SPD Ceremony

Shelby Police had a big day last Wednesday. I wasn't able to make it but here are some photos taken during the ceremony at city hall that saw the swearing in of a new officer and public recognition of two others.

(Photo credit: MA Andrews)
Here is Roger Dale Bowen Jr. being sworn in as the latest SPD officer.











A Cleveland County native, he was accompanied by his wife, sons, and extended family.











Officer Shannon M. Porter was recognized for achieving International Crime Prevention Practitioner Specialist status, through the International Crime Prevention Practitioners. This certification authorizes Porter to perform crime prevention strategies worldwide. Here he is beside Chief Carter.











Sgt. Michael N. Ballen received his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate from the NC Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission. The certificate is the highest law enforcement certificate a sworn officer can receive in North Carolina. Here he is beside Chief Tandy Carter.

Shelby Crime Map

Want to see what's been going on in Shelby, crime-wise? Check out the map below and click on each red marker. Feel free to zoom in and out of the map as much as you want and you can move the map in any direction.





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 on a female
Date reported: Oct. 29, 8:01 p.m.
Address: 603 Hamrick St.
Description: Marchanti Ussery, 24, told police her boyfriend assaulted and choked her. A warrant was issued for the boyfriend’s arrest.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Larceny of a firearm
Date reported: Oct. 29, 6:24 a.m.
Address: 714 Cherryville Road
Description: Robert Jones told police someone stole his .40 caliber handgun with nightsights.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Armed robbery
Date reported: Oct. 27, 11:35 p.m.
Address: 816 Logan St.
Description: James Thrift, a driver for United Cab Co., told police he went to pick up a fare when the two customers robbed him after putting a gold handgun to the back of his head. Thrift reported $20.25 taken by the suspects.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering of business, damage to property
Date reported: Oct. 25, 9:01 a.m.
Address: Depot Salvage, 524 N. Washington St.
Description: A meter box was reported damaged, possibly in an attempt to break into the building. Damages were estimated at $1,000.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering, larceny
Date reported: Oct. 25, 3:43 p.m.
Address: 514 Durham St.
Description: Carolyn Dawkins told police someone broke into her home and stole a Gucci shoulder bag, an Avon bag, over $300 in cash, gold necklace, two Timex watches and two gold rings. Losses were estimated at over $1,000. The power was turned off off before the break-in, the report said.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering, larceny
Date reported: Oct. 25, 7:50 a.m.
Address: Genesis Florist, 401 E. Grover St.
Description: Annie Mobley told police someone used an object to break the front glass door, then broke into the cash register and stole $150. The power had been shut off before the break-in, the report said.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Common law robbery
Date reported: Oct. 25, 5:36 p.m.
Address: Ingles parking lot, 1818 W. Dixon Blvd.
Description: Gladys Hill, 64, told police a man took her pocketbook as she attempted to go inside the store. A customer followed the suspect’s car and gave a description to police, allowing the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office to locate it and charge the driver – Peter Benjamin Robertson, 31 – with common law robbery.
Agency: Shelby Police

ARRESTS

Name: David William Spickler
Age: 27
Address: 410 Jim Greer Road, Belmont
Date of arrest: Oct. 30, 12:51 a.m.
Charges: Larceny (M), common law forgery (F), common law uttering (F), driving while license revoked (failure to appear; Gaston County) (2 counts), improper passing (failure to appear; Gaston County), no operators license (M) (Gaston County)
Place of arrest: Wal-Mart, 703 E. Dixon Blvd.
Description: Spickler was served with warrants for his arrest.
Bond: $21,000 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Name: Justin Brent Edwards
Age: 17
Address: 4310 Fallston Road
Date of arrest: Oct. 27, 10:32 a.m.
Charges: Possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana (F), selling and delivering a Schedule VI controlled substance (F)
Place of arrest: Home
Description: Edwards was served with warrants for his arrest.
Bond: $2,500 secured
Agency: Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office

Name: Randy Haskell Hart
Age: 35
Address: 2768 N. Highway 101, Greer, S.C.
Date of arrest: Oct. 26, 5:16 p.m.
Charges: Larceny (M), possession of stolen goods (M), fugitive extradition (F) (Spartanburg, S.C.)
Place of arrest: 1020 W. Elm St.
Bond: $1,000 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Three Wanted in KM Drug Bust

Received this e-mail earlier today from Kings Mountain Police:

OPERATION FALL HARVEST
More on the operation from Saturday's Star

These are people that are wanted by the Kings Mountain Police Department:

(1) Patrick James (no photo)
518 Harmon Court, Kings Mountain
D.O.B.: 01/01/1987
(1) ct. Possession W/Intent to Sell/Deliver Cocaine; (1) ct. Sell/Deliver Cocaine

(2) Terrance Tico Turner
314 Davis Road, Shelby, NC
D.O.B.: 12/14/1977
(1) ct. Possession W/Intent to Sell/Deliver Cocaine; (1) ct. Sell/Deliver Cocaine

(3) Starr Huntsinger Barker
127 Matthews Drive, Kings Mtn.
D.O.B.: 01/03/1979
(1) ct. Possession W/Intent to Sell/Deliver Cocaine; (1) ct. Sell/Deliver Cocaine; (1) ct. Sell/Deliver Controlled Substance within 300 ft. of school

If you have any information on the whereabouts of these individuals, contact Kings Mountain Police at (704) 734-0444 or call CrimeStoppers anonymously at (704) 481-TIPS (8477).

Shelby Crime Map

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: Breaking and entering of a coin-operated machine; damaging a coin-operated machine; larceny
Date reported: Oct. 19, 4:22 p.m.
Address: Kebos Inc., 2736 Polkville Road, Shelby
Description: Richard Bell, an employee, told deputies the break-in occurred between Oct. 15 and Oct. 19. About $80 in coins were reported taken and the machine sustained $200 in damages.
Agency: Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office

Crime: Injury to personal property
Date reported: Oct. 19, 12:22 a.m.
Address: 918 Foxcroft Circle, Shelby
Description: Police responded to the home after receiving a complaint of gunshots in the area. Those outside the home told police an older model Honda Accord drove past with someone in the vehicle opening fire on a Ford Explorer nearby. The report stated the witnesses appeared to be intoxicated and most were not cooperative with providing information.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Larceny
Date reported: Oct. 17 7:32 p.m.
Address: Wal-Mart, 703 E. Dixon Blvd., Shelby
Description: Robert Hector, an employee, told police a man attempted to leave the store with a gas can, drinks and a DVD recorder. When Hector asked for the DVD player, the man ran out of the store, leaving behind the other items, and drove off in a burgundy Oldsmobile. The suspect was described as a heavy set black man. The DVD recorder was estimated at $170.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Larceny of a motor vehicle
Date reported: Oct. 17, 7:16 p.m.
Address: Rogers Cadillac, 4423 E. Dixon Blvd.
Description: A man stole a $40,000 2007 Cadillac CTS while test driving the vehicle. Rutherford County sheriff’s deputy recovered the vehicle about a half hour later after Rogers employees called OnStar to find the car’s location.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering of a motor vehicle
Date reported: Oct. 22, 10:58 p.m.
Address: 1012 Mark Drive
Description: Coco Ussery, 24, called police after the top of her convertible was stolen. Police tracked the suspects scent to a nearby residence.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Larceny of a dog
Date reported: Oct. 22, 7:36 p.m.
Address: 215 Dellinger Road
Description: Amy Bolin told police someone stole one of her dogs, a brown and white pitbully puppy.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Breaking and entering of a motor vehicle, larceny
Date reported: Oct. 22, 9:24 p.m.
Address: 804 E. Graham St.
Description: A set of golf clubs, valued at $800, was taken from a vehicle at the residence.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Common law robbery
Date reported: Oct. 23, 1:52 p.m.
Address: Gidney Street near Kenwood Drive
Description: Shawn Safrit told police he was riding his bicycle the night before around 7:30 p.m. when he was attacked by three men who robbed him of his wallet, watch and necklace. Safrit said he got the wallet back and told police he couldn’t immediately call police because he couldn’t find a phonebook.
Agency: Shelby Police

ARRESTS

Name: Carissa Littlejohn
Age: 20
Address: 302 Ramblewood Drive
Date of arrest: Oct. 23, 9:28 p.m.
Charges: Shoplifting (M)
Place of arrest: Wal-Mart, 703 E. Dixon Blvd.
Description: Littlejohn and Latesha Black, 20, were both arrested for shoplifting at the store.
Bond: $300 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Name: Latesha Black
Age: 20
Address: 208 Ramblewood Drive. Apt. 27
Date of arrest: Oct. 23, 9:28 p.m.
Charges: Shoplifting (M)
Place of arrest: Wal-Mart, 703 E. Dixon Blvd.
Description: Black and Carissa Littlejohn, 20, were both arrested for shoplifting at the store.
Bond: $300 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

