The Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA

Magazine of March 23rd, 2006

Dear Miss Florida USA Family:

Welcome to another edition of YOUR Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA Magazine YOUR information source for everything pageantry in the Sunshine State. Even though we had no preliminary pageants this week it was still very special as last Thursday we were very proud to host a “Going Away to Miss USA!” Party to honor our Miss Florida USA Cristin Duren. This weekend is also the first shoots for this July’s televised Miss Florida USA special. Pictures and a new Pageant Page will debut on Monday!

World Pageant News sees the Miss Universe qualifying season really pick up the pace heading into this years world pageant championship. Also we have some very disturbing news about a pageant sponsorship that has brought up many different opinions. In The Road to Baltimore we have reports from Maine and Georgia. Miss Florida USA News has reports from North Miami, Pensacola and Alachua County. Faces & Places has one last look at Ms. Duren’s Going Away Party plus a report on a very special Miss Florida. Gen Art features cool and hip designer Carol Young. All the pageant news that fits to print updated on Thursdays and Fridays and results on Mondays only at YOUR Miss Florida USA Ezine, the only Ezine in the pageant world!

Publishers Note: Due to an all day Tel-Air shoot on Thursday we decided to post the Ezine on Wednesday rather then late on Friday morning. Faces & Places will debut on its normal Friday deadline. Enjoy!

Grant H. Gravitt, Jr.

Executive Producer

Miss Florida USA & Miss Florida Teen USA

» 113 Days until Miss Florida USA!

» 8 Days until Gainesville/SW Florida/North Miami/

West Broward USA Weekend!

» 29 Days until Miss USA!

PAGEANT NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

» Miss Universe Canada

CanWest New Service

(MONTREAL)- Alice Panikian of Toronto was anointed Miss Universe Canada 2006, defeating 48 other hopefuls Tuesday night at the Casino de Montreal. The 20-year-old York University student takes over the tiara from Natalie Glebova, who went on to win the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand last year. "It's surreal. I think I'm dreaming," Panikian said, checking her pulse. "No, no, I'm not."

The judges rated the young women on poise, confidence, intelligence, physical fitness, and beauty as they modeled in swimsuits and evening gowns and made impromptu speeches. Glebova said Panikian, who also took the Miss Photogenic prize, would give Canada a strong candidate for the Miss Universe crown for a second year in a row. "She's gorgeous. Absolutely stunning," the past queen said.

Three Quebecers were among the 10 finalists, but none made the Top 5. This disappointed runner-up Claudia Cote, who had received the loudest applause from the audience.
"Quebec women are known their warmth and beauty,'' Cote lamented. "It would have been nice to see one of our girls in the final round."

The title of Miss Universe Canada allows the winner to travel the world in defence of a favourite cause. For Panikian, it will be HIV and AIDS prevention in Africa. "(AIDS) is very preventible. With education we can save a lot of lives," she said.

Alice Panikian 20yrs from Toronto Ontario is crowned the new

Miss Universe Canada at the Casino de Montreal

in Montreal Quebec last night.

» MISS INDIA UNIVERSE ANNOUNCED:

Mumbai, Mar 18: Neha Kapoor was crowned Pond`s Femina Miss India Universe 2006 here tonight. Natasha Suri was adjudged Miss India World and Amruta Patki was declared Miss India Earth at a glittering function. Neha was also being titled as Miss Photogenic and Miss Fresh Face, while Natasha also won the title of Miss Beautiful Smile.

The other sub-contest title winners were Neha Ahuja as Miss Beautiful Skin, Montu Tomar as Miss 10, Neha Misra as Miss Talented, Meenakshi Karan as miss wellness, Tanya Vakil as Miss Catwalk and Miss Iron Maiden, Radhika Rao as Miss Congeniality, Jaituni Desai as Miss Su Doku and Miss Mermaid, Aarohi Misra as Miss Radio Mirchi listeners` choice, Romil Srivastava as Dancing Queen, Pooa Sharma as Miss Beautiful Hair, Parineeta Chaudhary as Miss Beautiful Eyes and Miss 8888 (for getting most votes on 8888), Niyati Joshi as Miss Sony My Miss India and Darshika Saxena as Miss Athlete.

