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A12 The Times Journal December 21, 2006 www.russellcounty.net TARA: She has a second chance, the praise of her father for facing the music and media from all over the world buzzing Continued from front page sonal information on Conner. Tamiko Nash, Miss Callifornia Miss USA organization. Conner was responsible for getting lost it when it was discovered she I've ever been - She stood there Tabloid media, both print and tele- USA, who has appeared on rapper Another report they printed , 19, was married with children. and publicly faced this without get- vision, included offers of "name Snoop Dogg's latest album cover, alleged that Conner was out drink- drunk on her birthday, as well as for In 1973 Marjorie Wallace was ting scared and running from it. I your price," for anything of her less had been prepared to replace ing again Friday night after all of allegedly sneaking men into the dethroned for dating too many men, could not be more proud of her." than fully clothed or with a beer at a Conner as early as last weekend, the uproar began over her behavior. apartment she shares with Rivera and in 1984 Vanessa Williams He said he felt that her fortitude party. according to quotes from her publi- reported over the and Blair. resigned after Penthouse printed an in the face of this very private issue Conner received notice by the cist. weekend that Conner had been seen The New York Post reported the explicit pictorial series. that has become so public can serve large media outlets when she won A New York Daily News article last Friday night at the night clubs same allegations about Conner, In 2002 Trump stripped the title as an example for others in the the Miss USA title last April, but reported in their Dec 17 edition that Ultra and Crowbar in New York including one photo that was sup- from Russian born Miss Universe future. some of what she said then was Conner had failed a drug test and City. posed to have been taken at one of Oxana Federova when she alleged- After the announcement that prophetic. allegedly included the 18-year-old The Daily News report was, the Chelsea district bars they were ly refused to go to events she was Conner would keep her crown her "If I can survive in New York for Miss Teen USA, , in her according to them, confirmed by reporting that she often visited. scheduled to attend. mother Brenda Johnson said, "I a year, I can survive anything," Tara tours of the bars. three witnesses and did not involve "She does not live here any- Trump said Tuesday that he had believed in Tara I knew that she was Conner told the cameras just after According that paper the two of either of the two clubs mentioned in more," the Post reported Saturday a good reason to an no qualms about not guilty of the things they were winning the Miss USA title. "It's a them were drinking with one of the the FOX report. doorman saying at building where firing Federova, who has since said saying about her." crash course in living on my own photographers that worked for the They also report allegations that Conner had been given an apart- she resigned. Johnson added that she was not and being strong." ment for the year back in April. He did not mention Miss North going to comment on all of the alle- She was praised then by nearly "She is not allowed any where on Carolina for 2002, Rebecca Revels, gations made about her daughter in all the county residents, and though Trump property. She is certainly not who was fired after a former the last week. rumors of her wilder side made the allowed to come back. I don't think boyfriend sent in topless photos of "I will tell you though what real- rounds her friends vigorously it was her choice, really." her but she sued and recovered her ly hurt me was when my sister Pat defended her then and even more so The Russian newspaper Pravda, title. called and said this person named when the recent allegations sur- reported in their on-line edition that The recent flap has only 'Bubba' on the radio where she faced. family members of Conner were increased Tara's world-wide recog- lives had said, 'Well, yeah, she's a "She was just like any other not returning calls and that despite nition. Not only have articles about party girl and I bet the momma's a teen," said friend Crystal Trump's suggestions to the contrary the incident appeared in virtually big party girl and I bet her grand- Hammond, who waitressed with that Conner was likely to loose her every English language newspaper mother's a party girl too." her at Brooke & Buc's Roadhouse. title this week. and source in the world - as shown Johnson said nothing could be "I've never known her to be wild. I The London Times reported that by a Google News search on her farther from the truth. wouldn't expect that she would do Conner had been according to their name - but she was the subject of a "I don't drink," Johnson said. everything that they say she's sources, "bed hopping her way Top 10 list on the David Letterman "My mother is very Christian done." across the city," while living in New Show, mentioned in Jay Leno's woman. That hurt me pretty bad One of her best friends, Valerie York. The Times drew parallels opening monologue on The Tonight when I heard that. It was so oppo- Terry, 22, said Conner told her by between Conner and that of Miss Show, featured in a long piece by site of the truth." phone last Thursday not to believe Great Britain, Danielle Lloyd, who Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, She added that the all-news tele- what she heard on the news. lost her crown last month after and almost constantly talked about vision channels went overboard as "People have nothing better to do agreeing to pose for Playboy. on FOX and CNN, plus the major well. than to talk about you and the These two are not the first of networks' morning shows. "CNN's use of (the slang) 'y'all.' rumors just get bigger as they get beauty queens to fall from grace. Reporters from major publica- It was ridiculous how far they took told," Terry said Conner told her. They are not noted on the Miss tions have traveled to Russell all of this," Johnson concluded, say- Since winning the national pag- USA pageant website, but in 1957 Springs this week to write about ing they were trying to make fun of eant, Conner has broken off her Leona Gage who had won the title her. the way some Kentuckians speak. engagement to Russell County's There is no telling if the reprieve Adam Mann and has been linked to by Trump will lower the sudden club owners, disk jockeys and tele- Shooting allegedly murder international interest in Russell vision personalities in the New BRYAN - The death of a Russell Family members reportedly found County, but indications are that they York club scene. County man has been reported as a the body of Montgomery on the will. "I love my daughter and stand murder. floor of his trailer house the morning One local observer noted that beside her," Conner's mother said Police agencies around the county of Dec. 13 and called for help. He when she won, Conner was listed as late last week as the allegations are holding information close to the was pronounced dead at the scene. from Kentucky, but when she was about Conner's behavior was com- vest regarding the reported homicide KSP Detective Tony Wells said he in trouble it was Russell Springs, ing out. "I appreciate the support of Paul Montgomery, 41, of Ky. could not comment on the investiga- and the first media report to hit the from everyone who believes in 1958 in the Bryan community. tion. Anyone with information has listed her again as from her." There have been reports that a list been asked to call 270-384-4796. Kentucky. Her father John Conner said he of suspects had been compiled in the Coroner Larry Skaggs reported Far more than when she won, the had no idea what sort of personal shooting of Montgomery, and that it that the full results of the medical Times Journal has been bombarded issues his daughter might be hav- had been shortened with the help of examiner has not come in yet, but with requests from the news media ing, but that he was sure she'd keep some information received during that they have determined it was a , during her welcome home visit, relates to the crowd what being Miss from all over the country for per- her crown. the Kentucky State Police investiga- shotgun blast that killed USA means to her and her intention to represent Kentucky to the world. tion. Montgomery.