ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - The Latest on the arrival of contestants for the Miss America competition (all times local):
5:30 p.m.
The official arrival of the 51 hopefuls vying for the title of Miss America has gone off without mention of the tensions engulfing the pageant recently.
Chairwoman Gretchen Carlson has feuded on Twitter with reigning Miss America Cara Mund after Mund said she’d been “silenced” by pageant officials seeking to control what she says publicly.
State pageant officials also have questioned Carlson’s announcement discontinuing the swimsuit competition. Many have called for Carlson and CEO Regina Hopper to resign.
At the arrival ceremony Thursday in Atlantic City, Mund deflected questions about her earlier comments and said she’s focusing on the current competition. Carlson and Hopper declined to answer questions.
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12:10 a.m.
The 51 hopefuls vying for the title of Miss America will arrive in Atlantic City as the pageant faces change and internal dissension.
Pageant Chairwoman Gretchen Carlson has feuded on Twitter with reigning Miss America Cara Mund after Mund said she’d been “silenced” by pageant officials seeking to control what she says.
More than half of state organizations have called for Carlson and CEO Regina Hopper to resign.
Part of the dissatisfaction stems from the way the decision to discontinue the swimsuit competition was announced in June.
Carlson took over in January after previous pageant officials were revealed to have circulated emails denigrating the appearance, intellect and sex lives of former Miss Americas.
Contestants from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia will meet the public Thursday afternoon.
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