NEWS LITE : TRAVOLTA WILL FACE OFF IRS IN TAX FIGHT.

John Travolta is fighting an IRS demand for $1.1 million in back taxes and penalties for money earned from 1993 through 1995. The battle deals with the movie star's leaner years before his career jump start with the movie ``Pulp Fiction.''

Details of the case are sketchy, with neither the actor nor taxman talking. But papers filed with the U.S. Tax Court indicate that Travolta is arguing that Uncle Sam is unfairly disallowing losses and deductions he's claiming.

The dispute centers on a company called ATLO Inc., through which Travolta says he lost $2.27 million. ATLO is an S corporation, a device used by the rich for tax advantages.

Court papers don't specify the nature of the losses, but Travolta claims losses of $576,014 in 1993, $921,502 in 1994 and $775,014 in 1995, via ATLO. He says his taxable income should be $2.2 million for both 1993 and 1994 and $4.7 million for 1995.

The IRS is also disallowing more than $50,000 in itemized deductions the movie star claims for 1994 and 1995.

Clintons celebrate anniversary quietly

President and Hillary Rodham Clinton cleared their schedules and spent their 24th anniversary Monday quietly at Camp David.

Cancer was wake-up call for Davis, McCoo

While celebrating 30 years of marriage, Grammy-winning ``It Takes Two'' couple Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo were quietly agonizing.

Last June, the 61-year-old Davis learned he had prostate cancer.

``That was the hardest part, just hearing those dreaded words: You have cancer,'' Davis said Monday in Los Angeles. ``Your immediate reaction is, this is a death sentence. But it's not, and I think it's important that other men realize that.''

His prostate was removed in August, shortly after the couple celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. Davis said the cancer had not spread beyond the prostate, and he opted for surgery over radiation because of his young age.

When he awoke in the recovery room, Davis was concerned about his wife.

``I was worried that no one had told her I was fine, and I asked for her. After 30 years, it was like asking for my right arm,'' he said.

The couple met as members of The Fifth Dimension in 1965.

``When something like this happens, you suddenly realize that nothing lasts forever,'' McCoo said. ``You know you should live each day like it's the final day of your life and appreciate all the gifts God has given you, but until you're faced with your own mortality, you often forget to do that. This was a wake-up call for us.''

DeGeneres, Heche looking to Vermont

Ellen DeGeneres and Anne Heche will say their vows in Vermont if the state Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage.

``There is no one who is keeping their fingers crossed more than us. We'd love to celebrate that with you,'' Heche said.

The Vermont Supreme Court is considering a case filed by three same-sex couples who want to marry.

Hundreds of people packed into the University of Vermont's Patrick Gymnasium to hear America's most famous lesbian couple speak Sunday.

``All right, that does it. I'm moving here,'' DeGeneres quipped in response to the thunderous applause she received.

The crowd was there to celebrate the start of Coming Out Week, which runs through Thursday.

Pastor Al Green leads the choir

Al Green has delivered sermons as pastor at the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church for more than 20 years.

On Sunday, he sang - and all it took was someone to ask.

Green presented his first concert at the Memphis, Tenn., church, and more than 650 people turned out for it.

The concert, which featured the Mount Moriah East Baptist Church choir, members of Green's touring band and other solo gospel singers, raised money for the church's building fund and promoted the church's Women's Day Month, said Beverly White, who coordinated the concert.

``No one had asked him to do a gospel concert in his own church until I asked him, and his answer was yes,'' White said.

Green, known for the hits ``Tired of Being Alone,'' ``Let's Stay Together'' and ``Look What You Done for Me,'' recently completed a road tour of 21 shows.

Former `Dallas' star assures hot scoops

The actress who played saucy Lucy Ewing is now ladling tabloid gossip.

``Like most people, I love to gossip,'' former ``Dallas'' star Charlene Tilton said in explaining her assignment as a columnist for the Globe supermarket tabloid.

``And with my Hollywood contacts, I can assure Globe readers that I'll bring you the hottest scoops and the best gossip every single week,'' she said during a party in her honor last week.

The 40-year-old Tilton, who played Lucy Ewing on ``Dallas'' from 1978 to 1985, has a 17-year-old daughter, Cherish.

``Everyone remembers Charlene as Lucy Ewing on `Dallas' - a role that became part of American pop culture,'' Globe Editor Tony Frost said. ``Our readers will identify with Charlene as both a hard-working actress and busy mom raising a teen-age daughter.''

News Lite is compiled by Karen Duffy from Daily News staff and wire reports

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo: (1) HALF-TON HARVEST

Jon Hunt's 991-pound pumpkin set a record in the Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, Calif.

(2) Ellen Degeneres, left, and Anne Heche speak out on Monday.

(3) Davis Jr.

(4) Green