Despite Crown Controversy, Miss N.C. Pageant To Renew Contract With Miss America Pageant

The Miss North Carolina organization is not wasting any time preparing for the next pageant. For the first time in months, its

Web site

is back up with information about preliminaries.

After winning the state crown in June, Rebekah Revels alleges she was forced to give it up after her ex-fiance threatened to expose topless photos of her. First runner-up Misty Clymer took over, but Revels won the crown back in court. Clymer won the fight to compete at the Miss America pageant, and then a judge ruled neither should be recognized, pending arbitration.

Harold Garner, who has run the Miss Garner pageant for 33 years, said the controversy does not bother him a bit. He said he wholeheartedly supports the current organizers.

"They do a wonderful job as far as I'm concerned. They haven't done anything wrong. They look after the girls," he said.

However, Barry Nakell, Revels' attorney, is not so sure.

"What concerns me about it, the Miss North Carolina folks still don't seem to have a clue. They have not acknowledged responsibility, haven't taken responsibility and I don't know whether they've learned from this experience at all," he said.

The current group has run the state pageant for seven years. Its director, Alan Clouse, declined to comment about the issue.

Revels will compete in the Miss World pageant. Clymers' attorney believes that violates Revels' contract with Miss North Carolina, so more legal action could be on the way.