Watch Miss America pageant Saturday night

by Local reports | The Muskegon Chronicle

Saturday January 24, 2009, 6:44 AM

There’s plenty of West Michigan connections to the 2009 Miss America pageant, which airs at 8 p.m. today on cable network The Learning Channel, TLC.

First, the reigning Miss America, Kirsten Haglund, was crowned Miss Michigan 2007 right here in Muskegon. Her homecoming celebration after she won the Miss America title was here in Muskegon, the home of the Miss Michigan pageant, and she has made numerous appearances here.

Miss America Kirsten Haglund

Miss Michigan Ashley Baracy

Second, Miss Michigan Ashlee Baracy, was crowned Miss Michigan 2008, again right here in Muskegon. Baracy, of Westland, also has made numerous appearances and prepped for the Miss America pageant here. She was named first runner-up in the Evelyn Ay Sempier Quality of Life Award competition Thursday for her work as an advocate for breast cancer awareness. The award went to Miss Kentucky Emily Cox for her work promoting self-esteem among young people. Miss Alabama Amanda Tapley of Birmingham was the second runner-up.

Finally, Edgar Struble, a Scottville native, is putting the final touches on the music for the 2009 Miss America Pageant.

“This has been quite a project,” Struble said from his southern California studio. “The music has to play under just about every segment of the show, and some of the segments are quite long. The trick is to keep the cues interesting.”

While his assignment is challenging,Struble said it is a joy to be associated with such a long-standing American institution.

“I was just a kid, but I can still remember the excitement we felt back in 1961 when Nancy Anne Flemming from Montague won the contest,” she said. “It’s amazing that 40 years later the pageant is still an event, and even more amazing that I’m involved.”

For the first time, four contestants will be voted into the pageant finals by viewers of “Miss America: Countdown to the Crown,” the four-part reality series which ended Friday on TLC. The viewer favorites will be named along with 11 other finalists as the pageant opens Saturday at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Source: Muskegon Chronicle - Mlive