Hillary, Bill, Chelsea Clinton returning

The Democratic presidential campaign is pushing ahead in North Carolina with visits this week by former President Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton and next week by Sen. Hillary Clinton.

The former president on Wednesday will make his fifth campaign trip to the state on behalf of his wife's candidacy, the campaign announced.

Clinton will attend "Solutions for America" events in Hillsborough, Burlington, Asheboro, Lexington and Statesville. Details have not been released, but all events will be free and open to the public. No tickets will be required.

Chelsea Clinton is scheduled to be in the state Tuesday. The specifics of her visit have not yet been announced.

Sen. Clinton will attend a Club 44 rally at Charlotte's City Center on Monday, April 28. Details of that visit have not been announced.

Meanwhile, the campaigns of both Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama are sending celebrity surrogates to the state this week.

Actress Alfre Woodard will be at the Obama headquarters at 130 E. Morgan St. in Raleigh this morning to participate in a phone bank. Woodard, who appeared in ABC's "Desperate Housewives," won Emmys for her work in "the Practice" and "Miss Evers' Boys."

Actor, director and producer Sean Astin, a Clinton supporter, will start a three-day tour of the state today to encourage people to take advantage of early voting. Astin starred in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "Rudy."

Astin will speak at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Caldwell Lounge at N.C. State University and at 4:45 p.m. in the Student Union at UNC-Chapel Hill