A Saturday in Front of the TV

How does one unwind after a week of reporting big yet depressing news?

Stop-motion parodies of pop culture!

Thanks to Netflix, I've just finished season 1 of the Cartoon Network's Robot Chicken.

Here is one of my favorite clips. Fans of Child's Play, Cabbage Patch dolls, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer should get a kick out of it.

And yes, that is Sarah Michelle Gellar's voice at the end.


ROBOT CHICKEN SETH GREEN

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Crime Scene

This is 518 Ligon St. where - according to police scanner traffic - a shooting occured Friday night shortly before 8 p.m.















It's already late and information has been difficult to track down but I'm hoping to have more on the story for Saturday's paper.

Armed Robbery at Food Lion

Just received this e-mail from Shelby Police:

On September 27, 2007 at 10:03 p.m. the Shelby Police Department responded to a report of an armed robbery of the Food Lion at 1523 S. Lafayette in Shelby where it was reported that two black males had robbed the business. After a brief foot chase, one suspect was arrested within minutes of the robbery. That person is identified as Antonio Maurice Ager, 21 years of age, of 2451 Cleveland Ave., Grover, NC. He was charged with Robbery With a Dangerous Weapon and is being held in the Cleveland County Law Enforcement Center under a $100,000 secured bond. The second suspect is described as approximately 5’7", 160 lbs., wearing a black bandana, black hoodie sweatshirt, and dark blue or black denim pants.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact the Shelby Police Department at 704-484-6845 or may contact CrimeStoppers anonymously at 704-481-TIPS.

Ager

K-9s and Self Defense

Here are some photos taken Thursday night during the Citizens Police Academy. Usually I would take full credit for these but all of them - save the K-9 photo at the end - were taken by Officer Shannon Porter.

Highlights of the class included a K-9 demonstration and a lesson on self-defense, specifically pressure points.

Here in this first photo, I'm preparing to have a pressure point applied on me by fellow classmate Joshua Drum.
















The K-9 demonstration, overseen by K-9 trainer Howard Young, included two of the department's dogs conducting a search between three boxes. One of the boxes included a kilo of cocaine.

Shelby Crime Map

If you haven't played before, you can zoom in and out of the map with the "+" and "-" icons. To move up, down, left, and right - click on the map with your curser and drag...



These are incidents and arrests that were recently on file with local law enforcement agencies. Those arrested are innocent until found guilty in a court of law. (M) refers to misdemeanor crimes, (F) refers to felonies.

If you have any information regarding any of these incidents, contact Shelby Police at (704) 484-6845, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office at (704) 484-4888 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (704) 481-TIPS (8477).

Monetary donations to CrimeStoppers can be sent to Fidelity Bank, 331 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC, 28150 Attn: Verna McCluney

INCIDENTS

Crime: Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury
Date reported: Sept. 25, 4:01 a.m.
Address: 716 Smith Street, Shelby
Description: Officers responded to the street after Dereck Dmetri Strong, 21, was shot in the foot. Stong reportedly did not give any suspect information and was uncoopertive with officers.. A witness told police the actual shooting occurred on Elm Street. The report stated Strong had warrants for his arrest.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering of a motor vehicle
Date reported: Sept. 24, 10:27 p.m.
Address: 1213 Dodd St., Shelby
Description: Gary Bemis told police a man broke into his car and stole his prescription medication – 20 Hydrocodone and 60 Carisoprodol pills.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Larceny, damage to property
Date reported: Sept. 24, 4:40 p.m.
Address: 224 Southfork Drive, Shelby
Description: Lena Sloan told police someone stole her hot water heater, valued at $300.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering, larceny
Date reported: Sept. 24, 9:28 p.m.
Address: 703 Legrand St. Apt. A, Shelby
Description: Patrick Hunt, 39, told police a revolver, police scanner and two two-way radios were reported stolen after someone broke into his home.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Assault inflicting serious injury
Date reported: Sept. 25, 9:34 p.m.
Address: Buffalo Street near Carolina Avenue, Shelby
Description: Peter Stanback, 52, sustained a broken nose after witnesses said he fought with another man on Buffalo Street. Stanback was taken to Cleveland Regional Medical Center.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Possession of a Scheduled 1 Controlled Substance, possession of mairjuana
Date reported: Sept. 25, 8:36 p.m.
Address: Hamrick Street near Royster Avenue, Shelby
Description: Eaker Hue Campbell, 30, was taken into custody for an order for arrest. After he was taken to the magistrates office, he was seen picking up a rubber glove on the ground, putting something in the glove, and throwing it outside the office. Police then found the glove with a small bag of marijuana and 13 pills of Ecstacy inside.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Possession of cocaine
Date reported: Sept. 17, 12:03 a.m.
Address: Big Lots, 1645 E. Dixon Blvd., Shelby
Description: Police responded to the store after a complaint of a man asleep in his car in the parking lot. The man, identified as Alan Kyle Davis, 38, was found in possession of a rock of crack cocaine. Davis claimed it was not his but was taken into custody.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering
Date reported: Sept. 24, 4:05 p.m.
Address: 1017 Frederick St., Shelby
Description: Benny Glover told police someone broke into his basement sometime between Sept. 19 and Sept. 24. Two television sets and a microwave were reported stolen.
Agency: Shelby Police


ARRESTS

Name: Cueuas Nicholas Soto
Age: 22
Address: 104 Webb Road Apt. 2, Shelby
Date of arrest: Sept. 24, 1:38 a.m.
Charges: Contributing to the delinquency of a minor (M)
Place of arrest: Home
Description: Deputies arrived at the home and asked if a 16-year-old girl believed to be at the home was there. Soto said no but, after he consented to a search of the home, the girl was found hiding in a closet.
Bond: $1,000 secured
Agency: Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office

Name: Amanda Michelle Laye
Age: 26
Address: 2302 Emerald Mine Road, Shelby
Date of arrest: Sept. 24, 4:12 p.m.
Charges: Simple possession (M), possession of drug paraphernalia (M)
Place of arrest: Cleveland County School Office, 130 S. Post Road, Shelby
Description: Laye was found in possession of two dosages of Xanex.
Bond: $300 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Name: Terry Dean Bridges
Age: 21
Address: 1009 Castlewood Drive, Shelby
Date of arrest: Sept. 26, 10:48 a.m.
Charges: Possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana (F), possession of drug paraphernalia (M)
Place of arrest: 526 Cherryville Road, Shelby
Description: Bridges was found in possession of 47.8 grams of marijuana.
Bond: $1,000 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Name: Ivan Thompson
Age: 60
Address: 404 Mint St., Shelby
Date of arrest: Sept. 26, 4:45 a.m.
Charges: Assault on a government official (M)
Place of arrest: Home
Description: Thompson was served with a warrant for his arrest.
Bond: $500 unsecured
Agency: Shelby Police

The Playlist: Rolling Stones

They are arguably the greatest rock 'n' roll band of all time, garnering 32 Top 10 singles in the US and UK over the course of a 45-year career.

