin C. In fact, it depletes a handful of other vitamins and
further impairs future nutrient absorption. The end result is a wide-reaching
depletion of essential vitamins and minerals that can leave you feeling
hung-over. The easiest solution is to take a decent multivitamin. Take one
before drinking or just after and you may notice a difference tomorrow morning.

IRISH BAD LUCK
You know that finding a four-leaf clover is a sign of good luck. But do
you know Irish bad luck signs? It's believed that the sound of dripping water
in a house warns of imminent death. Disturbing a swallow’s nest is bad
luck, as is knocking over your chair when you stand up. And while a broken
mirror gets you the standard seven years bad luck, killing a cat gets you 17

TWILIGHT SAGA LOOKING FOR OSCAR WITH 'BREAKING DAWN'?

Summit Entertainment is reportedly seeking an Oscar-caliber director to helm the next installment in the Twilight saga. Entertainment Weekly reports that the company has reached out to Sofia Coppola, Gus Van Sant and Bill Condon about directing The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.

Van Sant confirmed to the site that he has been approached for the job, but EW.com couldn't get confirmation about Coppola's or Condon's involvement. The website also noted that screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg is expected to turn in an outline for the film next week, and a decision on the director is not expected at least until then.

• Van Sant is best known for Milk and Good Will Hunting; Sofia Coppola for Lost in Translation; and Bill Condon for Dreamgirls.

EW's movie expert Mandi Bierly offered her opinions on the prospective directors:

• Contrary to all my Robert Pattinson blog posts and Taylor Lautner Bicep Watches, it'd be nice to end this series with the focus on Bella (Kristen Stewart), and Coppola knows her way around complicated young women (see also: The Virgin Suicides, Marie Antoinette).
• Condon, who went from directing 1995's Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh to winning an Oscar for writing 1998's Gods and Monsters, is a clever thought.
• Van Sant has always taken the drama of young adulthood seriously, whether it be in Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho, Finding Forrester, Elephant, or Paranoid Park.

'BACHELOR' BOB GUINEY BEDDED MOST WOMEN IN SHOW'S HISTORY

Fun fact for The Bachelor fans: the average Bachelor will end up having sex with three women during the course of the show.

Mike Fleiss, the ABC show's creator and executive producer revealed the trivia during Monday (March 15th) night's 20/20 special on the show -- and also revealed which man exceeded the average for the highest bed total.

• That honor belongs to season four's Bob Guiney, who Fleiss claimed had "5 1/2 women," adding, "Bob had just come off the Trista season of the Bachelorette so his popularity was enormous. Women were in love with him right from the start."
• 38-year-old Guiney, a recent divorcee, told Usmagazine.com that Fleiss was just teasing.

JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT DOESN'T LIKE BEING SINGLE

Jennifer Love Hewitt is not excited about being single again following the breakup of her relationship with Jamie Kennedy. The 31-year-old told People magazine, "I don't like to go out to clubs and party. I'm not into 'Let's go out with one guy on a Monday and another guy on a Wednesday' -- that's just not me. I'm a relationship kind of girl. I like a twosome. Some people get excited about being single. I don't."

She discussed the split, which came after a year of dating, saying, "There's no anger, there's no upset, there's no enemies. It's been totally fine. It's really a testament to who he is and to who I am. We're both grown-ups."

• Indecently -- the split comes just before the release of Jennifer's new book -- The Day I Shot Cupid, which offers advice and wisdom on dating and relationships.

JESSICA BIEL, GWEN STEFANI AND MEGAN FOX VOTED BEST HOLLYWOOD BODIES

Jessica Biel, Gwen Stefani and Megan Fox have topped a new list of top Hollywood bodies.

Fitness magazine conducted a poll to determine the stars with the best abs, butts and style for its new Hollywood's Best Bodies issue.

• Stefani, won 55 percent of the votes in the best celebrity abs category, while Fox has the most coveted behind.
• 54 percent said that Jessica Biel had the best workout style.

HEADLINE NEWS!!