Parineeta Chaudhary, Pooja Sharma, Sonali Sehgal, Tanya Vakil, Aishwarya Sakhuja, Vibhinta Verma and Aarohi Misra made it in the ten finalists, while Tanya and Sonali also made it in the five finalists.

Newly crowned winners of Miss India beauty pageant 2006, Miss India-Universe Neha Kapur (C), Miss India-World Natasha Suri (L) and Miss India-Earth Amruta Patki smile

in Mumbai March 18, 2006. REUTERS/Adeel Halim

Neha Kapur reacts after winning the Miss India Pageant 2006

» MISS ECUADOR RESULTS:

Katty Lopez, from Guayaquil, was elected Miss Ecuador 2006 at a beautiful event held March 16th in the city of Cuenca. The 1st runner-up was the big favorite, Rebeca Flores from Cuenca; the 2nd runner-up was Denisse Rodriguez from Pichincha; the 3rd runner-up was Mirely Barzola from Guayas; and the 4th runner-up was Carla Caicedo from Esmeraldas.

Katty Lopez, who is a 22-year old student of Engineering in marketing and sales, is 1.75 m tall and will represent Ecuador at the Miss Universe 2006 pageant in July. Katty also won the special awards for Most Beautiful Hair and Best Smile.

Rebeca Flores, 22 won the Miss Photogenic Award. She is a student of business administration and will compete in the Miss World 2006 pageant in Warsaw, Poland. Denisse Rodriguez is expected to represent Ecuador at the Miss International 2006 pageant in Beijing, China, next October. 15 delegates competed in the annual beauty pageant, televised live to the whole country by Gamavision who also distributes Miss Florida USA throughout South and Central America.

Katty López es la nueva Miss Ecuador 2006.

» MISS UNIVERSE PARAGUAY

Lourdes Arevalos, a 22-year old student of Commercial Engineering, won the Miss Universe Paraguay 2006 pageant held at the theater of the Central Bank of Paraguay in Asuncion on March 18th.

Lourdes, who is also a professional model with experience in pageants will represent Paraguay at the Miss Universe 2006 pageant in July. The 1st runner-up was Leryn Franco; the 2nd runner-up was Elvira Cuellar; the 3rd runner-up was Myriam Rodriguez, and Camila Carisimo became the 4th runner-up. 16 contestants competed in the event, organized by Promociones Gloria and Telefutura.

» Pageant pushed to reject Reynolds

By Nancy Zuckerbrod

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Miss America candidates and the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. have a special relationship, and antismoking groups want to break it up. The second-biggest U.S. maker of cigarettes has, for the last few years, been giving winners of Miss America state pageants $5,000 annually to promote the company's youth antismoking campaign, a program public-health officials say is a sham. Now a coalition of health groups is asking the association that runs the state pageants to quit working with R.J. Reynolds, which is part of Reynolds American Inc., of Winston-Salem, N.C. "R.J. Reynolds is trying to use partnerships with reputable organizations like the Miss America State Pageants to create the illusion that it has changed and is part of the solution to the tobacco problem," Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, wrote in a letter this month to the National Association of Miss America State Pageants.

R.J. Reynolds is teamed with 29 state pageant organizations, according to Carolyn Brinkley, senior manager of RJR's public-policy programs. Reynolds' brands include Camel, Winston and Doral. Brinkley said the firm offered the women, who compete in the Miss America pageant, antismoking materials to use in schools.

But Brinkley said the company did not script the visits. She added that educators surveyed by the firm had been pleased with the program. "We're being villainized for doing something that's the right thing to do," Brinkley said. The effort serves both the children, who get the antismoking message, and pageant winners, who get the money, said Lamar Mullican, president of the board of the state pageant association. "It's been a godsend program for the pageant program," Mullican said. "We've had absolutely no complaints on it whatsoever." A coalition of public-health groups issued a statement Wednesday expressing opposition to the relationship. "None of the tobacco-prevention programs designed by tobacco companies have been effective at preventing youth smoking," Cynthia Hallett, executive director of Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, said in the statement.

