MINERAL WELLS — Casey James, of Cool, cruised into the top 16 of "American Idol" on Thursday night during the Fox show's results episode.
The news was not as good for John Park, Jermaine Sellers, Michelle Delamor and Haeley Vaughn who were eliminated after receiving this week's lowest votes.
Next week will be a big one for the remaining eight guys and eight ladies. Those remaining will make up the Top 12, leading to the all-important Top 10. James, who this week strapped on a blue Fender guitar and performed Gavin DeGraw's "I Don't Want to Be," is just one week away from moving onto the bigger stage, when the competition begins to get really serious and intense.
Locally, friends of James and his mother, Debra James, are collecting monies to help send his mother to Hollywood. Family members pay their own way to Hollywood until the Top 10 is formed. Donations are being accepted in Weatherford at Craig's Music and in Mineral Wells at First Financial Bank, where an account has been opened in Debra James' name.