With 200 million albums sold and 55 albums under their belt, it's no wonder Rolling Stone magazine (no relation) ranked them No. 4 on their Top 100 Artists of All Time.

And despite now being in their 60s, the band is far from over. They just wrapped up an 18-month world tour - the highest grossing concert tour of all time - and are scheduled to be back on the road in 2008.

With that said, here are my favorite songs from the Rolling Stones.


Paint it Black (1966)
Album: Aftermath

A No. 1 hit on both the U.S. and U.K. charts, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it No. 174 on its Top 500 Songs of All Time. Even 40 years later, the song remains prevalent in pop culture – from being used in such movies as ‘Full Metal Jacket’ and ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ to TV appearances in ‘American Dreams’ and ‘Tour of Duty’, where it served as the show’s theme song. Many relate the depressing nature of the song to the Vietnam War, explaining its inclusion in 2004’s Xbox and Playstation 2 release, ‘Conflict: Vietnam’.






Wild Horses (1971)
Album: Sticky Fingers

Legend has it Keith Richards wrote the song about having to leave his infant son to tour with the band and then Mick Jagger rewrote most of it to reflect his own personal thoughts. Released as a single in June 1971, the song only reached No. 28 on the U.S. charts but has become a popular cover song. Guns ‘n’ Roses, Bush, Tori Amos, Garbage, Dave Matthews, and Alicia Keys are among those who have put their own spin on the love song. But my favorite version – which has appeared on TV in both ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘CSI’ – is by The Sundays.


The Sundays' cover






You Can’t Always Get What You Want (1969)
Album: Let it Bleed

Some of you might remember this song from 1983’s ‘The Big Chill.’ Good soundtrack, bad movie. John Lennon once said the Stones typically copied the Beatles innovations within a year. If that’s true then, due to the sing-along chorus, this is their ‘Hey Jude.’ The song has appeared in recent years in commercials (Coca-Cola’s C2 soda), TV shows (‘House’, ‘Nip/Tuck’), and even in sports (ESPN’s coverage of the 2007 NFL Draft).







Sympathy for the Devil (1968)
Album: Beggers Banquet

A narrative, first-person account from a sympathetic Devil, the song makes reference to the Russian Revolution, World War II, and the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy. The band caught some initial grief from those who accused them of being devil worshipers but the song has stood the test of time. It has since been covered by the likes of Ozzy Osbourne (for a 2005 box set), Guns ‘n’ Roses (for the 1994 film, ‘Interview with the Vampire’) and – along with Ruby Tuesday – was sampled by U2 during their show-stealing performance at 1985’s Live Aid.







Gimme Shelter (1969)
Album: Let it Bleed

This was the title track of the band’s 1970 documentary which detailed their 1969 U.S. tour and the Altamont Speedway concert where a fan was stabbed to death by a member of the Hells Angels, who were working security for the show. (As some added trivia: a young George Lucas was one of the camera operators during the Altamont concert.) Director Martin Scorsese has used the song in several of his films, including ‘Goodfellas’, ‘Casino’, and most recently ‘The Departed.’ And you can also find it in such shows as ‘The Simpsons,’ ‘Nip/Tuck,’ ‘Prison Break,’ and ‘Entourage.’ Rolling Stone magazine ranked it No. 38 on their Top 500 Songs of All Time.







So there’s my list. What’s yours? Shoot me an e-mail at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com and it might end up featured in a future column.

Jack in the Box Robbery (w/ Photos)

Here are some still photos provided earlier today by the Shelby Police Department from Friday's morning armed robbery at Jack in the Box.













We are in the process of putting surveillance footage on shelbystar.com but, in the meantime, I thought I would share these.













The man in the photos is one of the two suspects who came inside the Earl Road restaurant - a few blocks from The Star - and held employees at gunpoint around 6:15 a.m. Friday.













If you have any information regarding the robbery, call Shelby Police at (704) 484-6845 or call CrimeStoppers anonymously at (704) 481-TIPS (8477).

Truck Overturns (w/ Photos)

Here are a few photos I took earlier this morning after a trash truck overturned at the corner of Fallston and Airport roads.

The driver sustained only minor injuries, police said.

Look for more in Tuesday's Star and look for the video posted on shelbystar.com

Playlist Preview: Rolling Stones

They are arguably the greatest rock 'n' roll band of all time, garnering 32 Top 10 singles in the US and UK over the course of a 45-year career.

With 200 million albums sold and 55 albums under their belt, it's no wonder Rolling Stone magazine (no relation) ranked them No. 4 on their Top 100 Artists of All Time.

And despite now being in their 60s, the band is far from over. They just wrapped up an 18-month world tour - the highest grossing concert tour of all time - and are scheduled to be back on the road in 2008.

Check out Thursday's Shelby Star for my favorite 5 songs from the Rolling Stones, then come back to the blog to watch performances of each.

Sunday Night at The Star

Just finished a story about a big meth bust this morning in Kings Mountain. Hoping to be out of here soon because I have to be back at 5:30 a.m.

Here are two of our copy editors, Adam Fenwick and Maureen McGee, who are currently slaving away to make sure tomorrow's newspaper looks visually appealing and with no wacky errors.

Despite how it appears, Maureen is not picking her nose here. Or so she says...





A sense of humor comes in handy working in journalism.