The Playlist: Halloween

It's that time of year again. The weather gets just a little colder. Flu shots become popular. And Wal-Mart starts carrying Christmas decorations.
Yep, Halloween is near.
With one of my favorite holidays coming up in less than a week, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight a few songs with an obvious scary spin. Planning a Halloween party? Any would be a welcome addition.
Blue Oyster Cult: Don't Fear the Reaper (1976)
Yes, it's the cow bell song from 'Saturday Night Live.' But years before Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell helped put the song back on the map with a memorable skit back in 2000, 'Don't Fear the Reaper' had its own cult (no put intended) following. A cover of the song appeared on the Goo Goo Dolls' self-titled debut album in 1987, a slow ballet version by Gus was featured in 1996's 'Scream,' and the original song was included in John Carpenter's 1978 classic 'Halloween,' 1998's 'Halloween H20,' as well as the 2007 bloodbath remake by Rob Zombie. The song has also been a part of numerous video games in recent years and was used in the opening of Stephen King's 'The Stand.'

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (1973)
You know, it's really not that scary a song. The instrumental piece is actually very soothing. The only problem is the connotation to a movie about a girl possessed by the devil who spews pea soup, needs some dermatologist care and can do creepy voices. Maybe for that reason alone, 'Tubular Bells' is the scariest of these five picks. The theme song from 1973's 'The Exorcist' remains Oldfield's most famous work and his album of the same name stayed on the UK charts 5 years, peaking at No. 1. The album was certified gold in the US and earned Oldfield a Grammy in 1975 for best instrumental composition.

Stevie Wonder: Superstition (1972)
I dare you to turn on the radio October 31 and not hear this at some point. Written and performed by Wonder when he was only 22, the song reached No. 1 in the US and was a Top 20 hit in the UK in February 1973. Focusing on numerous superstitions - a natural tie-in for Halloween - the song has since been featured in John Carpenter's 'The Thing' and Will Smith's 'I, Robot.' Notable cover versions include Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bucky Covington and Widespread Panic. Rolling Stone has since ranked the song No. 74 on its list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Ray Parker Jr.: Ghostbusters (1984)
Who you gonna call? Well I don't know about you but if I hear anything super creepy, if things start flying around my apartment or a giant green blob of a ghost comes at me - I'm calling the cops. Here's a little bit of trivia: Parker was later sued when it became known the guitar riff from the song was taken from Huey Lewis & the News' 'I Want a New Drug,' which was released earlier in the year. Lewis has since stated he was approached first to compose the film's theme song but turned it down because he was already working on 'Back to the Future.' The two parties eventually settled out of court, with Parker paying Lewis an undisclosed fee.

Michael Jackson: Thriller (1983)
The epic 14-minute music video is considered by some as the greatest ever and a signature song from one of the most successful performers of all time. The video, directed by John Landis and with a creepy voice-over by Vincent Price, stood for several years as the most expensive video made with a price tag of $800,000 ($1.4 million in 2007 US dollars). Jackson would go on to break his own record with the 1995 video for 'Scream,' a duet with sister Janet. Both the song and the video's coreography have become a part of pop culture, with references to both appearing in numerous other media including 'South Park,' 'The Simpsons,' and '13 Going on 30.'


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.

Playlist Preview: Halloween

It's that time of year again. The weather gets just a little colder. Flu shots become popular. And Wal-Mart starts carrying Christmas decorations.

Yep, Halloween is near. (Everyone say hi to Michael Jackson)

With one of my favorite holidays just a week away, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight a few songs with an obvious scary spin. Planning a Halloween party? Any would be a welcome addition.

See the full list in Thursday's Star and be sure to come back to the blog later that day for music videos of each.

Elly May Clampett visits KMHS

You probably wouldn't know her by her real name but the hair, the whistle that could clear a room, and the tomboy attitude would give it away.

Donna Douglas, known for her role as Elly May Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies, gave an inspirational talk to a packed crowd of Kings Mountain High students Tuesday.

You can look for that story in Wednesday's paper and visit shelbystar.com for three videos I shot, including a brief talk with Douglas after the class.

"Don't get kissy-faced too fast," she told the class in a moment that had much of the room errupting in laughter.

