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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Post Falls Junior Miss faces alcohol possession charge

Taryn Brodwater Staff writer

The newly crowned Post Falls Junior Miss is scheduled to appear before a Kootenai County judge May 3 to be arraigned on a misdemeanor charge of being a minor in possession of alcohol.

Jessica Kuhn, winner of Saturday’s competition, was cited by Post Falls Police for possessing alcohol on March 19. According to the citation, the 16-year-old admitted to police that she was drinking.

Kootenai County court records indicate Kuhn later pleaded not guilty to the charge during her initial court appearance.

Kuhn’s parents could not be reached for comment late Wednesday afternoon. Her mother, Trudi, is a candidate for an open seat on the Post Falls School Board.

In a Spokesman-Review article earlier this month, Post Falls Junior Miss chairwoman Alison McArthur described Junior Misses as role models. McArthur, who also serves on the Post Falls School Board, said Junior Misses are encouraged to share a message with younger girls, stressing the traits encouraged through a national outreach project called “Be Your Best Self.” One of those traits is “living by moral principles.”

McArthur would not comment about Kuhn’s participation, except to say that local officials knew about the citation and passed the information on to state Junior Miss officials.

“It was not a local decision” to allow Kuhn to compete, McArthur said Wednesday. “We passed on the information we were given.”

Cathy McPhedran, Idaho’s Junior Miss coordinator, and Debbie Fucile, the regional coordinator, could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.

As Post Falls Junior Miss, Kuhn receives $750 in scholarships and one year’s tuition at North Idaho College. Kuhn is an honor roll student and a varsity cheerleader.

She will compete for the state title in November in Coeur d’Alene and for the chance to represent Idaho in the national Junior Miss contest.