Carson City woman wins Miss Nevada title

ELKO -- The fourth time was the charm for Carson City contestant Christina O'Neil, who was crowned Miss Nevada at this year's annual pageant.

O'Neil, who is doing postgraduate work in music education at the University of Nevada, Reno, competed previously as Miss UNR, Miss Reno-Sparks and Miss Truckee Meadows. Her talent is opera.

She graduated from Carson High School in 1997 and she was active in a variety of organizations including concert choir and the drill team. She attended Western Nevada Community College before going to UNR.

O'Neil, 24, ran on the platform of ending domestic violence among America's teenage population.

First runner-up was Miss UNR Chelsea Bibb of Reno.

According to pageant director Brenda Willey, O'Neil ran as Miss Gold Country, which is an open pageant title available to all eligible contestants who wish to participate. She is the daughter of John and Kathleen O'Neil.

Rounding out the top five Saturday night at the Elko Convention Center were Miss Elko County Amber Brown, Miss Las Vegas Amber McCarthy and Miss Lake Tahoe Alyson Van Deusen.

Sixteen women competed in this year's pageant, which was held in Elko for the first time.

The Miss Nevada Organization is a state preliminary pageant to the Miss America Pageant. The first Miss America Pageant was held in Atlantic City in 1921. In 1945 the scholarship foundation was established. Every year, the Miss America Organization makes available funds for scholarships, and in 2002 alone, the Organization made available more than $45 million in cash and in-kind donations.

Last year's Miss Nevada, Teresa Benitez of Sparks, was crowned third runner-up at the Miss America pageant.