Today is Tuesday, Sept. 7, the 250th day of 2021. There are 115 days left in the year. 

On Sept. 7, 1977, the Panama Canal treaties, calling for the U.S. to eventually turn over control of the waterway to Panama, were signed in Washington by President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos. 

In 1812, the Battle of Borodino took place as French troops clashed with Russian forces outside Moscow. (The battle, ultimately won by Russia, was commemorated by composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky with his "1812 Overture.")

In 1936, rock-and-roll legend Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas.

In 1940, Nazi Germany began its eight-month blitz of Britain during World War II with the first air attack on London.

In 1972, the International Olympic Committee banned Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett of the U.S. from further competition for talking to each other on the victory stand in Munich during the playing of the "Star-Spangled Banner" after winning the gold and silver medals in the 400-meter run. 

In 1986, Desmond Tutu was installed as the first Black clergyman to lead the Anglican Church in southern Africa. 

In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was shot and mortally wounded on the Las Vegas Strip; he died six days later. 

In 2005, police and soldiers went house to house in New Orleans to try to coax the last stubborn holdouts into leaving the city shattered by Hurricane Katrina. 

In 2007, Osama bin Laden appeared in a video for the first time in three years, telling Americans they should convert to Islam if they wanted the war in Iraq to end. 

In 2008, troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed in government conservatorship. 

In 2015, Hillary Clinton, interviewed by The Associated Press during a campaign swing through Iowa, said she did not need to apologize for using a private email account and server while at the State Department because "what I did was allowed."

In 2017, one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Mexico struck off the country's southern coast, toppling hundreds of buildings and killing at least 90 people. (A deadlier quake would strike central Mexico nearly two weeks later.)

In 2019, President Donald Trump said he had canceled a secret weekend meeting at Camp David with Taliban and Afghan leaders, just days before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, after a bombing in Kabul that killed 12 people, including an American soldier. 

Ten years ago: The latest in a series of Republican presidential debates brought together Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum in Simi Valley, California. A private Russian jet carrying a top ice hockey team slammed into a riverbank moments after takeoff from the airport near the western city of Yaroslavl, killing 44 people. (Investigators blamed pilot error.)

Five years ago: In back-to-back appearances, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton confronted their perceived weaknesses during a national security forum in New York, with Clinton, who went first, arguing that her email practices did not expose questionable judgment while Trump defended his preparedness to be commander in chief. President Barack Obama, during a visit to Laos, pledged to help to clear away the 80 million unexploded bombs the U.S. dropped on the Southeast Asian country decades earlier.

One year ago: Many big Labor Day gatherings were canceled across the U.S. as health authorities pleaded with people to keep their distance from others so as not to cause another surge in coronavirus cases like the one that followed Memorial Day. The mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, announced that Yvette Gentry would serve as interim police chief; she was the first Black woman to lead the department, which had been heavily criticized since officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor in March. India's increasing coronavirus caseload made the Asian giant the world's second-worst-hit country behind the United States. About 80% of the small eastern Washington farming town of Malden was leveled by flames from a fast-moving wildfire.

