The mother and other family members and friends of a missing Georgia man have spent time in DeKalb County the last few days talking to people and distributing “Missing Person’ flyers at local businesses hoping to find someone who has seen him.
Its been two weeks since 22 year old Vincent “Vinnie” Rossetti of Peachtree City, Georgia went missing near Center Hill Lake. He was last seen on Sunday, December 18 and his car, a Lexus, was found later in the parking lot of Sligo Marina beside Highway 70. Authorities do not know if Rossetti is still alive or what has happened to him.
“We’re just desperate. We just want information from anyone that has seen him around town,” said Rossetti’s mother, Pam who spoke with WJLE on Saturday at Sligo Marina on Center Hill Lake where the search is taking place.
“”We have not spoken to him since December 18th. This is day 13 (Saturday) so we’re here passing out flyers to see if anyone has seen him since that date. We just want proof of him being alive,” said Ms. Rossetti.

“He left my daughter’s house on Friday night (December 16) from Birmingham and had been driving around,” she continued.
Ms. Rossetti said the family does not know why he came to this area. “A state Trooper saw him on the side of the road on Sparta Highway (near DeKalb/White County Line December 18) . He was a little disoriented. He had a little bit of depression so I am very worried about his mental state of hurting himself. They took him to the hospital and I talked to him several times. He knew we were coming to pick him up on Sunday night (December 18) but he left the hospital and that’s the last that we’ve heard from him,” said Ms. Rossetti.
“The last supposed sighting is east of the Dollar General Store on Highway 70 heading toward Sparta,” added John Orr, a cousin of Vincent Rossetti
If you have seen Rossetti or have information that could help locate him, call DeKalb Central Dispatch at 615-215-3000 or the CUE Center for Missing Persons 24 hour TIP LINE at 1-910-232-1687.
Rossetti is 6′ 2″, weighs 180 pounds, and has blond hair and blue eyes.
“Just pray for our family,” said Ms. Rossetti.
“We need to bring Vinnie home soon,” added Julie Cerame, a family friend.

Its been two weeks since a Georgia man went missing near Center Hill Lake but the search goes on and members of the Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad were assisted Saturday by volunteers from Florida and Georgia including the CUE Center for Missing Persons who brought in cadaver dogs.
22 year old Vincent “Vinnie” Rossetti of Peachtree City, Georgia was last seen on Sunday, December 18 and his car, a Lexus, was found later in the parking lot of Sligo Marina beside Highway 70. Rossetti is 6′ 2″, weighs 180 pounds, and has blond hair and blue eyes.
Authorities do not know if Rossetti is still alive or what has happened to him. Members of Rossetti’s family including his mother Pam Rossetti; cousin, John Orr, and a family friend, Julie Cerame have been in DeKalb County the last few days talking to people and distributing “Missing Person” flyers at local businesses hoping to find someone who may have seen Rossetti or knows of his whereabouts.
The search is concentrated on the lake in the area of Sligo bridge and Marina. “We are actively searching for Mr. Rossetti. We filed a missing person report through the Sheriff’s Office here in DeKalb County because of his vehicle being found in the Sligo Parking lot. We are not sure if Mr. Rossetti is in the water or not. We have entered Rossetti into the NCIC (National Crime Information Center) as missing. Agencies have searched the banks and water by foot, boat, and air with no luck finding him,” said Sheriff Patrick Ray.

According to Dustin Johnson, Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad Captain, the search has been on-going almost daily since Rossetti was reported missing. In addition to a visual search, sonar has been used to detect any objects in the water or at the bottom of the lake. Wayne Hubbs even flew his gyrocopter early in the search to get an aerial view of the area. Others who have assisted over the last two weeks include the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Members of the Rossett family apparently contacted the CUE Center to help in the search. CUE, which stands for “Community United Effort” is made up of a nationwide network of volunteers who assist families of the missing providing search and recovery, case management, media relations, educational, and advocacy services to families of the missing at no charge.
The last known sighting of Rossetti was by a Trooper of the Tennessee Highway Patrol on Sunday, December 18 near the DeKalb/White County line. “At 3:05 p.m. on Sunday December 18th, the Tennessee Highway Patrol checked on a vehicle that was parked on the side of the roadway in White County close to the DeKalb County/White County line. The driver was found to be Vincent McKeever Rossetti. Rossetti was entered into the Georgia Crime Information Center as a missing person out of Georgia. The Trooper called an ambulance to the scene to check Rossetti out. White County EMS transported Rossetti to Highland Medical Center in Sparta. One of the White County EMS personnel drove Rossetti’s vehicle to the hospital for him. Rossetti was treated and released from the hospital before his family could pick him up. When Rossetti’s family arrived at the hospital, the White County Sheriff’s Department issued a BOLO (Be on the lookout) on Rossetti to all law enforcement agencies,” said Sheriff Ray.
“At around 11:52 p.m. on Sunday night, December 18 Troopers from the Tennessee Highway Patrol found the car in the parking lot of Sligo marina. The vehicle was left unattended and Rossetti was nowhere to be found. A ground search was conducted by officers from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. The Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad was summoned to Sligo Marina at 8:00 a.m. Monday morning, December 19,” Sheriff Ray said.
If you have seen Rossetti or have information that could help locate him, call DeKalb Central Dispatch at 615-215-3000 or the CUE Center for Missing Persons 24 hour TIP LINE at 1-910-232-1687.

