Miss Kansas contests set for this weekend

Overland Park ? The Miss Kansas USA and Miss Kansas Teen USA pageants return to Overland Park this weekend for the 2006 competitions.

The event is being held at the Carlsen Center in Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College.

A total of 63 contestants will spend Friday rehearsing for the rest of the weekend’s events and attending the 6 p.m. opening banquet at the Overland Park Doubletree Hotel.

The presentation show will be 7 p.m. Saturday, when the judges get their first look at each contestant in evening gown and swimsuit competitions. Personal interviews will be done Sunday morning. Semifinalists in two age divisions will be chosen.

The main event starts at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. To purchase tickets call the Carlsen Center box office at (913) 469-4445.

The winners in the Miss Kansas USA and Miss Kansas Teen USA will advance to the Miss USA Pageant in the spring and the Miss Teen USA Pageant in the summer.

Miss Kansas USA 2005 was Rachel Saunders of Tonganoxie.

Area contestants

The Miss Kansas USA contestants from the Lawrence area are: Abby French, 21, Colleen Minde, 21, and Rory O’Callaghan, 22, all of Lawrence; Trisha Tyree, 20, Eudora; Lacey Hanson, 21, Oskaloosa; and Kansas University students Alyssa George, Megan Price and Sophie Blackwell.

The Miss Kansas Teen USA contestants from the area are: Olivia Catloth, 15, Baldwin; and Paula Prosser, 17, Tonganoxie.