Stolen Cars (w/ Map)

I've got a story coming in Sunday's paper about car thefts that have hit Shelby.

"It's a growing problem," said Shelby Police Sgt. Steve Seate.

Here is a map of locations in which cars have been stolen between January and September this year. Feel free to zoom in and out as needed.

Read more Sunday...

Shelby Crime Map

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: Breaking and entering, larceny
Date reported: Oct. 12, 4:42 p.m.
Address: Choice USA Beverage Inc., 2440 S. Lafayette St.
Description: Leslie Farkas told deputies he parked his vehicle inside the fenced lot at the Sundrop Bottling Company and when he returned to the vehicle he noticed items missing. Among the items were a $250 gold necklace, $1,200 men’s gold nugget ring with diamond stones and a $950 Rolex ring with diamonds in it.
Agency: Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office

Crime: Armed robbery, larceny of a motor vehicle
Date reported: Oct. 16, 2:20 a.m.
Address: Morgan Street and Royster Avenue
Description: James Earwood and Jeff Green told police they were flagged down by three men, one of whom put a sawed-off shotgun to Green’s head and demanded valuables from the two before taking their car. The vehicle was found a short time later. No arrests have been made.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Injury to real property
Date reported: Oct. 15, 7:47 a.m.
Address: James Love Elementary, 309 James Love Road
Description: Judy Bumgarner told police someone had broken a window in the cafeteria. A golf ball was found near the broken window.
Agency: Shelby Police

ARRESTS

Name: Paul Edward Rohrer
Age: 42
Address: 318 Martin St., Shelby
Date of arrest: Oct. 15, 4:01 p.m.
Charges: Assault on a child under 12 (M), assault on a female (M)
Place of arrest: Home
Description: Rohrer was served with warrants for his arrest.
Bond: $500 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

Name: Ronald Shawn Ross
Age: 34
Address: 1401 Charles Road, Shelby
Date of arrest: Oct. 15, 4:23 p.m.
Charges: Assault with a deadly weapon (M)
Place of arrest: Town House Motel, 1530 E Dixon Blvd.
Description: Ross was served with a warrant for his arrest.
Bond: $500 secured
Agency: Shelby Police

The Playlist: Women of Rock

They were women in a male-dominated industry. They broke barriers and helped pave the road for those that followed. They made it possible for the Britney Spears, Fergies, and Pinks of the world to have a career in mainstream music.

Here are just a few of my favorite 'women of rock' over the past 30 years.

Blondie - Call Me (1980)

Nominated for a Golden Globe for its use in the Richard Gere film 'American Gigolo,' it was the top-selling song of the year and ranks today as No. 283 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In recent years, the song has been covered by the likes of Garbage, No Doubt and even the Chipmunks. As a side note, Stevie Nicks was originally asked to help compose the song but declined, which led to lead singer Debbie Harry getting the opportunity.



A live cover of the song by No Doubt, Garbage, and the Distillers:



Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains (1995)

One of my favorite bands since high school, Garbage had the world take notice when they released their self-title debut album and gained even more attention and acclaim with 1998's Version 2.0. This song, the second of five singles from their first album, is considered their breakthrough hit and has been used on such TV programs as 'The X-Files,' 'Homicide: Life on the Street,' and in ads for the program, 'Crossing Jordan.' According to lead singer Shirley Manson, "It's ... a song about wanting love, but knowing that life will always get in the way, and of knowing that, and yet not being obliterated by that."



Stevie Nicks - Edge of Seventeen (1982)

Written as a response to her uncle's death and the killing of John Lennon during the same week, the lead singer of Fleetwood Mac released the song as her third single from her solo debut, Bella Donna. The track reached No. 11 on Billboard's Hot 100 and peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. Fans too young to be familiar with Nicks or Fleetwood Mac might know the song for being covered by Lindsay Lohan and the guitar riff being used for Destiny Child's hit 'Bootylicious,' in which Nicks makes a cameo in the music video.



Bonnie Raitt - I Can't Make You Love Me (1991)

I don't know if there is a more vulnerable song out there. It's long been a favorite of mine but I can't listen to it too often without feeling the urge for an alcoholic drink. It was a Top 20 hit for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who has since noted the song can be difficult to perform live.
"I mean, 'I Can't Make You Love Me' is no picnic," Raitt has said. "I love that song, so does the audience. So it's almost a sacred moment when you share that, that depth of pain with your audience. Because they get really quiet, and I have to summon ... some other place in order to honor that space."



Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know (1995)

Who here was scared of Alanis after this song came out? Let's see some hands. I'm right there with you. Her debut single helped get her tagged as an angry white female but subsequent singles from the hugely successful Jagged Little Pill helped soften her image. And there's been much speculation over the years as to who exactly she's singing about in the song. Although it hasn't been proven, the general consensus is Dave Coulier, of 'Full House' and 'America's Funniest People' fame. To that I say (insert hand signs here) Cut it out, Uncle Joey.



There’s my list - what’s yours? Shoot me an e-mail at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com or post here on the blog and it might end up featured in a future column.

Double Fatal Wreck in KM

Here are some photos I took earlier this evening on County Line Road in Kings Mountain.

Troopers at the scene confirmed two people were killed in the head-on collision.

Only the drivers were inside the vehicles and both were severely pinned in (trapped inside).

By 6:30 p.m., about an hour after the wreck, one of the drivers had yet to be freed from their vehicle.

Read more in Thursday's Star.

Playlist Preview: Women in Rock

They were women in a male-dominated industry. They broke barriers and helped pave the road for those that followed. They made it possible for the Britney Spears, Fergies, and Pinks of the world to have a career in mainstream music.
Check out The Playlist Thursday for some of my favorite 'women in rock.' And be sure to come back to the blog to watch music videos from each.

Meeting Over

The meeting has now ended. Thanks for joining me for the past hour.

CrimeStoppers in School

Andrews said he was hoping to do something with CrimeStoppers at local middle schools that would be interactive, convey the message of the group, and help deter the kids from getting into trouble.

CrimeStoppers Officers

New Business:

Staymate said it will soon be time to elect new officers to the group and there was a discussion as to when would be the best time in the year to make that change.

Other members said, because of the momentum the group was seeing, the elections could be put on hold for the time being and discussed in the next few months.

Gazebo Advertising

Noel said he could hang a CrimeStoppers banner to the gazebo in Kings Mountain during special events.

Utility Bill Flyers

Board member Ellis Noel discussed the CrimeStoppers logo being added to flyers which would be added to utility bills to help spread the word of the group. The flyer would be on color paper to be eye-catching. He hoped to have them out by next month.

Recent Donations

Andrews said he would look into having the food for the monthly meeting donated from now on to save on funds.

Staymate went over the recent donations to the organization within the past month:

Curve View - $400 total from two branches
First National Bank - $5,000
CJ Hamrick & Sons - $200
Shelby Rotary - $1,000
Cleveland County Association of Realtors - $500

Current total: $12,465

Kings Mountain & Boiling Springs Input

CrimeStoppers Chairman Gary Staymate said it would be difficult to determine the exact impact of CrimeStoppers on a community, specifically in Shelby, but it along with many other crimefighting efforts have played a part in the falling crime rates.

Andrews and Staymate discussed how more input is needed from Kings Mountain and both KM and Boiling Springs have expressed interest in participating more.

Staymate said he had spoken with BS Police Chief Marty Thomas about starting a Campus CrimeStoppers for Gardner-Webb University.

'Thank You' Ad

Board member Cecil Burton said he would soon be putting an ad together for publication to thank those who have donated to the CrimeStoppers effort.

Tips

According to Sgt. Steve Seate of Shelby Police, there have been 10 tips to CrimeStoppers since last meeting - five to Shelby PD, four to CCSO, and 1 for a murder in Chesne, S.C.

Most city calls regard robberies in the past month.

"It seems like it's pretty good information," Seate said.

The CCSO calls are in reference to the most wanted, he said.

One Shelby call was in reference to a robbery of a person. Information helped in leading to making an arrest. William J. Hall and Alandis Smith were charged in robbing a man with a handgun.

Seate suggested a payout be made and the board agreed to pay out $150 to the tipster.

Stickers and Food

Lt. Durwin Briscoe of the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office said CrimeStoppers stickers already distributed to law enforcement would be given out by his detective to various spots in the county to spread the word of the organization.

The group then discussed whether the meeting could be catered by local restaurants instead of the group shilling out $20 - $30 per meeting to cover food costs.

Oct. CrimeStoppers Meeting

I'm here at Fidelity Bank to cover the monthly CrimeStoppers meeting. Check back throughout the hour for live updates.

Pumpkin Carving

This is how I spent my Saturday night. Well, this and watching A Nightmare Before Christmas.