Shelby Blurb in Washington Post

Remember my story from about a week ago of Patrick Hunt, the fellow who decided to repeatedly call 911 after reporting his white liquor and marijuana had been stolen?

Apparently the story in The Star drew attention from across the nation, including The Washington Post.

Mr. Hunt has earned himself a spot as a nominee for the Stupidist Criminal Award.

That's braggable, huh?

Car Break Ins

There have been over a dozen reports of car break ins over the past week. You can read the story this weekend but if you want to know specifically where these are happening, check out the map below.

Crime Briefs

These are incidents and arrests that were recently on file with local law enforcement agencies. Those arrested are innocent until found guilty in a court of law. (M) refers to misdemeanor crimes, (F) refers to felonies.

If you have any information regarding any of these incidents, contact Shelby Police at (704) 484-6845, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office at (704) 484-4888, Kings Mountain Police at (704) 734-0444 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (704) 481-TIPS (8477).

Monetary donations to CrimeStoppers can be sent to Fidelity Bank, 331 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC, 28150 Attn: Verna McCluney

INCIDENTS

Crime: Common law robbery
Date reported: Sept. 16, 9:10 p.m.
Address: 518 Carolina Ave.
Description: Perry Kilgore and Teresa Cattone told police they were flagged down by a group of men on Carolina Avenue in front of the Sanitary Barber Shop. One of the men reportedly punched Kilgore in the face and took the car keys. After both left the car, Cattone suffered minor abrasions after she was assaulted by two women, who then stole her cell phone. The men told Kilgore they would return the car at 10:30 p.m. after they go to Charlotte. The women who assaulted Cattone were described as black, one wearing a yellow and white t-shirt with blue jeans and the other a gold dress with flowers on it.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Possession of a firearm by felon
Date reported: Sept. 14, 9:56 p.m.
Address: Taco Bell, 331 W. Dixon Blvd.
Description: Employees reportedly called police after seeing a customer with a gun. Officers responded and identified the customer as 39-year-old Mark Anthony Catlin, of Falls Street in Lawndale. Catlin, a convicted felon, was arrested and held with a $1,000 secured bond.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering of a motor vehicle
Date reported: Sept. 15, 10:56 a.m.
Address: 825 Hawthorne Road
Description: Edward Heitzman told police someone had gone through he and his wife’s vehicles but did not notice anything missing.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering of a motor vehicle
Date reported: Sept. 16, 11:01 a.m.
Address: 310 Belvedere Avenue
Description: Jonathan Brownlee told police someone had gone into his car and taken $40 cash, his wallet and an iPod charger. Officer P.D. Emory later found Brownlee’s driver’s license, Social Security card and other cards after checking the area of East Warren Street.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Arson
Date reported: Sept. 19, 8:53 p.m.
Address: Zoar Baptist Church, 1740 South Lafayette Street
Description: Damages were estimated at $8,000 after police say a fire was intentionally set at the church.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Hit and Run
Date reported: Sept. 19, 9:34 a.m.
Address: South Dekalb Street near Textile Street
Description: Two stop signs and utility poles were damaged after someone struck the items with their car and drove off, causing $2,000 in damages.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Larceny
Date reported: Sept. 19, 3:54 p.m.
Address: 506 Country Club Circle
Description: Rebecca Harley told police several items had been stolen from her basement over the course of a few weeks, including a Minolta digital camera and JVC camcorder.
Agency: Shelby Police

ARRESTS

Name: Roheem Eugene Roberts
Age: 22
Address: 910 Apt. C Foxcroft Circle
Date of arrest: Sept. 16, 2:10 a.m.
Charges: Possession of crack cocaine (F), driving while intoxicated (M), driving while license revoked (M)
Place of arrest: South Morgan Street near Gardner Street
Description: Roberts was pulled over by police for having a broken taillight on his Ford Explorer but, before heading to the police car’s lights and siren, was seen throwing an object out of his vehicle. The officer later found the object – a plastic bag with 17 grams of crack cocaine inside.
Bond: $7,500 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Name: Alan Kyle Davis
Age: 38
Address: 710 Nalley Drive
Date of arrest: Sept. 17, 12:03 a.m.
Charges: Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (F)
Place of arrest: Parking lot of Big Lots, 1645 E. Dixon Blvd.
Description: Davis was found in possession of crack cocaine.
Bond: $500 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Name: Chad Christopher Holland
Age: 34
Address: 209 Lily Street
Date of arrest: Sept. 15, 11:12 p.m.
Charges: Assault inflicting serious bodily injury (F)
Place of arrest: Home
Description: Holland was served with a warrant for his arrest.
Bond: $5,000 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Name: Navor Williams
Age: 19
Address: 6022 Deep Green Drive
Date of arrest: Sept. 19, 9:28 a.m.
Charges: Assault with a deadly weapon (F)
Place of arrest: Cleveland County Law Enforcement Center, 100 Justice Place
Description: Williams was served with a warrant for his arrest.
Bond: $1,000 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Citizens Police Academy: Week 2

Here's some of the discussion from last night's Citizens Police Academy, now in its second week.


Crime Scene Investigation

The purpose of crime scene investigation is to locate physical evidence that places the victim, suspect, or witnesses at the scene of the crime

Types of Crime Scenes
Homicides
Assaults
Robberies
Breaking and Entering
Safe cracking
Arson
Suicide
Clandestine graves
Automobile thefts
Motor vehicle fatalities
Unattended deaths
Child deaths
Illegal drug labs


How Police Document the Crime Scene
Notes
Sketches
Photographs
Videos
Measurements
Diagrams
Report


Items Used for Evidence Collection
Bags
Boxes
Cotton Swabs
Metal cans
Tape
Evidence vaccum


Evidence Collection
All items collected should be logged
Care should be taken with DNA evidence to prevent cross contamination
Items collected for latent print examination or processing should be bagged separately
Control samples should be collected when origin is questioned

The Playlist: U2

He is the only person in history to be nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Grammy and Nobel Peace Prize.

TIME magazine once named him their Person of the Year. And this Friday you can see him in ‘Across the Universe,’ the new musical film which incorporates songs by the Beatles.

Did I mention he also sings for a living?

