Las Vegas, Beauty Pageant | featured news

A 23-year-old beauty queen from Kenosha, Wis., won the Miss America pageant Saturday in Las Vegas after singing opera and strutting in a white bikini and black beaded evening gown. Laura Kaeppeler also had to answer a question about whether beauty queens should declare their politics.

A 21-year-old auburn-haired California girl won the Miss USA crown on Sunday night and will represent the nation in this year’s Miss Universe pageant in September in Brazil.

Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron, a Fredericksburg native, was crowned Miss America at the great annual spectacle in Las Vegas Saturday night. The 22 year-old sang the "Dreamgirls" ballad "Listen," rocked a bright-yellow evening gown, and exhorted kids to get off the couch and play outdoors -- and did so with just enough spunk and charisma to win a $50,000 scholarship over 52 other women.