CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : CORONADO : Mrs. America May Lose Her Title

Mrs. America Jill Scott will be stripped of her title if her divorce becomes final before her reign ends in April, pageant officials said. David Z. Marmel, president of the Santa Monica-based pageant, said the organization will support Scott during a reported welfare fraud investigation, but “our regulations state that any contestant or titleholder must be married,” Marmel said. Scott’s attorney, Matthew M. Kremer, said she separated from her husband three months before winning the Mrs. America title. She filed for divorce in May, 1991, and then applied for welfare assistance, Kremer said. She has not signed papers to make the divorce final, Kremer said. The San Diego Tribune quoted anonymous sources saying that Scott is the subject of a welfare fraud investigation. Kremer said that when news of the inquiry became public, Scott asked that her welfare case be stopped. Kremer said any investigation would likely come from Scott’s acceptance of “less than $1,000” from her husband in child and spousal support.