NEW DEMOCRATIC PASSAGE PLAN IS LATEST HEALTH CARE FLASH POINT: A plan House Democrats are considering to get health care reform passed in the chamber that would avoid a direct vote on the Senate-approved bill was the latest flash point yesterday (March 16th) in the health care reform debate as it came under attack by Republicans. Under the plan, the House would instead vote on the changes it wants made to the bill -- changes which would have to also be passed in the Senate, where reconciliation is planned to be used for it -- and would declare the Senate bill passed once the changes are approved. In that way, Democrats would avoid casting a vote directly on the Senate measure that contains some provisions they disagree with and want changed. In the face of objections from Republicans, Democrats noted that the GOP had used the same process when they controlled the House.

MEXICO KILLING OF THREE WITH U.S. CONSULATE LINKS MAY HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE: The FBI said Tuesday (March 16th) that the murder in Mexico Saturday of three people with ties to the U.S. consulate may have been a case of mistaken identity, with confused hit men hitting the wrong targets, casting doubt on fears that Mexican drug cartels have launched an offensive against U.S. government employees. Gunmen chased two white SUVs from the birthday party of a consulate employee's child in the border city of Ciudad Juarez and opened fire in near-simultaneous attacks, killing three adults and wounding children in the vehicles. Killed were U.S. citizens Lesley Enriquez, a consulate employee, and her husband Arthur Redelfs, and Mexican citizen Jorge Alberto Salcido, whose wife is a Mexican employee of the consulate.

AL-MALIKI CHALLENGER PULLS AHEAD IN OVERALL IRAQI VOTE COUNT: A secular coalition led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi narrowly pulled ahead of current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his coalition yesterday (March 16th) for the first time in the overall vote count in Iraq's parliamentary elections, but he still trails in the important province-by-province count. Parliament seats are apportioned mainly by how well coalitions do in the provinces, not according to overall vote total. The news came as al-Maliki accused election officials of manipulating vote counts and called for a re-count. About 20 percent of the votes from the March 7th election still remain to be counted.

TODAY'S FYI:

ARMY REVAMPS BASIC TRAINING FOR FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS: The Army is revamping its basic training for the first time in 30 years, making changes based on the advice of combat veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Gone are bayonet drills and five-mile runs, and in are zigzag sprints and exercises that hone core muscles, meant to build the kind of fitness needed to do things like dodge across alleys, walk patrol with heavy packs and body armor, and haul another soldier out of a burning vehicle. Female recruits are getting the same type of training, since experience in Iraq has shown that women come under fire too, even though they are formally barred from combat roles. Another goal is to toughen recruits from a generation that is more sedentary and obese, and who sometimes didn't have physical education in elementary, middle or high school, so they lack bone and muscle strength.

JOHNSTON ORDERED TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT TO BRISTOL PALIN: Levi Johnston, the father of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's grandchild, has been ordered to make interim child support payments ahead of a September trial. Johnston, who's 19, must pay $1,750 a month to 19-year-old Bristol Palin, the mother of their 15-month-old son Tripp. That amounts to 20 percent of his adjusted annual income, and is retroactive to May 2009.

C-SPAN'S FULL ARCHIVES ONLINE WITH FREE ACCESS: In news that's a boon for researchers, journalists and political junkies, C-Span has uploaded its full archives online, with free access for the public. The C-Span Video Library at C-SpanVideo.org covers 23 years, containing more than 160,000 hours of C-Span footage. The footage goes back to 1987, when C-Span's archives were established at Purdue University. Although the cable network was established eight years earlier, in 1979, there are few recordings of its earliest years. However, there are about 10,000 hours of tapes from before 1987, and C-Span will begin reformatting them for the Internet.

STUDY: VIDEO GAMES MAY HINDER BOYS' LEARNING: A new study found that owning a video game system could hinder boys' learning, LiveScience.com reported. Boys involved in the research who were given a PlayStation II were slower to progress in their reading and writing skills, and had more learning problems reported by their teachers than those who didn't get a system. The researchers think the problems are the result of a decrease in after-school activities with education value in favor of video game playing. Researcher Robert Weis, a psychologist at Ohio's Denison University, said, "There's nothing evil about video games per se. It's just that we need to monitor kids' usage of these games and to urge moderation in the amount that kids play these games."