Former Miss America Heather French Henry is shown in a Jan. 5, 2005, file photo taken in Frankfort, Ky. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has for the past few years been giving winners of Miss America state pageants $5,000 annually to promote the company's youth anti-smoking campaign, a program public health officials say is a sham. Henry delivered an anti-smoking message to Kentucky teens for the state government prior to becoming Miss America 2000. She said she had not seen R.J. Reynolds' materials but didn't have a problem with the pairing of the cigarette company and the women. (AP Photo/Patti Longmire, File)

MISS FL USA NEWS!

» ANNONCING MISS ALACHUA COUNTY USA & TEEN USA

Suddenly the hotbed of Central Florida Pageantry we are very excited to announce the return of Pageant Directors Ernestine and Sherri Raybourne back to the Miss Florida USA family. The Miss Alachua County USA and Miss Alachua County Teen USA will be held on May 7th in Gainesville. For more info and an entry form please email or call 352-372-6133 or via email to MISSALACHUACOUSA@AOL.COM.

» MISS PENSACOLA USA & TEEN USA UPDATE:
The date for our first ever visit to Florida’s western most city is April 9, 2006 at the Holiday Inn, University Mall, Pensacola! If you'd like to compete, call 954-924-8846 or via email to director@missvermontusa.com! We need 10 girls in each group so sign up now.

» MISS NORTH MIAMI USA UPDATE

Hello! I am Judith Coffman, the director for Miss North Miami USA. The date is Saturday, April 1, 2006. I have a great opportunity for all of you who chose to compete in the Miss North Miami Pageant. I must limit the number of delegates to 14 contestants! I have a spokesperson/modeling job with Vassarette Clothing Line for all 14 young ladies. The spokesperson job will include a training day and 8 days of work. Each day rate is $162.00. Please call Judith Coffman at 954-804-1100 or you may call Michael Galanes at 954-924-8846. Please do not forget that Miss North Miami is offering $3000.00 in cash as well as the all expense paid trip to the 2007 Miss Florida USA Pageant and a Juan Garlos Pinera evening gown for the state competition! See you there!

» The Debonair Diva Dream Team Is Back!

Debonair Creations, Inc announces a return to the Miss Florida USA Family as they will proudly produce the Miss First Coast USA and Miss First Coast Teen USA Pageant, in the beautiful city of Jacksonville, Florida. The Pageant will be hosted at the Bethelite Conference Center on November 18, 2006! For more information on one of the first 2008 Miss Florida USA Preliminary Pageants contact S. Charles Lee the pageants Executive Director at either 407-310-9106 or debonairpageants@yahoo.com. Also check out The Debonair Diva website at www.DebonairDivas.com. Welcome back Mr. Lee!

» 2007 Miss Florida USA Preliminary Season Schedule

UPDATED 3/22/06

March 25/26: Miss Florida USA Pretape Shoot

April 1 Miss Southwest Florida USA & Teen USA Pageants

April 1 Miss Gainesville USA & Teen USA Pageants

April 1 Miss North Miami USA Pageant

April 2: Miss West Broward USA & Teen USA Pageants

April 8: Miss Gold Coast/Palm Beach County USA & Teen Pageants

April 9: Miss Pensacola USA & Teen USA Pageants

April 14: Miss USA Presentation Show – Baltimore

April 21: Miss USA Finals - Baltimore

April 23: Miss Ormond Beach USA & Teen USA Pageants

May 6: Miss Northwest Florida USA & Teen USA Pageants (Ocala)

May 7: Miss Homestead USA & Teen USA Pageants

May 7: Miss Emerald Coast USA & Teen USA Pageants

May 11 Too Hot for Fashion – Hollywood Beach Community Center

May 13 Miss Miami USA & Teen USA

May 13 Miss City Beautiful USA & Teen USA Pageants

May 20: Miss Boca Raton USA & Teen USA Pageants

May 21: Miss Space Coast USA & Teen USA Super Pageant - Melbourne

TBD Miss Magic City USA & Teen USA Pageants

June 1 – 4 Final Pre Tape Weekend - Hollywood

June 2: Miss Florida USA Seminar Day

July 11: Miss Florida USA Registration Day

July 14: Miss Florida USA Preliminary Night

July 15: Miss Florida USA Finals & Telecast

MISS FLORIDA TEEN USA TV LISTINGS:

