A 21-year-old auburn-haired California model won the Miss USA crown last night and will represent the nation in this year's Miss Universe pageant. Alyssa Campanella of Los Angeles topped a field of 51 beauty queens to take the title at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
She strutted across the stage in a blue bikini with white polka dots and a dark turquoise Sherri Hill evening gown with beading on its top. She also answered a question about legalizing marijuana by saying she didn't think it should be fully legalized as a solution to help ailing economies.
Campanella told reporters in a news conference after the pageant that the win validated her decision to quickly move to Los Angeles from New Jersey after losing an apartment. "The downs happen for a reason," she said. "The path that I'm on now is the path that's been meant to be."