Rose earns pair of special awards at fair

Mary Rose entered two stones in the San Diego County Fair's gems, minerals, and jewelry exhibition and won special awards for both of them.

"I was quite happy," Rose said.

Rose's amethyst quartz crystal won the A. Leo Horensky Cup for the best single mineral worldwide as well as first place in the One Mineral, Not From San Diego, Beginner category. Her elbaite tourmaline was given the Jim and Mary Fong Walker Award for the best single gemstone mineral worldwide and also won second place in the South American Minerals: One Specimen class.

"I think it's pretty awesome to be recognized that I do...