He was born Paul David Hewson but you know him better as Bono, lead singer of the Irish rock band U2.

On the verge of Bono’s big screen appearance, in which he reportedly sings John Lennon’s ‘I Am the Walrus,’ I thought it might be timely to take a look at U2 and my favorite songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band with 22 Grammys to their credit.

New Years Day (1983)
Album: War
From the 9/1/01 concert at Slane Castle in Ireland

A Top 10 hit in the UK, it was the bands’ first single in America. U2 has long been known for social and political songs and that holds true even here, as the song stands as a commentary on the suppression of the ‘Solidarity’ Polish trade federation formed in 1980. In 2004, Billboard ranked it No. 427 on their Top 500 Songs of All Time and it remains one of their most-played songs in concert.

Sunday Bloody Sunday (1983)
Album: War
From the 6/5/83 show at Red Rocks

One of the band’s signature songs, it propelled ‘War’ to reach Platinum sales four times over, roughly equating to 4 million copies sold. The band has said the lyrics refer to the ‘Bloody Sunday’ massacres in Ireland in both 1920 and 1972 but are not specifically about either incident. "This song is not a rebel song," Bono has said in concert, though it obviously speaks of protest.

With or Without You (1987)
Album: The Joshua Tree
From the last stop of the Joshua Tree tour - 12/87 at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium

The lead single from arguably the band’s signature album, it was U2’s first song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard charts where it remained for two weeks in May 1987. Rolling Stone ranked the love song No. 131 of the Top 500 Songs of All Time and it has since been featured on such TV shows as ‘Cold Case,’ ‘Friends,’ and ‘The Office.’

Where the Streets Have No Name (1987)
Album: The Joshua Tree
Also from Sun Devil Stadium

Famous for its music video, where the band held an impromptu rooftop concert in Los Angeles – a tip of the hat to the Beatles’ rooftop concert in 1969 – the song reached No. 11 on the Billboard Modern Rock charts. U2 performed the song as part of their set during the SuperBowl XXXVI halftime show in 2002. As a bit of trivia, the B-side to the song’s single was ‘The Sweetest Thing,’ a song that would not be released as a single itself until 11 years later.

One (1992)
Album: Achtung Baby
The 'Bono at the Bar' version (3 versions of the music video exist)

The album’s third single, it is widely considered one of U2’s greatest songs. Legend has it tensions were running high as the band worked on the ‘Achtung Baby’ album, with Bono and The Edge pushing for a more progressive sound while Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. opposed. But they all rallied around a guitar riff by The Edge which later evolved into ‘One.’ For that reason, many – including the band – credit the song for saving U2. Several music magazines and music polls have since listed ‘One’ as being the best song of the 90s and even the best song ever. The band performed the song as part of an emotional tribute to those lost Sept. 11 when I attended a concert in Baltimore just weeks after the tragedy.

So there’s my list. What’s yours? Shoot me an e-mail at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com and it might end up featured in a future column.

Next PSN Meeting

Just received this note from Shelby's PSN Coordinator Frank Cloyd...


Good Morning!

Our regular monthly PSN meeting will be Monday Sept. 24 at 6PM at West Shelby Community Garden on McBrayer St.

Please bring your lawn chairs -- the weather should be perfect.

It is inspiring to see that Habitat For Humanity is completing another new house on Martin St., sponsored by First Baptist Church. What a great program!

Our crime problems are being controlled by good police work and good citizen participation; however, as we have seen recently, the criminal environment can erupt anywhere in Shelby. We must continue to stand together to change the criminal environment in Shelby. We can do it!

Hope to see you Monday.

Thanks,

Frank

Playlist Preview: U2

He is the only person in history to be nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Grammy and Nobel Peace Prize.

TIME magazine once named him their Person of the Year. And this Friday you can see him in ‘Across the Universe,’ the new musical film which incorporates songs by the Beatles.

Did I mention he also sings for a living?

He was born Paul David Hewson but you know him better as Bono, lead singer of the Irish rock band U2.

On the verge of Bono’s big screen appearance - in which he reportedly sings John Lennon's ‘I Am the Walrus’ - I thought it might be timely to take a look at U2 and my favorite songs from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band with 22 Grammys to their credit.

Keep an eye out for Thursday's Star, then come back here to check out performances of each song.

CrimeStoppers News

I wasn't able to make this morning's meeting due to a scheduling conflict but it was eventful. Here's the complete rundown from Secretary Karen Rhyne.


MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 17 CRIME STOPPERS MEETING

The monthly meeting of Crime Stoppers was held on Monday, September 17, 2007 at noon in Fidelity Bank in Shelby NC.

President Gary Staymate called the meeting to order at 12:04pm.

One new member was voted on to the Board. Ellis Nowell is the public relations/special events director for the city of Kings Mountain.

Those present were: President Gary Staymate, Secretary Karen Rhyne, Lt. Tammy Endicott of the SPD, Andy Andrews (Shelby Shopper), Treasurer Verna McCluney, Durwin Briscoe (Sheriff's Dept), Vice President Charles McCloud, Kathryn Larson (Cable 33), Mike Putnam, Mike Poage, Michael Cheng, Susann Durham, Don Allen, Ellis Nowell, Melvin Proctor (Kings Mountain Police Chief) and Cecil Burton.

Lt. Tammy Endicott presented a report on the tips received since the last meeting in August. There were a total of 8 tips. The majority of these tips are for a shooting which took place on the corner of N. Washington and Buffalo streets. A warrant has been obtained for the arrest of Ryan Dawkins Jr., but he has not yet been apprehended.

Another tip was concerning Curtis Searcy, who is on the Top Ten Wanted List.

There were no pay-outs for this month, but a pay out of $200 was issued to a tipster whose tip lead to the arrest of Ranchez Clark, for a shooting that took place on Palmer Street the end of July. This should have been issued during last month's meeting.

The current Crime Stoppers balance is $5566.75 before the $200 pay out.

Lt. Endicott also presented two reports on Crime Stopper Tips for last year and for this year.

The total number of tips received for 2006 was 53.

