MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Fake American money marked with Chinese symbols has been showing up in Mason City.

The Mason City Police Department said Wednesday that bills were found at a business and in a bank deposit.

Officials say the bills are not valid currency and are typically used to train bank tellers in China.

The fake bills also have been reported in the Sioux City area.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A backlog of autopsies at the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office has been delaying the return of remains to family members.

It usually takes the office a day or two to complete an autopsy. But a spokeswoman for the office told The Des Moines Register (http://dmreg.co/2hSQHRd ) that in the past month, a 12 percent surge in cases coupled with an understaffed office has caused delays.

Polly Carver-Kimm, a spokeswoman for the Iowa Department of Public Health, says that at one point in the past month, the office had 32 bodies awaiting autopsy and it took up to two weeks to release remains to funeral homes. She says the situation is “not typical.”

The office is budgeted for 11 full-time positions, but one position is open. It is expected to be filled.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two Iowa men will serve shorter prison terms after President Barack Obama commuted their sentences.

The names of Anthony Dodd, of Davenport, and Aaron Rees, of Pleasantville, were on a list of those who received the commutations Monday. Both men’s life sentences were shortened to 20 years.

The Des Moines Register reports (http://dmreg.co/2hDhrac ) that Rees was sentenced in 2005 following his convictions on conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and using a minor to manufacture meth. Dodd was convicted of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and received his sentence in 2006.

White House officials say Obama has shortened the sentences of 1,176 people during his presidency, including 395 serving life sentences.

Oskaloosa–Three members of the William Penn football team were honored for their excellence in the classroom as they were named 2016 Daktronics-NAIA Football Scholar-Athletes Monday.

Jake De Hamer (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa, Physical Education), with a 3.72 Grade Point Average, Cooper Gosch (So., Reeds Springs, Okla., Education), with a 3.67 GPA, and Derek Robinson (Jr., Jenks, Okla., Communications), with a 3.63 GPA, were all recognized. All three are first-time recipients.

To be eligible for the award, athletes must be of at least junior academic standing, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale, and have attended the nominating institution for at least one full academic year.

For the complete list of all the NAIA Football Scholar-Athletes, go to http://www.naia.org/fls/27900/1NAIA/SportsInfo/scholar-athletes/2016/2016_Football{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b}20Scholar-Athlete{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b}20Nominees.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=27900

Story provided by Wade Steinlage