TRENTON, N.J. - With Santa Claus coming to town, Bruce Springsteen is hoping that holiday gifts will be purchased in the shore city where The Boss rose to fame.

Springsteen is offering 10 people a pair of tickets to his Dec. 19 show at Harry's Roadhouse, along with the opportunity to meet him. But the only way to enter the contest is to visit a shop in Asbury Park.

The contest is the latest effort by Springsteen to help local businesses, said Eileen Chapman, president of the Merchants Guild of Asbury Park.

"Bruce has gotten onstage and listed all the merchants in Asbury Park, actually gone down the whole list and encouraged people at his concerts to shop the stores in Asbury," Chapman said.

An alien environment

NAUGATUCK, Conn. -"Free hugs and haircuts for Tom Cruise& Steven Spielberg" read one sign outside Savior Hair as a few giggling hairdressers tried to lure the actor and director into the salon.

Cruise and Spielberg were on set filming scenes at the Uniroyal Chemical plant for War of the Worlds, based on H.G. Wells'snovel about an invasion from outer space.

They arrived by helicopter and landed in a secluded parking lot behind the plant.

But that didn't stop fans from lingering in front of police barriers as early as 5 a.m. Friday to see if they could spot them.

"If I find Tom, I want to bring him home with me. I'll say, 'You don't need a hotel! I have plenty of room,'" said Maria Furtado, a 56-year-old grandmother.

Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures officials remained tightlipped about which scenes were being shot for the movie, also starring Tim Robbins and Dakota Fanning, which is set to open June 29.

A scout for Paramount found the idled chemical plant about a month ago.

"It's what we were looking for. It's kind of run down and has that Northeast industrial look with these really cool smokestacks and lots of glass," said Lyn Pinezich, a location manager.

A spirit-lifting gift

SALEM, Ore. - A gift from country music legend Buck Owens has lifted one Salem, Ore., woman's spirits.

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