The breakdown is as follows:

SPD-44
CCSO-7
KMPD-2
BSPD-0
SHP-0

The total amount paid out for the year was $950.00

There was a $350 pay out for a tip which led to the identifying Steve Bradshaw as a second subject in a robbery/AWDWISIK Investigation into tip lead to his arrest after tip was given.

There was a $400 pay out for a tip which lead to locating Emanual Humphries. A warrant had already been obtained.

Another pay out was for $100, for a tip which lead to the location of Dinky Perkins. A warrant had already been obtained for robbery.

Another $100 pay out was for a tip that lead to locating Reginald Antwan Douglas. Warrant had already been obtained on him involving a robbery.

As of September 10, 2007, 70 tips have been received.

The breakdown is as follows:

SPD-51
CCSO-14
KMPD-4
BSPD-0
SHP-1

The total pay out for this year is $3,500.00.

There was a pay out of $200 for a tip which led to locating and arresting Joshua Woods. Warrants had already been obtained on him for an AWDWISI case.

A pay out of $500 was issued for a tip which lead to locating and arresting Antwan Banks. Banks had fled from the courthouse during his trial for assault and habitual felon, for which he was found guilty.

There was a pay out of $400 for a tip which led to locating and arresting Charles Spikes. Warrants had already been obtained on him for a AWDWISI.

There was a pay out of $200 for a tip which led to locating and arresting Rebecca Hopper Moore. Warrants for fraud had already been obtained.

A $500 pay out was issued for a tip which led to locating and arresting Mario Wilson. Warrants had already been obtained on him for the robbery of McDonalds.

Another $200 pay out was issued for a tip which led to locating and arresting Victor Wade. Warrants had already been obtained for him for a DV assault.

A $1,000 pay out was issued for a tip which led to solving two robberies from convenience stores. One is located inside the city limits and the other one in the county. The tip lead to identifying three subjects which subsequently lead to three arrests. The three were identified as Lindsey Barr, Travis Coleman and Rashawn Archie.

A pay out for $500 was issued for a tip which led to solving to Breaking and Entering cases at Duke Power. Terry Shaw was identified and arrested due to this tip. Over $1,000 worth of copper was recovered during the investigation.

President Gary Staymate reported on donations received since the August meeting.

$500 was received from Shelby Savings, $100 from Larry Hamrick of Hamrick Insurance and $200 was received from First Charter.

Cecil Burton and Michael Cheng passed around a plaque which will be given to sponsors.

Sponsor Levels are as follows:

$5,000+ Platinum Member Plaque and Bold Print in newspaper ad

$1,000+ Gold Member Plaque and large print in newspaper ad

$500+ Bronze Member Plaque and normal print in newspaper ad

$200+ Silver Member Plaque and small print in newspaper ad


Payment Options are as follows:

Cash, Check or an invoice will be mailed.

Cleveland County Crime Stoppers Fundraiser
P.O. Box 3271
Shelby NC 28151

Cecil Burton reported that First National Bank has agreed to donate $5,000 to Crime Stoppers, and Fidelity Bank has agreed to donate $1,000 a year for the next five years.

Andy Andrews reported that one of the billboards for Crime Stoppers is located on Hwy. 18 S.

A notice will be sent out in next month's utility bills which will display the logo on one side and have a place for someone to fill out info if they wish to send in a donation to Crime Stoppers. These inserts are at no cost to the group.

Numerous suggestions for fundraising were discussed. Some ideas involve a poster-making contest among Cleveland County school students and a possible dinner with a well renowned guest speaker.

Cecil Burton asked the group to vote on whether or not Crime Stoppers needed a web site. The group voted to let Cecil be in charge of that. Andy Andrews added that his daughters could help, as they build websites. The website would have links to all area law enforcement agencies.

Cecil Burton also suggested that the group begin a Campus Crime Stoppers. Other areas already have these in force. The group voted to do this, and Don Allen volunteered to spearhead this.

Andy Andrews is working on either getting some space for the group at the county fair, or at least having a banner. Plastic bags were also discussed, for fair goers to use, but it was decided that it is probably too late for this endeavor unless someone were to offer to donate them.

King Mountain Police Chief Melvin Proctor asked the group for their suggestions on getting the word out more in his area. It was decided that Karen Rhyne will contact the Herald and see if someone will start attending the meetings. Andy Andrews also suggested having a billboard in that area.

Andy Andrews had the newly printed Crime Stoppers stickers with him and said he had given Shelby Police Chief Tandy Carter 100 of them. He also gave some to Chief Proctor and to Durwin Briscoe. It was suggested that officers help distribute them to area mini marts, grocery stores.etc. Andy said he did not want anyone to take them to leave in their vehicle. He wants to make sure they get placed in areas where they will be seen.

Susann Durham, who works with Notification Call in said they she did not feel the schools were getting across to the students that once they had a police record, their lives would be forever changed. She said many of the young offenders she spoke with did not even know what a felony was. There was some discussion about the D.A.R.E. program and whether or not some of this information could be added to their curriculum. Chief Proctor said the content of what they can do is state-mandated and they have yearly updates.

President Gary Staymate adjourned the meeting at 1:05pm.

The next Crime Stoppers meeting will be held on Monday October 15 2007, at Fidelity Bank at noon.

Submitted by Karen Rhyne, Secretary Cleveland County Crime Stoppers

CrimeStoppers Meeting Minutes

Minutes from last month's CrimeStoppers meeting, e-mailed to me today by CrimeStoppers Secretary Karen Rhyne:

The monthly meeting of Crime Stoppers was held on Monday, August 20, 2007 at noon in Fidelity Bank in Shelby NC..

President Gary Staymate called the meeting to order at 12:04pm.

Those present were: President Gary Staymate, Secretary Karen Rhyne, Steve Seate of the SPD, Andy Andrews (Shelby Shopper), Treasurer Verna McCluney, Durwin Briscoe (Sheriff's Dept), Marlene Peeler, Vice President Charles McCluney, Shell Byars (SPD and former Crime Stoppers President) Graham Cawthon (Shelby Star), Kathryn Larson (Cable 33) and Tandy Carter, Shelby police chief.