TIME WARNER APOLOGIZES FOR PLAYBOY PROGRAMMING ON KIDS' CHANNELS: Time Warner Cable apologized Tuesday (March 16th) after it aired adult programming on two children's TV channels in its North Carolina markets yesterday morning. Time Warner said "equipment failure" was responsible for Playboy channel programming showing up on Channel 553 Kids on Demand and Channel 553 Kids Preschool on Demand from 6:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. before it could be fixed. WRAL.com reported that on the two channels, the programming menu listed information for children's shows on the left side of the screen, while previews of nude women in explicit conversations played on the right side of the screen.

SPORTS:

TIGER WOODS TO PLAY AT MASTERS: Tiger Woods announced yesterday (March 16th) that he will return to golf at the Masters next month. See "Entertainment News" for the full story.

NCAA TOURNEY BEGINS AS ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF WINS PLAY-IN GAME: The NCAA men's basketball tournament got underway last night (March 16th) as Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Winthrop 61-44 in the "play-in" game. That victory means Arkansas-Pine Bluff will play Duke, the top-rated seed in the South Regional, on Friday. The NCAA tournament will begin in earnest on Thursday with a full roster of games.

MACKEY WINS IDITAROD FOR FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW: Lance Mackey won the 1,100-mile Iditarod sled dog race Tuesday (March 16th) for the fourth year in a row, become the first person in the Alaska event's 38-year history to get four consecutive wins. The 39-year-old cancer survivor crossed the finish line in Nome after eight days, 23 hours and 59 minutes, the second-fastest finish in race history. The Iditarod began on March 6th with a ceremonial start in Anchorage, followed by the competitive start the next day in Willow, when 71 teams took to the trail.

(Headline News, FYI and Sports stories were compiled in part from reports by the Associated Press and Reuters.)

ON THE TUBE TODAY!

CBS

• THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE (repeat)
• GARY UNMARRIED - Gary learns that his and Allison's divorce papers were never filed; Allison's sister comes to town and gives Mitch a makeover.
• CRIMINAL MINDS (repeat)
• CSI: NY (repeat)

NBC

• MERCY - Veronica considers seeing a therapist; Chloe starts to warm up to Dr. Briggs; Sonia runs into an ex-boyfriend.
• LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT (repeat)
• LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT - A young girl claims she was raped in the stairwell of her apartment building; Benson and Stabler race to find a witness.

FOX

• HUMAN TARGET - Chance tries to stop his former partner from assassinating a foreign dignitary.
• AMERICAL IDOL - Ke$ha performs; Orianthi performs; a contestant is eliminated.

ABC

• SCRUBS - The med students are thankful when Cole identifies his true calling; Lucy finds her inspiration.
• THE MIDDLE (repeat)
• MODERN FAMILY (repeat)
• COUGAR TOWN (repeat)
• UGLY BETTY - Justin finds himself in an unexpected love triangle; Betty falls for a playwright she is profiling for Mode.

CW

• AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL - The contestants learn that they can only wear one article of clothing during their first photo shoot; Andre Leon Talley makes his debut on the judging panel.
• HIGH SOCIETY - Alexandra and Dabney plan a 'singles shower' for Tinsley; Jules fights with the hotel staff.

COMEDY CENTRAL

• SOUTH PARK - (season premiere) Some boys have a sex addiction problem.
• UGLY AMERICANS - (series permiere) A young man helps supernatural creatures adapt to life in the city.

MTV

• THE REAL WORLD - Ian's visit makes Erika certain of her decision; Andrew's gig gets him into the White House.

DAY TIME TALK SHOW

THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW - Ty Burrell, Maria Bartiromo, One eskimO
THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW - (repeat)
THE VIEW - Dr. Drew Pinsky, guest co-host Kate Gosselin

LATE NIGHT TALK SHOWS

THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN (CBS) - Gerard Butler, Mindy Kaling, Free Energy
THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO (NBC) - Dwayne Johnson, kid inventors, Switchfoot
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE (ABC) - (repeat)
THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON (CBS) - (repeat)
LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON (NBC) - Dakota Fanning, Joseph Fiennes, the XX
LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY (NBC) - Kat Von D, Dan Smith, Garfunkel & Oates, Metric
THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART (COMEDY CENTRAL) - Snoop Dogg
THE COLBERT REPORT (COMEDY CENTRAL) - Nell Irvin Painter
LOPEZ TONIGHT - Wanda Sykes, Peter Facinelli, Loni Love

