On July 9, 2008, authorities in Boulder, Colo., declared that DNA evidence had cleared John and Patsy Ramsey in the slaying of their 6-year-old daughter, JonBenet. The crime remains unsolved. The slaying of the child in the family's Colorado home on Dec. 26, 1996, created a media firestorm. Pictures of JonBenet performing in child pageants created the impression that such competitions sexualized young girls and that the parents of contestants were child abusers. Bizarre theories focusing on the parents became commonplace, many stressing the fact that Patsy Ramsey, who died in 2006, had once competed at Miss America. The family was vilified for years. Interestingly, no evidence of scandals in child pageants emerged as a result of the intense scrutiny. "This case was a horror for the family," said journalist Gerdeen Dyer, founder of www.pageant.com, "but it was also an enormous blow to the pageant business in America. Its impact on public opinion has been lasting."

Elyse Umemoto, who as Miss Washington was the second runner-up the 2008 Miss America Pageant, ran into an embarrassing situation in July 2008 when pictures of her making various kinds of obscene gestures at a party surfaced on the Internet. Ms. Umemoto apologized, saying she was clowning at a private party and regretted that the pictures had become public. Miss Washington officials, saying it was basically a lapse in judgment by a good person, said there would be no punishment.

Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund, has been selected by the Detroit News as one of the Michiganians of the Year. The award is given annually to recognize outstanding Michigan citizens and their contributions to society.

Terri-Karelle Griffith, who was Miss Jamaica World 2005, married her longtime boyfriend Evon Courtney Reid Jr. on June 7, 2008, in Jamaica.

Legendary pageant photographer Joe Whiteko was quoted by The New York Times during the final two days of the Democratic presidential primary season. Whiteko, whose picture was included in the print edition, offered his astute opinions on the issue of whether Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton should form a presidential "ticket."

One week before leaving for Vietnam to compete at Miss Universe, Amanda Ammann, Miss Switzerland, took part in the opening ceremony for the Soccer EuroCup 2008. The Eurocup, the world's third-largest sports extravaganza, is the European Soccer Tournament for national teams. It opened on June 7, 2007, in Basel, Switzerland.

Former Miss Connecticut USA Kristina Hughes, a busy actress, appears in the newly premiered movie "Green River."

Russia's Oxana Fedorova, who was Miss Universe 2002 (for a time), was an announcer on May 23, 2008, at the 53rd annual Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia.

Gemma Garrett, 26, the reigning Miss Great Britain, announced on May 6, 2008, that she was a British legislative candidate. Her party, newly formed, is called Beauties for Britain.

Famed pageant emcee Jim Gibson will begin hosting a new nationally syndicated television called "Money IQ" in May 2008.

Lori Sundberg, a former three-time Mrs. Pennsylvania winner (in three separate systems) has become a Fulbright Scholar to the Freie Universität Berlin for the academic year 2008-2009. Grantees are selected by the presidential appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Former Miss Nevada USA Katie Rees cut a deal in a Las Vegas court on April 9, 2008, pleading no contest to traffic charges and having a charge of resisting arrest dismissed. Ms. Rees was arrested in February after being accused of assaulting officers during a traffic stop. Ms. Rees was stripped of her title in December 2006 after old photos were published showing her involved in sexually oriented behavior at a party.

Megan Alexander, a former pageant titleholder for National American Miss and a frequent emcee for the pageant program, is the new East Coast correspondent for the national TV show "Inside Edition." She also recently judged the Miss Texas USA Pageant in Laredo, Texas.