Officer Steve Seate presented a report on the tips received since the last meeting in July. There were a total of 16 tips. Five were from the County and the remainder from the city. Seate asked for a payout regarding two arrests made in breaking and enterings at Duke Power, on US-74 near Cleveland Mall, in which a large amount of copper was reported stolen. Much of the copper was later recovered. There were two arrests made for that crime. Crime Stopper board members voted to give the anonymous tipster $500.

The current CrimeStoppers balance is $5,288.52, before the $500 pay out.

President Gary Staymate presented an offer from The Medicine Shoppe, to print an ad on their medicine bags. These bags would reach approximately 24,000 customers and would cost Crime Stoppers $156. This offer was declined by board members. Members discussed this idea and decided that this offer was not a wise one and could possibly open the door to other similar offers. It was also noted that the ads would mostly be viewed by Medicine Shoppe customers.

Andy Andrews announced that he has made arrangements for two Crime Stoppers billboards to go up in the county at no cost, and these will be rotated around the county. Andy also mentioned the stickers that are currently being printed. The group discussed where these would be distributed. Magnets were also discussed.

The board also discussed opportunities to reach out to children during the upcoming county fair.

Police Chief Tandy Carter praised the group's efforts and said Shelby typically has one murder every 73 days. So far this year there has only been one murder. Chief Carter also reported were 40 non-fatal gun shot wounds last year, and so far this year there has only been 7 or 8. He said this can be attributed to groups like Crime Stoppers.

President Gary Staymate adjourned the meeting at 12:55pm.

Citizens Police Academy

Don't worry, it wasn't a real gun.

That was taken about a year and a half ago by The Star's former photographer John Derrick.

I was half-way through the Shelby Police Department's Citizens Police Academy when we had a night of training at the firing range.

This fall I'm taking the course again and you can follow the adventure every week either in The Star or here on the blog.

Here are some of the topics discussed during Thursday's first class, which drew a record number of attendees:

SPD Vision Statement

"To be a recognized leader in our community by providing the highest level of customer service."


Core Values

• Honesty
• Teamwork
• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Respect

Profile of Employees

• 85 full-time employees
• 71 sworn personnel
• 14 civilian personnel
• 20 part-time police and civilian employees
• Average age: 36 years old
• Average tenure: 7.66 years
• 25 of 71 officers have college degrees
• 10 of those have AA degrees
• 11 have BS/BA degrees
• 4 have Masters

Department's Profile

• Budget: $5.3 million
• 62 vehicles
• 2 substations: Shelby Fire Department's Station 3 and Cleveland Mall
• SPD has national accreditation through CALEA which was initially earned Nov. 1, 2001
• SPD is one of 29 municipalities in NC to be accredited
• SPD was recommended for reaccreditation Aug. 2007

The department is divided into three divisions: 1) operations, 2) investigations, and 3) professional standards.

Operations (Patrol)

• The division is comprised of all the uniform officers. These are the first responders.
• There are 4 shifts of officers covering the streets 24/7
• The street crimes unit is comprised of 4 officers dedicated to 'problem solving.' They do not take calls but rather attend to issues other patrol officers don't have time to focus on.
• The community policing unit also falls within this division.

• Shift composition
• 1 watch commander oversees two squads
• Each squad has 2 Sgts. and 7 officers
• Of those 7, one is a K-9 officer
• In C.O.P. there is one Lt., one crime prevention specialist, a DARE and School Resource Officer

• Shifts
• Officers work permanent shifts
• Assignments are either 6:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 6:45 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• The street crimes unit shifts are dependant on the operation they are working

• The Workload
• In 2006, officers responded to 46,006 calls for service
• Average: 126 calls per day
• This does not count any administrative work (court, training, etc.)
• 2,405 arrests were made last year
• Officers strive for a 60 / 40 split: working proactive community policing 60 percent of the time and responding to calls the other 40 percent

Investigations

• CID (Criminal Investigations Division) has one Lt., one Sgt., one crime scene investigator, and 5 case detectives
• Vice has one Lt., one Sgt., one ABC detective, and 3 narcotics detectives

• Workload
• In 2006, detectives worked 642 cases
• Average: 128 cases per detective
• They work mainly 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but all carry pagers

Professional Standards

• Responsibilities include: training, hiring / recruiting, and internal affairs

Dispatch Center

• Staffed 24/7
• 8 Telecommunicators
• All calls for service within the city limits come through this unit
• They are responsible for tracking and logging all calls

Records

• Staffed 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
• All reports come through this unit for entry and filing
• They also cover the walk-ins and answer all in-coming non-emergency calls

That's all for this week. Check back next week for more on community policing and accreditation.

Shelby Crime Stats

Figures released Thursday during Shelby Police's monthly crime stat meeting...

These are year-to-date numbers (Jan. to Aug.)

2006 Jan. to Aug. vs. 2007 Jan. to Aug.


Reported Crime

Murder: 3 to 2 (-33%)

Rape: 7 to 15 (+114%)

Robbery: 44 to 43 (-2%)

Assault: 67 to 61 (-9%)

Burglary: 268 to 205 (-24%)

Larceny: 558 to 534 (-4%)

Auto Theft: 65 to 28 (-57%)

Arson: 3 to 6 (+100%)

Total of All Reported Crime: 1,541 to 1,377 (-11%)


Arrests

Murder: 3 to 2 (-33%)

Rape: 2 to 5 (+150%)

Robbery: 32 to 28 (-13%)

Assault: 89 to 80 (-10%)

Burglary: 65 to 59 (-9%)

Larceny: 173 to 222 (+28%)

Auto Theft: 10 to 4 (-60%)

Arson: 0 to 1 (N/A)

Total of All Arrests: 2,393 to 2,613 (+9%)


"You're doing your job very effectively," Police Chief Tandy Carter told his officers. "The last couple years it's been better than it's ever been. We're making some progress."

The Playlist: Dave Matthews Band

Known for their constant touring and blending of musical genres, the Dave Matthews Band became one of the breakthrough acts of the 1990s as they rose from a college town jam band to reach worldwide success.

