With another week of Fox’s hit reality show “American Idol” on the books, the north Georgia community is breathing another sigh of relief as 16 year-old Rossville native Lauren Alaina made the latest cut in the competition Thursday night.

After a wonderful performance on Wednesday night’s telecast, which saw Alaina battle the flu and still rock the “Idol” stage with her rendition of Melissa Etheridge’s “I’m the Only One,” it seemed a forgone conclusion that the spunky Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School cheerleader would outlast those who gave weaker performances to make the show’s now top 11.

The night’s bottom three vote-getters following the Wednesday night performances were Haley Reinhart, Naima Adedapo and Karen Rodriguez.

After the customary drawn out process, Karen Rodriguez was sent home, but was able to perform one last time for the judges with the possibility of being “saved,” but the judges weren’t swayed to give her a second change, even though she plead for the opportunity.

The top 11 remaining “Idol” contestants consist of six males and five females: Lauren Alaina, Pia Toscano, Haley Reinhart, Thia Megia, Naima Adedapo, Casey Abrams, Paul McDonald, James Durbin, Jacob Lusk, Stefano Lan-gone, and Scotty McCreery.



Alaina’s powerful voice continues to keep the judges on her side, and her likeability is a plus as the millions who tune in each week are repeatedly entertained by her southern charm. Both are a great combination to have as the field continues to shrink with each passing week.

The next telecast of “Idol” will be Wednesday, March 23, at 8 p.m. on Fox.