Smithville Police have arrested a woman for identity theft and three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card.
32 year old Stephanie Sue Summers was taken into custody on Wednesday, December 28 and will make a court appearance on January 12. She is under a $20,000 bond.
(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW MUG SHOTS OF PERSONS RECENTLY BOOKED AT THE DEKALB COUNTY JAIL)
Seagate Crystal Reports – REPOR_3.pdf (2.04 MB)
According to police, the victim in the case filed a report of credit card fraud on Wednesday, December 21 after receiving mail from a bank informing him of a past due amount on a credit card. The victim contacted the bank and received an account summary of the credit card with purchases having been made three times at the local Wal-Mart. Upon investigation it was discovered that Summers had obtained the victim’s credit card without his knowledge or consent and proceeded to make purchases.
43 year old Steve Franklin Mabe Jr. was arrested on Wednesday, December 28 for theft of property over $1,000. Police took a report earlier in the day from an employee of Tractor Supply Company concerning the theft of a 42″ Cub Cadet riding mower and a 25 ton Country Line log splitter. Upon investigation it was determined that Mabe had taken the items without the consent of the business. Mabe’s bond is $20,000. His court date is January 12.
56 year old Laddie B Jerrells Sr. was arrested Sunday, December 11 for filing a false report. Three days before on Thursday, December 8 Jerrells reported to police that his truck was locked and that he could not find the keys. The next morning, Friday, December 9 Jerrells said his truck was missing and reported it as stolen to Central Dispatch. Upon investigation it was discovered that Jerrells had hidden the vehicle and then reported it to be stolen. Jerrells’ bond is $5,000 and his court date is January 12.
Bridgett Nicole Vientos was arrested on Tuesday, December 20 for a second offense of driving on a suspended license. Police stopped Vientos for running a stop sign. Vientos could not provide a valid registration, insurance, nor a driver’s license. Upon speaking with Central Dispatch, police learned that she had a Failure to Appear warrant against her in DeKalb County. Vientos was also cited for traffic control device/signal, registration violation, and financial responsibility. Her bond is $5,000 and her court date is January 5.
23 year old Cole Curtis Hawker was cited on Wednesday, December 28 for possession of drug paraphernalia. Police responded to a motorcycle accident on South Mountain Street where they found Hawker to be the driver. Hawker sustained injuries that required him to be transported by DeKalb EMS to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital. Hawker had in his possession a grinder and glass pipe with marijuana residue. His court date is January 26.

The holiday or winter break for DeKalb County students is almost over.
Schools will re-open for students on Thursday, January 5.
Wednesday, January 4 will be a stockpile day for teachers.
The remainder of the school calendar is as follows;
Schools will be closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 16; for President’s Day, Monday, February 20; and Good Friday, April 14.
Spring break will be March 20-24.
Students will not attend on Thursday, May 25. That will be an administrative day and all teachers must attend. The last day of school will be Friday, May 26 and report cards will be sent home.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, March 14 at DeKalb County High School from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will also be held from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Thursday, March 16 at DeKalb Middle School, Northside Elementary, Smithville Elementary, and DeKalb West School.
Report cards will be sent home from all schools on Tuesday, January 10; Tuesday March 14; and Friday, May 26.

Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 65 million Americans will increase 0.3 percent in 2017.
The 0.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 60 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2017. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 30, 2016. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $127,200 from $118,500. Of the estimated 173 million workers who will pay Social Security taxes in 2017, about 12 million will pay more because of the increase in the taxable maximum.
The earnings limit for workers who are younger than “full” retirement age (age 66 for people born in 1943 through 1954) will increase to $16,920. (Social Security deducts $1 from benefits for each $2 earned over $16,920.)
The earnings limit for people turning 66 in 2017 will increase to $44,880. (Social Security deducts $1 from benefits for each $3 earned over $44,880 until the month the worker turns age 66.)
There is no limit on earnings for workers who are “full” retirement age or older for the entire year.
For some beneficiaries, their Social Security increase may be partially or completely offset by increases in Medicare premiums.

Two men recently involved in traffic accidents have been charged by Smithville Police for driving under the influence.
43 year old Miguel Angel Soto Reyes was arrested on Christmas Day for DUI. Police responded to a one vehicle accident at the corner of Earl Avenue and Miller Road and made contact with the driver, Reyes who appeared to be under the influence. Reyes had red glossy eyes, slurred speech and the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person. He was unable to perform standardized field sobriety tasks. His bond is $1,500 and his court date is January 12.
Meanwhile, 40 year old Tyrone D. Owens was arrested on Monday, December 12 for driving under the influence and he was cited for simple possession, violation of implied consent, and financial responsibility. Police responded to Riley Avenue for a single vehicle crash with injuries. Upon arrival an officer found Owens still inside the vehicle. He required assistance to get out of the car. While Owens was still inside the vehicle, the officer observed in plain view a small baggie that contained 11 pills believed to be alprazolam. Owens had no prescription for the pills. After Owens exited the vehicle, the officer detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage on Owens’ person. His speech was slow and slurred and he was unsteady on his feet. According to police, Owens had a blue residue on the inside of his left nostril and it appeared he had ingested medication. Owens submitted to but performed poorly on field sobriety tasks. He also refused to give a blood sample and he couldn’t provide proof of insurance. His bond is $5,000 and his court date is January 5.

