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Disabled Beauty Pageant Winners Sue Hollywood Tour Bus Company

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A group of wheelchair beauty pageant contestants is suing a Hollywood sightseeing company over charges they were refused tickets because of their disability.

Ruthee Goldkorn is one of the plaintiffs named in a suit filed this week in Los Angeles County claiming the popular Starline bus tours discriminates against disabled customers.

Goldkorn, who was Miss Wheelchair California in 2000 and 2001, now serves as executive director of the organization.

Goldkorn claims she tried to purchase tickets for several pageant winners, but was told Starline could not accomodate her request.

Company officials with Starline would not provide KCAL 9 with a copy of their policy, but responded to the suit by stating that several of their tour vehicles are wheelchair accessible, and plans are in place to get more vehicles that can meet the needs of the disabled.

(©2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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