Today's Birthdays: Jazz musician Sonny Rollins is 91. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 78. Singer Alfa Anderson (Chic) is 75. Actor Susan Blakely is 73. Rock musician Dennis Thompson (MC5) is 73. Actor Julie Kavner is 71. Rock singer Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) is 70. Rock musician Benmont Tench (Tom Petty &amp; the Heartbreakers) is 68. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 67. Actor Michael Emerson is 67. Pianist Michael Feinstein is 65. Singer/songwriter Diane Warren is 65. Singer Margot Chapman is 64. Actor J. Smith-Cameron is 64. Actor W. Earl Brown is 58. Actor Toby Jones is 55. Actor-comedian Leslie Jones (TV: "Saturday Night Live") is 54. Model-actor Angie Everhart is 52. Actor Diane Farr is 52. Country singer Butter (Trailer Choir) is 51. Actor Monique Gabriela Curnen is 51. Actor Tom Everett Scott is 51. Rock musician Chad Sexton (311) is 51. Actor Shannon Elizabeth is 48. Actor Oliver Hudson is 45. Actor Devon Sawa is 43. Actor JD Pardo is 42. Actor Benjamin Hollingsworth (TV: "Code Black") is 37. Actor Alyssa Diaz (TV: "Ray Donovan"; "Zoo") is 36. Singer-musician Wes Willis (Rush of Fools) is 35. Actor Evan Rachel Wood is 34. Actor Jonathan Majors is 32. Actor Ian Chen (TV: "Fresh Off the Boat") is 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Tuesday, Sept. 7, the 250th day of 2021. There are 115 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 7, 1977, the Panama Canal treaties, calling for the U.S. to eventually turn over control of the waterway to Panama, were signed in Washington by President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos. On this date: In 1812, the Battle of Borodino took place as French troops clashed with Russian forces outside Moscow. (The battle, ultimately won by Russia, was commemorated by composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky with his "1812 Overture.")In 1936, rock-and-roll legend Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas.In 1940, Nazi Germany began its eight-month blitz of Britain during World War II with the first air attack on London.In 1972, the International Olympic Committee banned Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett of the U.S. from further competition for talking to each other on the victory stand in Munich during the playing of the "Star-Spangled Banner" after winning the gold and silver medals in the 400-meter run. In 1986, Desmond Tutu was installed as the first Black clergyman to lead the Anglican Church in southern Africa. In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was shot and mortally wounded on the Las Vegas Strip; he died six days later. In 2005, police and soldiers went house to house in New Orleans to try to coax the last stubborn holdouts into leaving the city shattered by Hurricane Katrina. In 2007, Osama bin Laden appeared in a video for the first time in three years, telling Americans they should convert to Islam if they wanted the war in Iraq to end. In 2008, troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed in government conservatorship. In 2015, Hillary Clinton, interviewed by The Associated Press during a campaign swing through Iowa, said she did not need to apologize for using a private email account and server while at the State Department because "what I did was allowed."In 2017, one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Mexico struck off the country's southern coast, toppling hundreds of buildings and killing at least 90 people. (A deadlier quake would strike central Mexico nearly two weeks later.)In 2019, President Donald Trump said he had canceled a secret weekend meeting at Camp David with Taliban and Afghan leaders, just days before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, after a bombing in Kabul that killed 12 people, including an American soldier. Ten years ago: The latest in a series of Republican presidential debates brought together Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum in Simi Valley, California. A private Russian jet carrying a top ice hockey team slammed into a riverbank moments after takeoff from the airport near the western city of Yaroslavl, killing 44 people. (Investigators blamed pilot error.) Five years ago: In back-to-back appearances, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton confronted their perceived weaknesses during a national security forum in New York, with Clinton, who went first, arguing that her email practices did not expose questionable judgment while Trump defended his preparedness to be commander in chief. President Barack Obama, during a visit to Laos, pledged to help to clear away the 80 million unexploded bombs the U.S. dropped on the Southeast Asian country decades earlier. One year ago: Many big Labor Day gatherings were canceled across the U.S. as health authorities pleaded with people to keep their distance from others so as not to cause another surge in coronavirus cases like the one that followed Memorial Day. The mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, announced that Yvette Gentry would serve as interim police chief; she was the first Black woman to lead the department, which had been heavily criticized since officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor in March. India's increasing coronavirus caseload made the Asian giant the world's second-worst-hit country behind the United States. About 80% of the small eastern Washington farming town of Malden was leveled by flames from a fast-moving wildfire. Today's Birthdays: Jazz musician Sonny Rollins is 91. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 78. Singer Alfa Anderson (Chic) is 75. Actor Susan Blakely is 73. Rock musician Dennis Thompson (MC5) is 73. Actor Julie Kavner is 71. Rock singer Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) is 70. Rock musician Benmont Tench (Tom Petty &amp; the Heartbreakers) is 68. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 67. Actor Michael Emerson is 67. Pianist Michael Feinstein is 65. Singer/songwriter Diane Warren is 65. Singer Margot Chapman is 64. Actor J. Smith-Cameron is 64. Actor W. Earl Brown is 58. Actor Toby Jones is 55. Actor-comedian Leslie Jones (TV: "Saturday Night Live") is 54. Model-actor Angie Everhart is 52. Actor Diane Farr is 52. Country singer Butter (Trailer Choir) is 51. Actor Monique Gabriela Curnen is 51. Actor Tom Everett Scott is 51. Rock musician Chad Sexton (311) is 51. Actor Shannon Elizabeth is 48. Actor Oliver Hudson is 45. Actor Devon Sawa is 43. Actor JD Pardo is 42. Actor Benjamin Hollingsworth (TV: "Code Black") is 37. Actor Alyssa Diaz (TV: "Ray Donovan"; "Zoo") is 36. Singer-musician Wes Willis (Rush of Fools) is 35. Actor Evan Rachel Wood is 34. Actor Jonathan Majors is 32. Actor Ian Chen (TV: "Fresh Off the Boat") is 15.

Today in History - Sept. 7

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a weekend standoff.

Just before 10:00 p.m. Friday, sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call from 14081 Q. Road in rural Jackson, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The caller reported that the man at the residence allegedly was intoxicated and fired a weapon a number of times from the residence. 