With a slew of Grammy nominations and wins to their credit, the Charlottesville, Va. band is back on the road this summer and has made stops in recent days to Atlanta's Piedmont Park and Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium (Va. Tech students and faculty were given free tickets and attendance was estimated at 50,000). The current tour of outdoor venues will also bring the band to Charlotte's Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre next Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Having caught my first DMB show last June at Verizon Wireless, I can safely say it's one of the best concerts going today. If you like a wide variety of music genres - and can tolerate that mysterious pungent odor that surrounds some of the concert-goers - then I'd recommend buying tickets.

I know I'll be there.

With that said, here's a look at some of my favorite DMB songs:

Ants Marching (1995)
Album: Under the Table and Dreaming



One of the best-known DMB songs, the second single from their breakthrough album reached No. 18 on Billboard's Modern Rock Charts. The band performed the song during their debut on 'Saturday Night Live' April 15, 1995 and closed last summer's Charlotte set with the song before returning with a handful of encores. "This is our anthem," Matthews once said.

Crash Into Me (1996)
Album: Crash



Arguably the band's most famous and romantic song, Matthews has said it was written about the worship of women. And rather than being arrested for voyeurism, he wrote a song. It peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts, making it one of the band's biggest hits to date.

Crush (1998)
Album: Before These Crowded Streets



The album's third single, the love song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. Live performances of the laid-back jazz tune usually run over 10 minutes - typical for any live DMB song - and the album version is equally as long; the song was cut in half for radio play. Matthews has said he took the song's opening line from Willie Nelson's 'Crazy.'

Everyday (2001)
Album: Everyday

Music Video


'America: A Tribute to Heroes'


The song evolved into its current form from the band's previous song, '36.' Notable for a feel-good music video in which a man hugs random people on the street - including Conan O'Brien, Sheryl Crow, and the Blue Man Group - the song peaked at No. 8 on the Adult Top 20 Charts. In the wake of Sept. 11, Matthews performed an acoustic version of the song as part of the 'America: A Tribute to Heroes' telethon held Sept. 21, 2001.

Grey Street (2002)
Album: Busted Stuff



Reaching No. 18 on the Adult Top 40 charts, Matthews has said the song was inspired by the late Bostonian poet Anne Sexton who killed herself in 1974. A band favorite during recent tours, the depressing nature of the song is cleverly disguised by its upbeat tempo.

So there’s my list. What’s yours? Shoot me an e-mail at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com and it might end up featured in a future column.

Next CrimeStoppers Meeting

Notice for all those interested in helping out with CrimeStoppers:

I received an e-mail yesterday from CrimeStoppers Secretary Karen Rhyne stating the next meeting will be Monday, Sept. 17 at noon at Fidelity Bank beside the Shelby Police Department on Lafayette Street.

If interested in stopping by, please RSVP with Mrs. Rhyne at (704) 482-6635. Lunch will be provided.

Ellenboro Fair Photos

Just got back from the first night of the Ellenboro Fair.
As you can see to the left, myself and our new photo intern Brittany showed up just a little early.
And so we got dinner first.
Peanut butter milkshake at Randall's Ellenboro Restaurant.

Highly recommended.

More photos from the fair.

Probation Absconders

Just received this e-mail from Stan Hubbard at the Department of Corrections:

SEPT '07
CURRENT LIST OF PROBATION ABSCONDERS

NAME, SEX/RACE, DOB, LOCATION

ANDRUS, Nathaniel, B/M, 9/22/1970, UNKNOWN

ARCHIE, Jemarqus, B/M, 11/30/1983, UNKNOWN

ARIAS, Jose, H/M, 9/13/1977, UNKNOWN

BORDERS, Dustin, B/M, 6/4/1986, UNKNOWN

BURROWS, Bryan, B/M, 6/2/1984, UNKNOWN

CRUZ, Lindsey,Jamie, W/M, 7/10/1978, UNKNOWN

DAVIS,Mario, W/F, 8/24/1976, UNKNOWN

EAVES, Brian, B/M, 6/4/1989, UNKNOWN

HUDSON, Kimberly, B/M, 12/10/1967, UNKNOWN

HUSKEY, Katrina, W/F, 4/13/1971, UNKNOWN

LEACH, Jerry, B/F, 1/1/1974, UNKNOWN

LOOS,Richard, B/M, 11/24/1961, UNKNOWN

McMULLEN, Elizabeth, W/M, 11/12/1963, UNKNOWN

OSMENT, Jamie, W/F, 12/19/1976, UNKNOWN

PERRY,William, W/F, 1/12/1982, UNKNOWN

ROGERS, Duston, B/M, 1/18/1957, UNKNOWN

SMITH,Michael, B/M, 8/29/1983, UNKNOWN

SYLVIA, Ryan, B/M, 7/8/1985, UNKNOWN

WEBBER, Tasha, W/M, 3/14/1982, UNKNOWN

WHITESIDES, Amanda, B/F, 6/15/1974, UNKNOWN

WILLIAMS,Ronald, W/F, 1/23/1979, UNKNOWN

The above individuals have absconded supervision in Cleveland County and have warrants outstanding.

Please contact the Division of Community Corrections Office at (704) 480-5488.

Intensive Surveillance Officer: Richard Bowman
(704) 480-5488 EXT:218

Crime Map

Back with a new crime map. These are incidents dating back to Sept. 7.

To read the details of the case, click on the red marker. Use the map controls to zoom in and out and scroll left, right, up and down.



Those arrested are innocent until found guilty in a court of law. (M) refers to misdemeanor crimes, (F) refers to felonies.

If you have any information regarding any of these incidents, contact Shelby Police at (704) 484-6845 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (704) 481-TIPS (8477).

Monetary donations to CrimeStoppers can be sent to Fidelity Bank, 331 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC, 28150 Attn: Verna McCluney

Sept. 11

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “
- President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

U2: Walk On
America: A Tribute to Heroes (9/21/01)


Ground Zero
3/14/04

Playlist Preview: Dave Matthews Band

Known for their constant touring and blending of musical genres, the Dave Matthews Band became one of the breakthrough acts of the 1990s as they rose from a college town jam band to reach worldwide success.