Not bad for my first attempt at carving a Jack-O-Lantern.

Kings Mountain Haunted House (w/ Halloween Music)

*Temporarily took the music out for the time being*

This is one of the first things you'll see when you walk into Terror on the Tracks - the Halloweenized Joy Performance Center in downtown Kings Mountain. A pitch dark hallway as panicked screams are heard far off in the distance.

And then you get to thinking, "Um ... maybe I should leave now."

I spent Friday night going through the haunted house with fellow Star reporters Cherish and Drew. Here they are after barely surviving the experience.

(Cherish cheated by using her cell phone light to quickly find the exits as we went room-to-room.)

Here's Chucky, who will meet you at the door and kindly advise you not to go inside.

It was a good time and you can tell organizers put a lot of time and effort into the haunted house. Hoping to check out some more haunted houses leading up to Halloween.

CrimeStoppers this Monday

Received this e-mail from CrimeStoppers Secretary Karen Rhyne and wanted to pass it along...


Just a reminder that the next Crime Stoppers meeting will be on Monday October 15 at 12 noon-Fidelity Bank. PLEASE RSVP! Lunch will be provided.

MONDAY OCTOBER 15 NOON @FIDELITY

Thanks!
Karen Rhyne

RSVP: katlover2nc@yahoo.com

The Playlist: Hollywood's One-Hit Wonders

"Well we all just want to be big rock stars..."
- Nickelback

They entertain us on the big and small screen. But sometimes, when their artistic freedom is left unchecked or their agents go on vacation, they pretend they're musicians and try to sing. Sometimes they even tour. And while a few actors and actresses have succeeded in the music industry - among them J-Lo, Kevin Bacon, and even William Shatner - most we wish would just go away. With that in mind, here are a handful of the good - but mostly bad - Hollywood stars who have spent time on the music charts.


Don Johnson - Heartbeat (1986)

Here's Don Johnson trying to hide his face after the embarassment of 'Heartbeat.'

Who knew Sonny Crockett could sing? Twenty years later, I still don't. But in his defense, the 'Miami Vice' and 'Nash Bridges' star does have somewhat of a music background. Johnson spent the late 60s as part of a psychedelic rock band known as the Horses (not a great name for a psychedelic rock band; I would have gone with something more along the lines of Chocolate Stardust or Acid Rainbow). 'Heartbeat' spent 10 weeks on the Billboard charts and peaked at No. 5. But the video, overproduced and with no logical storyline, was retired by MTV during the 1999 special '25 Lame,' which featured the worst 25 music videos from the MTV era. 'Heartbeat' was ranked the worst of the list and, as a result, has not aired since.




Bruce Willis - Respect Yourself (1987)

"Hi, I'm Bruce Willis. Wearing an unbuttoned shirt makes me look like a badass rock star."

Don't worry, it's not the Madonna song of the same name. That would just be awkward. This came during Willis' success on the TV show 'Moonlighting,' before 'Die Hard,' when he thought he was a blues singer. Under his alter-ego - Bruno Radolini - Willis released an album, 'The Return of Bruno,' in the mid 80s on the Motown label. This single reached No. 5 in January 1987 and quickly faded back into obscurity. So far into obscurity, info on the single and its album are hard to come by even via the Net. At least it's fair to say Willis with a harmonica has more musical talent than Cybill Shepherd or the kid that sees dead people ... but that's about it.




Gwyneth Paltrow - Bette Davis Eyes (2000)

Gwyneth Paltrow is one of the few actresses who has shown she can sing. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have Huey Lewis picking up the slack.

For every 10 actors who put out a song, there's one that isn't so bad. This is that one. The Oscar-winning actress surprised audiences when for the film 'Duets,' produced and directed by her late father, Paltrow proved she wasn't too bad behind the microphone. Her duet with Huey Lewis (of 'and the News' fame), performing a cover of the Smokey Robinson hit 'Cruisin,' became a hit single in 2001 and a No. 1 hit in Australia. This cover of the 1981 Kim Carnes hit, also from the film, was not released as a single in the US but reached No. 3 in the Land Down Under.




Eddie Murphy - Party all the Time (1985)

Hey Eddie, on a scale of one to ten, how good a song was 'Party All the Time?' Zero? Good call.