A woman at the home was able to escape the residence without serious injury.&nbsp; The heavily armed suspect later identified as&nbsp;Daniel Charles Carlow, 63, of Hoyt  fled the residence into an adjacent wooded area. 

Deputies encountered Carlow and a standoff ensued.  After law enforcement negotiated with him for a period of time, Carlow surrendered to law enforcement.

Deputies booked Carlow into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault, aggravated assault on law enforcement, battery of law enforcement, criminal threat, felony interference with law enforcement, domestic battery, disorderly conduct and possession of a stolen firearm, according to Morse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630851283231.png" alt="Carlow photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Carlow photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after a weekend standoff.Just before 10:00 p.m. Friday, sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call from 14081 Q. Road in rural Jackson, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The caller reported that the man at the residence allegedly was intoxicated and fired a weapon a number of times from the residence. A woman at the home was able to escape the residence without serious injury.&nbsp; The heavily armed suspect later identified as&nbsp;Daniel Charles Carlow, 63, of Hoyt fled the residence into an adjacent wooded area. Deputies encountered Carlow and a standoff ensued. After law enforcement negotiated with him for a period of time, Carlow surrendered to law enforcement.Deputies booked Carlow into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault, aggravated assault on law enforcement, battery of law enforcement, criminal threat, felony interference with law enforcement, domestic battery, disorderly conduct and possession of a stolen firearm, according to Morse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas man jailed after standoff with deputies

The unclassified summary of our five U.S. intelligence agencies (IC) view of the coronavirus origin was released. While this is a science question, not a political one, the report included much that should have ended the political claims that this was a bioweapon.

One function of our consulates is to maintain surveillance on other governments’ communications. This provides the background for the report statement “...the IC assesses China’s officials did not have foreknowledge of the virus before the initial outbreak of COVID-19 emerged.”

“The IC assesses that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, probably emerged and infected humans through an initial small-scale exposure that occurred no later than November 2019 with the first known cluster of COVID-19 cases arising in Wuhan, China in December 2019.”

In addition, “...the IC was able to reach broad agreement on several other key issues. We judge the virus was not developed as a biological weapon.” That sinks the biowarfare gain-in-function argument.

This is not surprising to people throughout Asia who remember that China suffered more casualties from biological warfare atrocities committed by Japan during World War II than all other world countries in history combined. This history, detailed in school books and on China television, makes such biowarfare less likely than Japan developing nuclear bombs today. &nbsp;

Four of the IC elements along with the National Intelligence Council concluded “...that the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection was most likely caused by natural exposure to an animal infected with it or a close progenitor virus—a virus that probably would be more than 99 percent similar to SARS-CoV-2.”

Only one IC element felt “...that the first human infection with SARS-CoV-2 most likely was the result of a laboratory-associated incident, probably involving experimentation, animal handling, or sampling by the Wuhan Institute of Virology.” The rationale for this counter opinion is not given, but it speaks of it as a lab accident. That one intelligence agency concurred that it was not a bioweapon.

The August 17, 2021 Bloomberg Businessweek goes back to describe how the Huanan market was closed down back in January 1, 2020 immediately after the recognition of this new disease. Beijing specialists “...ordered environmental samples to be collected from drains and other surfaces at the market. Some 585 specimens were tested, of which 33 turned out to be positive for SARS-CoV-2.... All but two of the positive specimens came from a cavernous and poorly-ventilated section of the market’s western wing, where many shops sold animals.” But which animals were in these sections?

Now a critical study was just published in the June 7, 2021 Scientific Reports that may provide evidence of which animals at the Wuhan animal market could have harbored the wild virus years earlier. It documented “...47,381 individuals from 38 species, including 31 protected species sold between May 2017 and November 2019 in Wuhan’s markets.” This was a study to identify sources of the tick-borne Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) disease. As a result, this submitted scientific paper was ignored and not published for over a year since editors did not recognize its importance in correlating the market animals with likely location of the disease transmission.

Research such as this, as well as backtracking of DNA changes in the evolving virus, may eventually answer how this virus jumped from animals to humans.

Meanwhile, many politicians have apparently failed to read the intelligence report and continue to spout conspiracy theories falsely claiming this coronavirus could only be manmade due to unique DNA sequences: “Well that was what Nobel Laureate Dr. Richard Baltimore called the smoking gun that shows this virus came from a lab, not from nature.”

But various politician's screeds indicate they have not read the latest from Dr. David (not Richard) Baltimore: “When I first saw the sequence of the furin cleavage site—as I've said, other beta coronaviruses don't have that site—it seemed to me a reasonable hypothesis that somebody had put it in there. Now, I don't know if that's true or not....”

