MARION – The 2016 Miss Illinois Scholarship Pageant winner is Jaryn Franklin.
At the Marion Cultural and Civic Center Saturday night, Franklin, known as Miss Blackhawk Valley during the competition, won the crown above Amelia Mugavero, or Miss Springfield, in the closing minutes of the competition.
Franklin, hailing from East Moline, performed a rendition of “Dream A Little Dream of Me” as her talent. She received her crown wearing a long, black evening gown dress.
In the last part of the competition, she was asked in the interview portion about former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner, who received a six-month jail sentence in California for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. She was asked what message it is sending to young men across the country.
“I really think it is enabling sexual assault on college campuses, and I think we are undermining the reality that they do take place across several college campuses,” Franklin said. “I don’t agree with the judge’s decision. It should not have happened and it should not have come to that.”
Along with the Miss Illinois crown, Franklin will receive more than $12,000 in scholarship money and the chance to compete for the Miss America crown in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September.
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Southern Illinois was close to having back-to-back Miss Illinois winners. Janna Harner, known as Miss Southern Illinois, finished as second runner up and will receive $2,000 in scholarships. She is from Anna. This past year's Miss Illinois was Miss Southern Illinois — Crystal Davis of Anna.
Harner made the cut when the field was cut from 22 to 11 at the beginning of the night, and then once again when the top five was announced after three-quarters of the competition was completed.
Harner performed “For Once in My Life,” written by Songwriter and Artist Stevie Wonder, as her talent.
It was a short night for the other local contestants. Miss Metropolis Colby Holman, of Metropolis, and Miss John A. Logan Christin Ritter of Herrin did not make the top 11 semi-finalists.
Abigail Brown, known as Miss Heartland of Kewanee did make the top 11, but did not make the top five. She won a local pageant in Marion back in February.
On Friday, Southern Illinois did crown a winner as Miss Southern Illinois Outstanding Teen Christine Bryant of Marion won the teenage competition. She will represent Illinois at the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant in Orlando in August. 
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/communities/marion/miss-blackhawk-valley-crowned-miss-illinois-miss-southern-illinois-finished/article_05786d58-97ae-56a1-8709-b933e9eb10ce.html