Considering the late Rick "Superfreak" James - cocaine aficionado and former 'Chappelle Show' star - wrote and produced the song, you really have to wonder in what context he meant "party." This came at the peak of Murphy's popularity during the 80s, following a successful run on 'Saturday Night Live' as well as starring roles in '48 Hours,' 'Trading Places,' and 'Beverly Hills Cop.' Amazingly, this No. 2 hit was not Murphy's only musical effort. He released two albums - 1985's 'How Could It Be' followed by 'Love's Alright.' And don't think his musical stylings went unappreciated - 'Party All the Time' ranked No. 7 on VH1's 'The 50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs Ever.' And rightfully so.




Patrick Swayze - She's Like the Wind (1987)

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner ... and nobody can resist my strong-but-sensitive ballet."

In a list of amateurs, you knew I would have to put a ringer in here somewhere. Here's my impression of every person who has heard this song in the past 20 years. "Eh, this isn't bad. Wait ... who is this by? The dude from 'Red Dawn'?!?! ...Holy crap!" Not only was it a hit song to go with 1987's hit movie 'Dirty Dancing,' 'She's Like the Wind' peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is a radio favorite to this day. Often you'll hear it in rotation on easy-listening stations somewhere between Michael Bolton and Richard Marx ... or in any dentist office. And here's some trivia: Swayze also co-wrote the song. That's braggable, right?




That's this week's Playlist. Have one of your own? Shoot me an e-mail at grahamcawthon@shelbystar.com or leave a message here. It could be featured in an upcoming column.

"One, Two, Freddy's coming for you..."

It's that time of year again.

The fair is over. The heat falls from 90 to 85 degrees. Wal-Mart starts carrying Christmas decorations.

Yep - Halloween must be near.

I've always been a big Halloween fan but for different reasons. It used to be the candy. Out of fear of becoming a diabetic (I tend to not know when to stop eating), it's now the scary movies.

And the costumes. I bought mine nearly a month ago at the seasonal Halloween store at Concord Mills. A little more than what I would have hoped to pay but it should be worth it. And yes, for now, it's a secret.

Clue: It's a mascot.

Don't worry, pictures will soon follow.

We already know what Pete's costume is (read below) but what about everyone else? I'm curious as to what the trendy costumes are this year.

I'm also curious as to what is going on in the Shelby / Gastonia / Charlotte area for Halloween? Any cool events? Is Scarrowinds worth checking out?

Pete Delea the Dinosaur

Here's Court reporter Pete Delea showcasing one of this Halloween's hottest costumes, a green triceratops.

(Actually, he's wearing a dog Halloween costume owned by Lifestyles Editor Emily Killian.)

Pete is available for birthday parties and bar mitzvahs. He's also a great addition to any holiday party.

Probation Absconders

Current Probation / Parolees Absconder List
(Oct. 2007)

The following individuals have outstanding warrants for their arrest. If you have any information regarding their whereabouts, call the Division of Community Corrections at (704) 480-5420 or Stan Hubbard at (704) 480-5420 Ext. 206 (work), (704) 506-2187 (cell).

Name, Race/Sex, Date of Birth, Last Known Location

Bell, Robert Carl, W/M, 4/19/70, Mansfield, Ohio

Black, Billy Ray, W/M, 3/19/88, Shelby

Black, Travis O'Brian, B/M, 12/16/85, Shelby

Blanton, Maverick Martez, B/M, 5/31/66, Shelby

Boykins, Robert Lee, B/M, 1/14/52, Shelby

Burris, Kenneth Wayne Jr., B/M, 1/29/84, Edgewood, Md.

