Sheriff’s officials in Audubon County say a Manning resident was arrested recently on a theft charge. 44-year old Mark Anthony Stanley, of Manning, faces a 4^th Degree Theft charge, following an investigation into the theft of property from the 1000 block of Crane Avenue.

Authorities say he allegedly took possession of property belonging to someone else, and then destroyed it by taking the property to a scrap yard. Stanley appeared before the magistrate today (Thursday), and was released from custody.

His preliminary hearing was set for July 11^th.

CARROLL, Iowa (AP) – The defense has rested its case in the first-degree murder trial of a Minnesota man charged with killing a convenience store clerk in northern Iowa. Michael Swanson, of St. Louis Park, Minn., was 17 when he was charged with killing Sheila Myers on Nov. 15, 2010 in Humboldt – one of two store clerks he’s accused of killing that day.

The defense rested this morning during the trial in Carroll, after calling Swanson’s mother, Kathleen, as a witness on Wednesday. The state today called rebuttal witnesses, including a psychiatrist. Michael Taylor says Swanson understood his crimes, as well as right from wrong.

Taylor says Swanson told him the slayings were brewing inside his head since he was 13, and his original plan was to wait until he was 18 and kill his parents.

The annual Cass County Relay For Life takes place Friday here in Atlantic, from 6-to 11-p.m.,  at the Atlantic High School track. Carole Schuler helped to organize the event, which serves to raise funds for cancer research, promotes awareness, and celebrates those who are cancer survivors. It also acts as a way to remember those who have lost their courageous fight with the disease. 

Carole says the day actually begins at 8-a.m. with a “Relay For Life” Tractor Ride that begins at the Cass County Community Center. Some of the tractors will be at the AHS track, as well that evening. Schuler says there are many activities planned for this evening, and wonderful food for you to enjoy. 

At 6:30-p.m, the group “Sheltered Reality” drumline will perform. At about that same time, there’ll be activities for the kids, including washable tattoos, face painting, and, a smart shop, with information about cancer and persons on-hand to answer questions. There’s also a “car bash,” where for a small donation, you can swing sledge hammer on a donated vehicle and raise funds for cancer research at the same time. 

She says also, you don’t have to be a part of one of the many teams who will gather to raise funds for the cause, in order to participate in the event. Schuler says you can sit in the stands and watch the teams in purple shirts circle the track, enjoy a variety of entertainment, talk a walk around the track yourself, and celebrate those who are celebrating their cancer survival. 

Hy-Vee is sponsoring a free cancer survivor social in the High School Commons, at 4:30-p.m., with registration. Survivors can bring a guest and receive a free, purple, cancer survivor t-shirt. Those same persons can walk the first lap at the Relay For Life, beginning at 6-p.m. 

The evening winds down with a luminary lighting, and a reading of the names of those who have lost their battle with cancer, and those who have survived. If you haven’t already donated to the cause and want to do so, you can contribute on-line at www.relayforlife.org/casscountyia. The website also has more information about the 2011 Cass County Relay For Life.

A Dallas County man died Wednesday afternoon near Perry, when the pickup he was driving went out of control and rolled into a ditch. The Iowa State Patrol says 44-year old Andrew Dean Bock, of Perry died at the scene of the crash in the 14,000 block of H Avenue.

The accident happened at around 2:15-p.m., when Bock failed to negotiate a curve in the road, and his 2003 GMC Sierra rolled into the east ditch. The Patrol says Bock was not wearing a seatbelt.