In the 55th annual pageant on friday night, Miss Kentucky was crowned Miss USA 2006. Tara Elizabeth Conner, 20, of Russell Springs, was crowned by Miss America 2005 Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina. “I am an easygoing, down-to-earth girl,” Conner said.

"Throughout my life, hardships and different experiences have made me a very humbled, yet a strong individual," she said. "It is because of these life lessons that I have become the person I am today."

Tara Connor will now compete in the Miss Universe 2006 competition in Los Angeles on July 23, this year.

The first Miss USA from Kentucky so far, Tara Connor said that many people have misconceptions about Kentucky, and she's ready to represent the South.

"The stars were in my favor tonight," she said. "I want to see how far this year can take me."

Connor said her hobbies included golf, skydiving, tubing on Lake Cumberland, rappelling, scrapbooking and watching University of Kentucky basketball.

When asked about what was the first thing she would do, Connor said she would go to Italy because she hasn't seen her brother, stationed there with the Navy, in a year.

The others on the podium included Miss California, Tamiko Nash, 26, of Los Angeles as first runner-up, Miss Georgia, Lisa Wilson, 26, of Rome as second runner-up, and Miss Ohio, Stacy Offenberger, 26, of Marietta as third runner-up. The fourth runner up was Miss Florida, Cristin Duren, 24, of Panama City Beach.

Over the duration of the 2006 Miss USA contest, 51 contestants were pared down to 15. They were then brought down to 10 semifinalists and finally five finalists.