ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Jon Gosselin offered his estranged wife, Kate, a bouquet of red roses at their divorce arbitration hearing over the weekend. She evidently turned them down.

Despite the snub, the marathon session went so well that the feuding stars of "Jon & Kate Plus Eight" could be divorced by the end of the year, his attorney said yesterday.

The couple met for more than six hours Saturday at a law office in the Philadelphia suburbs to discuss unresolved issues, including custody of their eight children and the distribution of marital property. Attorney Mark Heller said a second day of arbitration planned for Monday is no longer needed. He said an arbitrator will rule by Christmas and the divorce could be finalized by the close of 2009.

WEISZ, MCKELLEN RECEIVE THEATER HONORS

LONDON — Rachel Weisz took top acting honors and Ian McKellen was recognized for a half-century in the theater yesterday at London's Evening Standard Theater Awards.

Weisz won the acting prize for playing faded southern belle Blanche Dubois in Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire." The prize was renamed the Natasha Richardson Best Actress Award this year in honor of the actress who died in March after a skiing accident in Quebec.

McKellen received a special award for his outstanding contribution to British theater.

CHIEF CONVICTED IN SJP SURROGATE CASE

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio — An eastern Ohio police chief was convicted of three felonies yesterday but was acquitted of burglary charges in an alleged break-in at the home of a woman who carried twin girls for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.

A jury found suspended Martins Ferry Chief Barry Carpenter guilty of receiving stolen property, theft in office and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors alleged that Carpenter broke into Michelle Ross' home in May, took items related to her pregnancy and the surrogacy, and schemed with Police Chief Chad Dojack of neighboring Bridgeport to sell the items to paparazzi.

KENNEDY'S WIDOW WILL BE ON 'OPRAH'

NEW YORK — Another interview coup for Oprah Winfrey: Vicki Kennedy, wife of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.

In her first interview since her husband's death, Vicki Kennedy will appear on Winfrey's television talk show tomorrow, along with her stepson, Ted Kennedy Jr., and her two children from a previous marriage, Caroline and Curran.

Sen. Kennedy died in August at age 77.

U2 TO PLAY AT UK SUMMER FESTIVAL

LONDON — Organizers say U2 will headline Glastonbury, Britain's leading summer music festival.

Festival boss Michael Eavis said yesterday the Irish rockers will play the festival's main stage on June 25.

It will be U2's first appearance at the event.