With a slew of Grammy nominations and wins to their credit, the Charlottesville, Va. band is back on the road this summer and has made stops in recent days to Atlanta's Piedmont Park and Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium (Va. Tech students and faculty were given free tickets and attendance was estimated at 50,000). The current tour of outdoor venues will also bring the band to Charlotte's Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre next Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Having caught my first DMB show last June at Verizon Wireless, I can safely say it's one of the best concerts going today. If you like rock or jazz - and can tolerate that mysterious pungent odor that surrounds some of the concert-goers - then I'd recommend buying tickets. I know I'll be there.

Check out Thursday's Star for my picks of the 5 best DMB songs, then come back to the blog to watch performances of each.

This Day in History

On this day in history...

1998 - Mark McGwire breaks Roger Maris' 1961 record of 61 home runs in a single season.

1986 - The first episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show airs.

1974 - President Gerald Ford pardons former President Richard Nixon for any crimes he may have committed while in office.

1966 - Star Trek premieres on TV with its first episode, "The Man Trap."

1504 - Michelangelo's David is unveiled in Florence, Italy.

Credit: Wikipedia

Recent Arrests

These are arrests that were recently on file with local law enforcement agencies.

Those arrested are innocent until found guilty in a court of law. (M) refers to misdemeanor crimes, (F) refers to felonies.

If you have any information regarding any of these incidents, contact Shelby Police at (704) 484-6845, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office at (704) 484-4888, Kings Mountain Police at (704) 734-0444 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at (704) 481-TIPS (8477).

Monetary donations to CrimeStoppers can be sent to Fidelity Bank, 331 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC, 28150 Attn: Verna McCluney


ARRESTS


Name: Gerald Anthony Smith
Age: 26
Address: 823 Cleveland Ave., Kings Mountain
Date of arrest: Sept. 1, 3:43 a.m.
Charges: Failure to appear – possession of a firearm by felon (F)
Place of arrest: Church Street, Kings Mountain
Bond: $20,000 unsecured
Agency: Kings Mountain Police


Name: Carlos Lamont Sims
Age: 33
Address: Lawndale
Date of arrest: Sept. 2, 5:44 p.m.
Charges: Possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine (F), resisting a public officer (M), probation violation (M)
Place of arrest: In woods behind 305 Crawford St., Shelby
Description: Sims was found in possession of 5.6 grams of crack cocaine and six grams of marijuana.
Bond: No bond
Agency: Shelby Police


Name: Dmartin Muhammad Jamison
Age: 20
Address: 211 Morrison St., Shelby
Date of arrest: Sept. 2, 9:01 p.m.
Charges: Possession of a stolen firearm (F)
Place of arrest: Home
Bond: $2,500 unsecured
Agency: Shelby Police


Name: Micky Shellen Petty
Age: 50
Address: 2406 Ellis Road, Shelby
Date of arrest: Aug. 29, 6:10 p.m.
Charges: Possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine (F), possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana (F)
Place of arrest: Roadway in front of 204 Palmer St.
Description: Petty was found in possession of three rocks of crack cocaine and 21 grams of marijuana.
Bond: $10,000 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Samich

Saw this last night outside Joe's Place.

You think it was placed there on purpose? Write "Samich" in concrete outside the restaurant to get you thinking about food?

: )

The Playlist: Garth Brooks

Since 1989, his has been one of the biggest names in music, selling 115 million albums worldwide and earning countless accolades along the way.

He put country music one step closer to the mainstream, shattered records and sold out stadiums from Texas to Ireland.

And for the past seven years, he’s been retired. Until now.

During a press conference Aug. 18, Garth Brooks announced the release of a new box set, ‘The Ultimate Hits,’ featuring 30 songs – including four new tracks – as well as a music video DVD.

His career arguably “jumped the shark” with 1997’s Central Park concert but there’s no denying the groundbreaking success Garth enjoyed in the 80s and 90s that left a lasting impact on both the country and pop charts.

In preparation for this week’s column, I’ve been listening to a lot of Garth songs. They remind me of being a 4th grader in Oklahoma and watching the music video of ‘The Dance’ for the first time … watching him perform on various awards shows … and seeing him in person at the Grand Ole Opry in 1992.

With that said, here are five of my favorite songs from one of the most important careers in country music history.

Friends in Low Places (1990)

The first single from Brooks’ ‘No Fences’ album spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard country charts and cemented Brooks as a major player. Arguably his signature song, the party favorite ranked No. 6 on CMT’s 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music. Brooks later retooled the song in live performances to add a third, more rowdy, verse.

If Tomorrow Never Comes (1989)

Co-written by Brooks, this single from his self-titled debut album was his first to reach the top of the country charts. It has since been covered by the likes of Ronan Keating and Barry Manilow and was performed on ‘American Idol’ by Elliott Yamin during the show’s fifth season.

If Tomorrow Never Comes - Garth Brooks

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Unanswered Prayers (1991)

The story of a man introducing his wife to his high school girlfriend was the second hit single from 1990’s ‘No Fences’ album, continuing a trend of ballads which resonated with both the country and pop audience. Co-written by Brooks, the song was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard country charts and has since been included on a total of four of his albums.

To Make You Feel My Love (1998)

The theme song of the Sandra Bullock / Harry Connick Jr. film ‘Hope Floats’ was written by Bob Dylan. And of all the artists who have covered Dylan’s work, he himself said this was his favorite cover. Surprised me too, considering Jimi Hendrix’ take on ‘All Along the Watchtower.’ And of course, the song earned Brooks another No. 1 on the Billboard country charts.

To Make You Feel My Love (video)

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The Dance (1990)

Since the age of 9, this has been one of my all-time favorite songs. Frequently played at funerals, the country anthem won both Song of the Year and Video of the Year awards from the Academy of Country Music and ranked No. 14 on CMT’s 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music. An edited version was played in heavy rotation following the 2001 death of Dale Earnhardt Sr.

“You know, I’d never compare myself to the folks that are seen in the video,” Brooks says at the end of the song’s music video. “But if for some reason, god forbid, I should leave this world unexpectedly I hope they play ‘The Dance’ for me. Cause, I mean, that’s it. I could have missed the pain but I’d had to miss the dance. …And I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Me neither.

garth brooks - the dance

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So that's my list - what's yours? Shoot me an e-mail at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com and it could be featured in an upcoming column.