Region briefs 3/23/07

Cape man gets probation for assault

A Cape Girardeau man charged with misdemeanor assault of emergency personnel was sentenced to two years of supervised probation Wednesday at the courthouse in Jackson. Matthew L. Martin, 28, of 12 N. Pind Wood Lane, was arrested and charged in December after he threw an IV unit at an emergency room technician Dec. 17. No one was hurt in the incident, Cape Girardeau police said.

Sisson gets change of judge in stealing charge

A former KFVS12 television reporter appeared in Scott County circuit court Wednesday where her request for a change of judge was approved. Tiffany N. Sisson, 34, of Oran, Mo., has been charged with stealing more than $20,000 between March 1 and Nov. 20 while she was the guardian/conservator of an estate. Associate Circuit Judge Mark Horman approved the change of judge Wednesday. Mississippi Associate Circuit Judge T. Lynn Brown will hear Sisson's case, although a court date for her next hearing had not been set as of Thursday. Sisson was arrested Feb. 26 and posted a $20,000 bond. If convicted of the felony stealing charge, Sisson could spend up to seven years in prison.

Man's hearing set in attempted perjury case

A Cape Girardeau man charged in January with attempted perjury and improper communication with a juror appeared Wednesday at the courthouse in Jackson, where he was given a May 2 court date for a preliminary hearing. Todd R. Rowland, 37, was charged with three counts of felony receiving stolen property and one count of misdemeanor receiving stolen property when, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said last month, he telephoned a juror's spouse hoping to influence them. Rowland was charged in May with four felony counts of receiving stolen property, which carry maximum prison terms of seven years for each count. Rowland also has a case review hearing for the charges May 2.

Area man indicted for arson in J.C. Penney fire

A Cape Girardeau federal grand jury has indicted a Sedgewickville, Mo., man this week for the fire at J.C. Penney in West Park Mall on Sept. 2, 2005. According to a Cape Girardeau Police Department news release, Daniel E. Vance Jr., 22, is charged with arson. He was arrested by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives on Wednesday and posted $10,000 bond. Vance has an initial court appearance at 10 a.m. March 26 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lewis M. Blanton.

Bush signs off on Limbaugh fed building

President George W. Bush Wednesday signed into law House Resolution 342, to officially designate Cape Girardeau's new $50 million federal building as the Rush Hudson Limbaugh Sr. United States Courthouse. This is the final hurdle in the building's naming process which passed the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate with voice votes.

-- From staff reports