Clark, Anthony Jerome, B/M, 12/02/65, Lawndale

Degree, Tyrone Dale, B/M, 1/11/73, Shelby

Gill, John Adam, W/M, 7/3/74, Grover

Jaimes, Gonzalez Braulio, H/M, 12/18/77, Shelby

Jordan, Susan Hamrick, W/F, 8/05/69, Shelby

Lacount, David Lee, W/M, 9/26/80, Rock Hill, SC

Manginelli, Rosemarie, W/F, 5/13/71, Shelby

Mason, Eddie Louis, B/M, 3/17/56, Shelby

McKnight, Lovez Bill, B/M, 10/23/53, Shelby

Peterson, Mitchell Joe, W/M, 7/05/49, Blacksburg, SC

Petty, Tadarius Antonio, B/M, 6/9/84, Grover

Stevens, Brandon Scott, W/M, 10/07/82, Clover, SC

Valadez, Teresa Carter, W/F, 4/9/71, Shelby

West, J.T. Anthony, B/M, 4/17/78, Rhode Island Dept. of Corrections

Young, Ashley Lamount, B/M, 10/7/76, Shelby

Brewster, William H., W/M, 4/19/62, South Carolina Dept. of Corrections

Floyd, Jason Kane, B/M, 9/23/71, Shelby

Hughes, Carlton Marcel, B/M, 12/17/83, Boiling Springs

Lamb, Teddy Lewis, W/M, 9/22/59, Shelby

McDaniel, Matthew Todd, W/M, 8/01/70, Shelby

Surratt, Charles Gregory, B/M, 9/10/65, Shelby

Shelby Crime Map

Feel free to play around with the map. By clicking on it with your curser, you can move it left, right, up and down and can zoom in and out as much as you please.




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: Breaking and entering, larceny
Date reported: Oct. 8, 10:00 a.m.
Address: 1010 Sue Lane, Shelby
Description: Royce Kindschuh told police someone had stolen five air conditioners meant for the Value Place Hotel, still under construction. Kindschuh said the air conditioners were still in their boxes and didn’t notice anything else missing. The estimated value of the air conditioners is $7,000.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Larceny
Date reported: Oct. 8, 9:51 a.m.
Address: Ingles parking lot, 1818 W. Dixon Blvd., Shelby
Description: John Burn told police he parked his car outside the grocery store with the car window down. When he returned, he noticed his wife’s red RAZR cell phone had been taken.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Larceny of a motor vehicle
Date reported: Oct. 9, 1:28 a.m.
Address: Citgo, 400 W. Dixon Blvd., Shelby
Description: Kimberly Wells told police she drove a woman she knows as Donna and an unknown black man from Forest City to Shelby in exchange for $20. After Wells got out of the vehicle, described as a 1994 Chevy Lumina, the man and woman drove off with the car.
Agency: Shelby Police

Crime: Obtaining property by false pretense
Date reported: Oct. 8, 9:11 a.m.
Address: 723 W. Graham St., Shelby
Description: Michael Donahue told police he sold a set of vehicle tires to a man on July 16. The check given as payment was returned on July 24 because the checking account had been closed. Several attempts had been made to contact the customer.
Agency: Shelby Police

ARRESTS

Name: Lee Charles Whisnant
Age: 45
Address: 1007 Gum St., Shelby
Date of arrest: Oct. 8, 2:23 p.m.
Charges: Assault with a deadly weapon (M)
Place of arrest: Cleveland County Law Enforcement Center, 100 Justice Place
Description: Whisnant was served with a warrant for his arrest.
Bond: $1,000 unsecured
Agency: Shelby Police

Name: Kentay Coolidge Ussery
Age: 26
Address: 415 Leander St., Shelby
Date of arrest: Oct. 8, 10:33 a.m.
Charges: Assault on a female (M), possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine (F), selling and delivering cocaine (F)
Place of arrest: Home
Description: Ussery was served with a warrant for his arrest.
Bond: $2,500 unsecured
Agency: Shelby Police

Playlist Preview: Hollywood One-Hit Wonders

What do these men have in common?

Here's a clue. It has nothing to do with Oscars, Emmys or having a star outside Hollywood's Chinese Theatre.

...But it does have something to do with Thursday's Playlist.

That's right.

Step aside Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan and J-Lo - this week's column belongs to Hollywood's one-hit wonders.

Check out my list of the five best or worst (depending on your point of view) in Thursday's Star, then come back to the blog to watch music videos of each.

They're so bad, I'm salivating. This is going to be fun.

Star Office

This is from the mural on Marion Street in Uptown Shelby.

... Now which one do I most resemble?

The Firing Range

Here are some photos taken Thursday night during the Citizens Police Academy.

Thursday's class was focused on firearms and was held at the Shelby Police Department's firing range on Airport Road.

Here is Lt. Steve Canipe, with Sgt. Wray Hamrick, about to fire off some rounds as the participants in the class watch.

...And here going over his shots with the class. Yes, very blurry. My apologies.

Later in the class, some participants got to go through their own shooting scenario while using air pistols. The sudden rainfall caused the scenario to end early. In this photo you can see some participants watching while a scenario takes place near the police car off in the distance.
Lastly, while waiting for the rain to stop, Officer Shannon Porter brought out some other items used by police to protect themselves, including this shield.

The next class meets Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m.