year-old auburn-haired California model won the Miss USA crown and will represent the United States in this year's Miss Universe pageant. Alyssa Campanella of Los Angeles topped a field of 51 beauty queens Sunday to take the title at the Planet Hollywood Resort and amp; Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. She strutted across the stage in a blue bikini with white polka dots and a dark turquoise Sherri Hill evening gown with beading on its top. She also answered a question about legalizing marijuana by saying she didn't think it should be fully legalized as a solution to help ailing economies. Campanella told reporters that the win validated her decision to quickly move to Los Angeles from New Jersey after losing an apartment. “The downs happen for a reason,” she said. “The path that I'm on now is the path that's been meant to be.” Campanella, a former Miss Teen USA runner-up from 2007, when she represented New Jersey, said she has been competing in pageants since she was 15 because of her mom.