JACKSONVILLE

WAWS FOX

Channel 47

TBD

» Miss Maine USA on In-state Tour

Miss Maine USA Katee Stearns (left) and Rosie Richardson

at Harbor Hill. (Photo by Terri Mahoney)

BELFAST (March 18): Miss Maine USA Katee Stearns visited Wednesday with residents at Harbor Hill during her two-day tour through Waldo County. Stearns, a University of Maine student, is raising money to help with the costs of a gown and a state gift that are required of contestants. The pageant will be televised April 21 on NBC.

Stearns was interviewed on WERU on Wednesday, and paid a visit to Searsport District Middle School to meet student Derrik Kenney, who has been diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Tim Murphy of Murphy's Coffee House on lower Main Street, one of Stearns' business sponsors, hosted the aspiring model and dancer. When she toured downtown Belfast, Stearns carried flowers from Holmes' Greenhouse and rode in a town car from Rockland Ford. Thursday, Stearns' scheduled stops included nursing homes and schools, along with Ducktrap River Fish Farm, where her mother works, as well as the Lookout Pub on the waterfront. Stearns was named Miss Maine USA at a pageant in South Portland last November. She was Maine's Junior Miss in 2004. She had also won three national dance championships by the time she was 14. She studies kinesiology and dance at UMaine, where she is a peer tutor along with her academic work.

» Miss Georgia USA To Greet Fans

Miss USA contestant Lisa Wilson will be at the Super Kmart Center this Thursday.

By Lauren Gregory, Rome(GA) News-Tribune Staff Writer. As focused as Rome’s Lisa Wilson has become on winning the Miss USA pageant next month in Baltimore, she hasn’t forgotten her hometown fans. Wilson will make an appearance Thursday at Super Kmart Center on Hicks Drive for a meet-and-greet and autograph signing from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The first 200 attendees will get a free 5x7 signed photograph, and all others can take their own photos, according to event organizers.

The 25-year-old Armuchee High School graduate’s love of horses will also be celebrated Thursday with free horse rides from 4 to 7 p.m. for children ages 3 to 18, and a simultaneous hot dog and hamburger cookout is scheduled to benefit the March of Dimes. Ms. Wilson, who became a semi-finalist on “American Idol” in 2004 and took the Miss Georgia USA title last November, is preparing to leave Rome on April 2 for the competition that she says is the most intense of her life.

“This is like the Mac Daddy of everything I’ve ever done,” she said, “even compared to ‘American Idol.’” Wilson has trained extensively for the competition — both physically for the evening gown portion and mentally for the interview portion — and believes she is ready to take the crown. “I have full confidence I could go in and win it,” she said.

You Too Can Be Cool And Comfortable...

With Undesigned

Undesigned is a fashion label that believes in multi-functional and season-less clothing. Call it clothes for the modern nomad or what we prefer: good fashion sense.
Undesigned is really 34-year old Carol Young. Her clothes are eco-friendly and based on modern, flattering silhouettes. Young used to be an architect and it shows in her masterful clean lines and clever reversible, convertible separates. No detail has been overlooked from the fabric she chooses, (usually organic) to her individually embellished denim line. Our favorite pieces are her flowing skirts made of cotton, fleece and linen. They can be worn as comfortably to a lunch date as on an overseas flight. However, we'd be more likely to rock pieces of her collection, rather than wearing Undesigned as "one whole look". Her tops, especially her silk pieces, make lovely pairings for jeans, no?

It's hard to find cool, yet, comfortable clothes. Thankfully, Undesigned is here to save the fashion day. Young says she makes every piece of her line with a lo! t of TLC and boy, does it show. If you dig on her stuff as much as we do, get her 2006 line here.

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