OFF BEAT BRIEFS

INJURED DOG WALKS INTO EMERGENCY ROOM: An injured dog walked into the hospital emergency room in the northwest New Mexico city of Farmington. The canine walked into the San Juan Regional Medical Center's emergency room Saturday night with a punctured leg and blood on his paw. According to Robin Loev, an animal control officer who responded to the hospital's call, the puncture is suspected to be from the bite of another dog. Loev said the German Shepherd mix appeared to be calm and intelligent - and knew enough to go to the right place. (AP)

DENTIST USES PAPER CLIPS ON PATIENTS: A former dentist from Massachusetts is being accused of putting paper clips in patients' mouths in order to do root canals, and then billing Medicaid for the stainless steel posts that he should have used. Former dentist, Michael Clair, was charged with assault and battery, larceny, submitting false claims to Medicaid, and illegally prescribing drugs. Clair was indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday and was suspended by Medicaid in 2002. (AP)

WORLD'S SHORTEST MAN DIES: The world's shortest man, He Pingping, died at the age of 21 due to heart complications, the Guinness World Records book said. China's He Pingping, who was just over 74 cm tall, was recognized as the world record holder in 2008. Pingping was admitted into the hospital about two weeks ago after complaining about chest pains. He died on Saturday in Rome, where he was taking part in a TV show. "For such a small man, he made a huge impact around the world," said Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of the London-based Guinness World Records. (Reuters)

STRANGEST ST. PATRICK'S DAY TRADITIONS (TheFrisky.com)

New York City already has one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the country, so why the heck is there another one in Hoboken, New Jersey, just 20 minutes away . . . two weeks before St. Patrick's Day? If you want to get a jump-start on the holiday, journey to Hoboken for Irish step dancing, floats, and music.

We know that Chicago has mad Irish pride. But do they need to dye the Chicago River green to prove it? I guess so, considering that's what they've been doing for the last 40 years.

In case you were wondering -- yes, they celebrate St. Patty's Day Down Under. In Brisbane, Australia, they have a parade that includes the "Irish Historical Story." Residents dress up as teachers, widows and orphans, sugar cane cutters, gold miners, lawyers and stockmen to show how people of all traditions helped build the Australian nation. Is that supposed to be fun?

You know that you're in the Irish capital of Nebraska when you approach O'Neil and see the world's largest shamrock painted on their highway. If that wasn't enough for you, they also celebrate the big day with a St. Patrick's Day festival that includes a hypnotist and a dramatic reading of Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham.

Aren't you jealous that you won't be celebrating St. Patrick's Day with the fun folks of New London, WI? Their giant parade features leprechauns renaming the town "New Dublin," corned beef and cabbage served all week, and an Irish wake parody known as "Finnegan's Wake." They actually put a mannequin in a green hearse and have the body fly out in a wicker casket as the hearse pulls away.

What to do on "The Shortest Street In the World"? Have the shortest St. Patrick's Day parade in the world. In Hot Springs, AR, the green fireworks, Irish belly dancers, and pub-crawl will be over in no time at all. Just ask the parade's Grand Marshal, Bo Derek.

IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION

What is the official Emblem of Ireland?

A: The Harp -- not the Shamrock -- The handheld Harp was played by our Celtic Forefathers.

(Source -- Wikipedia)

How to Throw a Green Fun St. Patrick's Day Party

1. Think green and silly when it comes to decorations. Put up green cutouts of shamrocks and leprechauns on the walls and in the windows. Blow up a few dozen green balloons and pile them into corners.

2. Step 2

   Tie a few green mylar shamrock balloons to the front of the house or the front gate and screw a green "party" lightbulb into the outside light so that your guests will know where the party is.

3. Step 3

   String green Christmas tree lights (available year-round via the Internet) across the ceiling.

4. Step 4

   Place a big rock (or fake papier maché rock) right inside the entrance with a sign that says, "BLARNEY STONE - KISS FOR GOOD LUCK."

5. Step 5

   Pass out "Kiss me, I'm Irish" buttons to your guests as they arrive. Make everyone wear them.

