She's not Miss Barstow anymore

Staff photo by Jason Smith Recently-named Miss California, Raquel Beezley, stands near the Barstow sign at Centennial Park on Friday. The former Miss Barstow was crowned Miss California on Thursday.

Crowned Miss California amid controversy, Raquel Beezley looks ahead

By JASON SMITH, staff writer BARSTOW — Raquel Beezley was waiting on customers on a busy night last week at DiNapoli’s Firehouse Pizza when she received a phone call that she isn’t likely to forget. “I thought it was strange to get a call at the restaurant,” she said. “All my friends have my cell phone number.” The caller, Keith Lewis, executive director of the Miss California USA organization, called to tell Beezley some surprising news: a mistake had been made and Beezley was the rightful winner of the pageant. Beezley, a lifelong Barstow resident and former Miss Barstow and Miss Teen Barstow pageant winner, had competed in the Nov. 26 Miss California competition and had placed third among 90 participants. She said she was satisfied with her performance. “I was OK. I found comfort in it; I did the best I could” she said. When Christina Silva, the recently crowned Miss California, got on the phone to tell her that pageant judges had made an accounting error and Beezley was the rightful winner, she was shocked. “I didn’t want it to happen this way,” Beezley said. “But then again, I worked so hard for it.” Beezley said that she hasn’t spoken with Silva since the phone call, but feels bad that Silva had to give up the title. “She was so sincere, full of congratulations. You can’t help but feel sympathy towards her,” Beezley said. She said that she was friendly with Silva and had voted for her for the title of Miss Congeniality, a distinction given to the pageant contestant with the most likable personality. Since being told about the error, Beezley said that she’s been busy adjusting to the news and preparing for her crowning, which took place Thursday. She appeared on Fox News, “Extra,” “Inside Edition” and other shows talking about the experience, good training for someone who wants to be a corespondent for an entertainment television program. Beezley will finish her studies this semester at Barstow Community College and had originally planned to transfer to the California State University at Fullerton in order to study communications with an entertainment studies concentration. “Miss California will hopefully catapult my career in that direction,” she said. Beezley graduated in 2004 from Barstow High School, where she was a cheerleader and participated in multiple beauty pageants both nationally and internationally. She said that to prepare for the competitions she spends hours in the gym and runs up to four miles per day. She said the mental preparations are just as crucial to a good performance as physical training. “I make sure the personal relationships in my life are in good standing,” she said. “I have a lot of alone time.” Now that she’s won the statewide title, her preparations for the national Miss USA pageant will become more intense. Beezley said that she will relocate to Los Angeles to prepare nearly full-time for the April 2008 competition, training that will involve work with a nutritionist, personal trainer, speech teacher, and walking coach, among others. She said that she will miss living in Barstow with the small town atmosphere. She said that without the support of many people in the Barstow community, including business owner Leonard Purdy, who paid Beezley $1,500 entrance fee in the contest, she would not have been named Miss California. In recognition of her accomplishments, Beezley will receive a proclamation from the city at an upcoming City Council meeting, according to Mayor Lawrence Dale. “We are extremely lucky and proud to have one of our young ladies as the next Miss California,” Dale said. “The extra efforts she’s put in to earn this title have paid off.” He said that Beezley has represented Barstow well in numerous beauty pageants. Beezley said that she’s heard a lot of jokes and unflattering comments from people in other cities about Barstow and hopes to counter some peoples’ negative impressions about her town. “I’ve spent my whole life defending Barstow,” she said.