Do you have cattle, sheep, or goats? If so, you could be eligible to receive payment from the DeKalb/Cannon County Farm Service Agency. According to Donny Green, County Executive Director, signup for the Livestock Forage Program is now underway and will continue through January 30, 2017.
The Livestock Forage Assistance Program (LFP) has been approved for DeKalb and Cannon counties due to recent and extreme drought conditions that have affected livestock grazing during the 2016 normal grazing period. LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock on land with permanent vegetative cover, or planted specifically for grazing.
According to the U. S. Drought Monitor, DeKalb and Cannon counties were designated as D3 (Extreme Drought intensity) counties on November 22, 2016. This designation qualifies eligible livestock producers in the county for three monthly payments.
Livestock producers operating in DeKalb and Cannon counties will need to visit the FSA office in Smithville to report their livestock inventory and complete their application. Customers are encouraged to call the office at 615-597-8225, Ext. 2 to provide some preliminary information that will be needed to process the application. Signup for the 2016 LFP will end on January 30, 2017.

In an effort to recognize achievements of students in the DeKalb County School System, WJLE is partnering with Jim Judkins, Smithville Attorney in featuring a “Classroom Champion” each week for the next several months.
The name of the student selected each week will be announced on WJLE and will be featured on the WJLE website. Each student winning will receive a plaque and a gift certificate.
“This is our way of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of the future citizens and leaders of the community. It can benefit their learning and overall school atmosphere and climate. The students’ selection will be based on academic performance, responsibility and work ethic, leadership abilities, and citizenship and character,” said Judkins.
“Jim recently approached me with his idea of recognizing students in this way and asked if we would be interested in joining him in the promotion. We were more than happy to lend our support and look forward to spotlighting a student each week,” said Dwayne Page, WJLE Station Manager.

Alexandria Police caught three people breaking into F.Z. Webb & Sons Pharmacy in Alexandria Wednesday night.
22 year old Ericka Lynn Morgan of Granville, 32 year old Bryan Christopher Matthews of Carthage, and 50 year old Joseph Graylon Nesbitt of Pleasant Shade are all charged with burglary and are under a $20,000 bond each. They will make an appearance in General Sessions Court on January 12.
Alexandria Police Chief Chris Russell released the following prepared statement. “On Wednesday night at approximately 8:15 pm , Officer Flavis Burroughs was on patrol and noticed an audible burglar alarm going off at Webb’s Pharmacy located at 105 South Public Square in Alexandria. Upon arrival Officer Burroughs noticed the front glass door had been damaged and he observed a person inside the building climbing up a hole in the ceiling . As Officer Burroughs made his way around the back of the building , a white Dodge Truck fled the area of the burglary . Officer Burroughs stopped the truck on Edgewood Street a short distance away and detained the driver, Bryan Christopher Matthews , and a passenger , Joseph Graylon Nesbitt. DeKalb County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived to assist . When the pharmacy owner arrived on scene and unlocked the building he heard a woman’s voice from inside the ceiling . The woman, Ericka Lynn Morgan was found hiding in the ceiling. Officers placed Ms. Morgan into custody. Further investigation revealed the three had made entry into the building by cutting a vent on the roof and going down through the ceiling. At the time of the report it appears nothing had been stolen . All three were arrested and booked into the DeKalb County Jail,” said Chief Russell.

Several new laws will take effect in Tennessee on January 1.
*The cost of a lifetime handgun carry permit will drop from $500 to $300. The price of a lifetime permit under the new law is fixed at $200 more than the cost of a regular permit. Under another change, active duty military or honorably discharged veterans will be able to acquire handgun permits at age 18, rather than 21.
*People convicted for vehicular homicide where alcohol or drugs were involved will be ineligible for parole starting January 1. Robbing a pharmacy for the purpose of obtaining a controlled substance will be considered an enhancement factor for sentencing, as well.
*Tennessee students will be required to pass a United States civics test before graduating high school.
*Those convicted of driving on a suspended license could get to keep their licenses. The current law requires the courts to suspend those licenses but next year it’ll be up to a judge.
The new law states, “As enacted, deletes requirement that a person’s
driver license be suspended for an additional like period if convicted
of driving on a suspended or revoked license; allows a court to order
issuance of a restricted driver license contingent on the person participating in a payment plan for any unpaid fines.”
*Beer and cider brewers in Tennessee may begin making brew with a stronger alcohol content. Currently the limit is 6.2%, but the new law raises it to 10.1%.
Currently, a person can purchase high-gravity beer, which is beer with a higher alcohol content, but it has to be made out of state. Proponents said the main benefit of this new law is that people will have a local high-gravity option, instead of being forced to spend money out of state