6. Step 6

   Create a table of green munchies, including green cookies, green M&Ms and chips with guacamole (See "How to Make Food Green for St. Patrick's Day," Related eHows). Serve them out of green plastic leprechaun hats.

7. Step 7

   Set tables with green tablecloths, napkins and cups and sprinkle shamrock confetti on tables and other flat surfaces.

8. Step 8

   Serve both a traditional Irish beer (such as Guinness) and a cheaper light beer that you can dye green with food coloring; don't forget the green Jell-O shots!

9. Step 9

   Hold a limerick contest - after people have had a few drinks - and award a silly prize to the winner.

10. Step 10

    Buy a CD of classic Irish pub songs and have it playing in the background and/or rent the horror movie "Leprechaun" and have it playing (with the sound muted) on your TV.

KFLAG COUNTRY MUSIC UPDATE

Last month, Sara Evans had a judge grant a temporary restraining order against her ex-husband, Craig Shelske (SHELL-SKEE), and just yesterday (Monday, March 15th), a Williamson County, Tennessee court ordered a temporary injunction against him. The ruling prevents Craig from publically speaking about Sara or the reasons for their divorce in 2007. He will also have to pay an unspecified amount in damages to Sara. An arbitrator will determine the amount.

Craig was recently dishing the dirt during an interview with a syndicated radio program in Nashville, as well as in front of the Tennessee Legislature while testifying about a potential new bill concerning child custody issues.

• The couple's 2007 divorce agreement included a confidentiality agreement.
• Sara filed for divorce in 2006 citing adultery, irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct.
• The couple have three children.
• Sara is now married to Jay Barker, a former University of Alabama quarterback who co-hosts a sports radio show in Birmingham, Alabama.

Jason Aldean is always decked out in the latest jewelry trends, but he certainly doesn't spend a lot of money on his collection. In fact, Jason tells us his necklaces, bracelets and rings are some of the least expensive costume jewelry around. "I've always kind of just liked jewelry and stuff, and most of it's cheap. I mean, all my jewelry you could probably tally up and it'd cost about $10. I mean, it's not high dollar stuff I got on here."

Jason does have two necklaces that have both sentimental and monetary value, and he wears both everyday. One has a ring on it inscribed with the names of himself, his wife and his two daughters, and the other is a white gold cross that his wife gave him as a gift. He says: "Those are really the only ones that kind of mean anything. Everything else is just like dime store stuff, flea market bracelets and stuff. I mean, this thing I stole from my drummer. It's one of those jelly bracelets, you know what I mean? So, yeah, it's not high dollar stuff, I can promise you."

• Jason will be among the stars honoring Brooks & Dunn during the CBS TV special, Brooks & Dunn - The Last Rodeo, airing on May 23rd. The show will be taped in Las Vegas on April 19th. Tickets are still available to the public.
• Jason will also be one of the special guests on select dates on Brooks & Dunn's upcoming Last Rodeo tour.
• In the meantime, Jason continues on his own headlining Wide Open tour. His next stop is in Broomfield, Colorado on Thursday (March 18th). The tour features opening act Luke Bryan.

Reba McEntire recently shot the video for her new single, "I Keep On Loving You," in Altadena, California, and it was truly a family affair. Three of Reba's grandchildren appear in the clip, as well as her daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. Karah Marcie, the girlfriend of Reba's 20-year-old son, Shelby, plays the bride in the video, which also stars The Young & The Restless cast members Tracey Bregman Recht and Christian LeBlanc. Reba also got some help from Broadway actor John Schuck and his wife, Harrison.

• Reba said, "They all did a wonderful job portraying couples still in love at different stages in their relationships."
• Reba is involved in practically every aspect of her career, but she says when it comes to making videos, she leaves the decision making in the hands of more qualified people. "I'm more of the person who does it instead of the thinker upper, so I leave that to the professionals and what they do, and I think videos are very important. I think they only enhance a single, a song, and helps people to have another way of viewing the song. You know, when I hear a song, I have my own video in my mind, and then to watch how another person has interpreted that song is very interesting to me, so I think they're very important."
• Reba's new "I Keep On Loving You" video heads to CMT and GAC later this week.
• The superstar will host next month's Academy of Country Music Awards for the 12th time in her career. The show will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 18th on CBS.

