Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Thursday, December 12
Michelle LaGroue of Naperville has been crowned Miss Illinois -- for the second time. Miss LaGroue was first runner-up in 2002, but the winner that year, Erika Harold, won the Miss America pageant, allowing Miss LaGroue to serve out the remainder of the term as Miss Illinois. So this is actually the first time that she won the pageant. But don't worry, all you former Miss Illinois'ers out there; you can enter again if you've won, but you have to sit out at least one year before competing again.