NEWS LITE : GOP CONGRESSMAN DATES MISS AMERICA.

With Tara Dawn Holland due to surrender her Miss America crown Saturday, now it can be told. She's been seeing Congressman Jon Christensen, 34. ``She's very important, very, very important,'' said the Nebraska Republican, ``the most important person in my life, outside my Savior and Lord.'' They've been dating since February when they met on a Washington-to-Omaha flight. But Christensen won't say whether a Miss America chaperone tags along. Last year, the pol divorced his wife of nine years, Meredith, who said she might try for his congressional seat after he recently announced he'd make a run for governor. Holland, 24, is returning to grad school at the University of Missouri for a master's in choral music education.

Stern not sorry about remarks

Howard Stern to Canada: Lighten up, eh.

The radio host refused to apologize Wednesday for insulting French-speaking Quebeckers on his show, saying: ``I can't imagine anybody would take what I say seriously.''

Stern made his Canadian debut last week when his New York-based program was broadcast in Montreal and Toronto. He called Francophones ``peckerheads'' and ``scumbags'' and charged that the French collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.

The broadcast prompted the Quebec government to suggest Stern was violating a law against stirring up ethnic hatred.

At a news conference, Stern said: ``The reason you guys have put me on the front page of your newspapers is because I'm the freshest, wildest radio host in the world. You've now been introduced to good radio.''

Tenor impressedby diva's appetite

Soprano Rosa Ponselle was a great eater as well as a great singer, Luciano Pavarotti recalled Wednesday as postage stamps picturing four Metropolitan Opera stars of the past were unveiled in New York.

In 1974, Pavarotti said, he visited an 80-year-old Ponselle in Baltimore.

``She gave me an appointment in the afternoon. For her the morning didn't exist,'' the tenor recalled. ``She came out of her house dressed like a beautiful diva. She said, `Today my pianissimo will not be so great.' ''

They talked and sang and ate for hours, he said.

``She was a great eater. Wow. We were eating the same precise things. Staying even with me is not easy,'' the heroically proportioned Pavarotti said.

Ponselle, soprano Lily Pons, tenor Richard Tucker and baritone Lawrence Tibbett are pictured on the 32-cent stamps, displayed at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Diana, Mother Teresa books moved up

A Philadelphia publisher will score a literary double this month by becoming the first out with post-mortem books on Princess Diana and Mother Teresa.

Running Press will have 450,000 copies of ``Diana: A Tribute to the People's Princess,'' in stores by Sept. 30. (The first Di book - ``Diana Princess of Wales,'' by reporter Tom Corby and photographer Tim Graham - will appear today from Weidenfeld & Nicolson). The 136-page ``Tribute'' contains loads of photos, including some of Saturday's funeral.

``Mother Teresa,'' written by New Yorker Joanna Hurley before the nun's death, has been in the works for 1-1/2 years and just had its November publishing date moved up to next week. Initially, the book will have a run of 18,000 copies; a second printing of 125,000 copies will include material about her death.

Running Press boss Buz Teacher said Wednesday that he obtained the U.S. rights to the Di book from a U.K. publisher. Its text is by British writer Peter Donnelly. Teacher said the entire run has been sold and that a second printing is being pondered. The company's previous first-run record was 150,000 copies for the recent ``Daughters and Mothers.'' The top best-seller for the firm, which is marking its 25th anniversary this year, is 1.2 million copies of ``Sisters.''

Teacher stressed that the Di book is ``respectful,'' with none of her scandals or peccadillos but only ``her accomplishments and reasons for her mass appeal.'' It will retail for $12.98.

Clintons to help Chelsea move in

Like many other fathers, President Clinton will personally drop his daughter off at college. But unlike most, he is planning to linger near campus for a couple of days.

Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will leave Washington on Sept. 18 to accompany their daughter, Chelsea, to Stanford University in Palo Alto, said White House spokesman Mike McCurry.

Chelsea, 17, is among 1,600 students who will be moving into dormitories and beginning orientation the next day. She is a freshman.

But the Clintons don't plan to leave once Chelsea is safely settled in her dormitory, McCurry said.

``They've got their own family program for two days,'' the spokesman said

Air carrier may punish frolicking flight crew

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is investigating a pilot and two flight attendants who were photographed cavorting on the roof of a parked jumbo jet.

The picture, which appeared in several newspapers Wednesday, showed the three walking shakily along the roof of the Boeing 747-400 with their knees bent and arms outstretched, apparently for balance.

The jetliner was grounded in Guatemala City with no passengers aboard. A photographer for the Belgian newspaper De Morgen captured the stunt.

``We believe the crew has taken an unacceptable degree of personal risk, and we will investigate the matter thoroughly,'' KLM spokesman Hugo Baas said Wednesday. Disciplinary action against the three was being considered.

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

PHOTO (1) For England's rose

Elton John's musical tribute, with proceeds going to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund, is scheduled for rush release on Saturday.

(2) President Clinton embraces his daughter, Chelsea, as their New England vacation together ends.

(3) Stern

(4) Pavarotti