Dierks Bentley will hit the road next month on his new Up On The Ridge tour. The trek, which is named after his upcoming bluegrass CD, will kick off on April 21st in Portland, Oregon. Tickets for most of the 24 shows go on sale on Friday (March 19th).

Dierks will be backed by the Travelin' McCourys, some of the musicians in the Del McCoury Band, while Texas-based singer/songwriter Hayes Carll will open the shows.

• Dierks said, "The only way I know to explain what this new album is to all the fans is to just get out on the road and play it for them. I've been rehearsing and working on set lists already. Every show is going to be different and really special. There aren't any better acoustic musicians in the world than the Travelin' McCourys, period. And I've been a big fan of Hayes for a long time. It'll be a total blast! I'm already plotting and planning on how to fit more dates into the schedule!"
• The tour will wrap up on May 22nd at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
• Dierks' Up On The Ridge CD is due out this summer. The project features special guests the Del McCoury Band, Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Tim O'Brien and Sam Bush.
• Dierks wrote most of the songs on the CD, which also includes a Bob Dylan tune.

FAST FACTS

• Dierks has included a bluegrass song on each of his studio albums.
• His next Music & Miles For Kids fundraiser event will be held on April 25th in Fort Worth, Texas. Proceeds from the event will benefit both the Children's Medical Center of Dallas and the Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth.

The numbers are in from Brad Paisley's recent American Saturday Night tour -- he played to an impressive 1.2 million fans over the course of eight months. During that time, he played 74 shows, 42 of which were sell-outs. Brad will announce the details of his new H2O tour next week.

Martina McBride fans can be the first to watch her new music video for "Wrong Baby Wrong" on the VEVO network, which includes VEVO.com and VEVO on YouTube. The site will offer the clip for the first time today (Tuesday, March 16th) beginning at 10 a.m. ET.

Love And Theft will perform a free concert in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 11th outside the the brand new NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of its grand opening celebration. Trio member Eric Gunderson grew up in Charlotte and attended The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Duo Kate and Kacey have split with Nashville-based Big Machine records. Kate wrote on her blog, "They weren't wanting to put out new music quite as fast as we were hoping, and for that and other reasons, we decided to move on." The twin sisters won the 2008 season of CMT's Can You Duet.

Grey's Anatomy star James Pickens, Jr., A.K.A. Chief Richard Webber, attended the 28th Annual George Strait Team Roping Classic over the weekend in San Antonio and spent some time with George and his family. James enjoys roping in his spare time, and is a member of the United States Team Roping Championships. He recently founded a non-profit charity, called the James Pickens Jr. Foundation, which will host its first annual roping event at the Tejon Ranch Equestrian Center in Lebec, California on April 22nd.

Some of Dolly Parton's early gospel recordings will be released on a new compilation album, called Letter to Heaven: Songs of Faith and Inspiration. The 16-song CD will be in stores on May 4th, according to CMT.

• Ten songs on the project are from Dolly's 1971 album, The Golden Streets of Glory, as well as a previously unreleased track called "Would You Know Him," which Dolly wrote with her aunt, Dorothy Jo Hope.
• Rounding out the collection are "Comin' for To Carry Me Home," the Porter Wagoner duet "Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man," "God's Coloring Book," "Letter to Heaven" and "Sacred Memories," which were all written by Dolly.
• Dolly was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame last year.

FAST FACTS

• Dolly's latest project, the Live From London DVD and CD, was released in October of last year. It was filmed during her sold out 2008 concerts at London's 02 Arena.
• She currently working on a dance album, called Dance With Dolly. No release date has yet been announced.

COUNTRY TRIVIA

Q. What was the name of Tim McGraw's first hit song?
A. "Indian Outlaw"

COUNTRY ON THE TUBE TODAY!

ON THE STREETS/GAC 1:30PM, 9:00PM (ET)
Eric Church, Chuck Wicks

CMT CRIBS/CMT 3:30PM (ET)
George Jones, John Schneider

SUPERSTAR SESSIONS: KEITH URBAN/GAC 8:00PM (ET)