Earlier assertions that other coronaviruses lack genetic code for certain chemicals (such as the furin cleavage sites) have now been disproved, with several wild coronaviruses having it. 

Scientists adjust to new evidence. Politicians do not.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The short unclassified IC report can be found <a href="https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Unclassified-Summary-of-Assessment-on-COVID-19-Origins.pdf?et_rid=17130443&amp;et_cid=3903383">here</a>.

The text of this short IC report is below.

Key Takeaways &nbsp; The IC assesses that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, probably emerged and infected humans through an initial small-scale exposure that occurred no later than November 2019 with the first known cluster of COVID-19 cases arising in Wuhan, China in December 2019.&nbsp; In addition, the IC was able to reach broad agreement on several other key issues.&nbsp; We judge the virus was not developed as a biological weapon.&nbsp; Most agencies also assess with low confidence that SARS-CoV-2 probably was not genetically engineered; however, two agencies believe there was not sufficient evidence to make an assessment either way.&nbsp; Finally, the IC assesses China’s officials did not have foreknowledge of the virus before the initial outbreak of COVID-19 emerged.

After examining all available intelligence reporting and other information, though, the IC remains divided on the most likely origin of COVID-19.&nbsp; All agencies assess that two hypotheses are plausible: natural exposure to an infected animal and a laboratory-associated incident.

Four IC elements and the National Intelligence Council assess with low confidence that the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection was most likely caused by natural exposure to an animal infected with it or a close progenitor virus—a virus that probably would be more than 99 percent similar to SARS-CoV-2.&nbsp; These analysts give weight to China’s officials’ lack of foreknowledge, the numerous vectors for natural exposure, and other factors.

One IC element assesses with moderate confidence that the first human infection with SARS-CoV-2 most likely was the result of a laboratory-associated incident, probably involving experimentation, animal handling, or sampling by the Wuhan Institute of Virology.&nbsp; These analysts give weight to the inherently risky nature of work on coronaviruses.

Analysts at three IC elements remain unable to coalesce around either explanation without additional information, with some analysts favoring natural origin, others a laboratory origin, and some seeing the hypotheses as equally likely.

Variations in analytic views largely stem from differences in how agencies weigh intelligence reporting and scientific publications, and intelligence and scientific gaps. &nbsp;

The IC judges they will be unable to provide a more definitive explanation for the origin of COVID-19 unless new information allows them to determine the specific pathway for initial natural contact with an animal or to determine that a laboratory in Wuhan was handling SARS-CoV-2 or a close progenitor virus before COVID-19 emerged.

The IC—and the global scientific community—lacks clinical samples or a complete understanding of epidemiological data from the earliest COVID-19 cases.&nbsp; If we obtain information on the earliest cases that identified a location of interest or occupational exposure, it may alter our evaluation of hypotheses.

China’s cooperation most likely would be needed to reach a conclusive assessment of the origins of COVID-19.&nbsp; Beijing, however, continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries, including the United States.&nbsp; These actions reflect, in part, China’s government’s own uncertainty about where an investigation could lead as well as its frustration the international community is using the issue to exert political pressure on China.&nbsp;&nbsp;

John Richard Schrock has trained biology teachers for more than 30 years in Kansas. He also has lectured at 27 universities in 20 trips to China. He holds the distinction of “Faculty Emeritus” at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573490075841.jpeg" alt="John Richard Schrock" />
 <figcaption>John Richard Schrock</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN RICHARD SCHROCKThe unclassified summary of our five U.S. intelligence agencies (IC) view of the coronavirus origin was released. While this is a science question, not a political one, the report included much that should have ended the political claims that this was a bioweapon. One function of our consulates is to maintain surveillance on other governments’ communications. This provides the background for the report statement “...the IC assesses China’s officials did not have foreknowledge of the virus before the initial outbreak of COVID-19 emerged.” “The IC assesses that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, probably emerged and infected humans through an initial small-scale exposure that occurred no later than November 2019 with the first known cluster of COVID-19 cases arising in Wuhan, China in December 2019.” In addition, “...the IC was able to reach broad agreement on several other key issues. We judge the virus was not developed as a biological weapon.” That sinks the biowarfare gain-in-function argument. This is not surprising to people throughout Asia who remember that China suffered more casualties from biological warfare atrocities committed by Japan during World War II than all other world countries in history combined. This history, detailed in school books and on China television, makes such biowarfare less likely than Japan developing nuclear bombs today. &nbsp; Four of the IC elements along with the National Intelligence Council concluded “...that the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection was most likely caused by natural exposure to an animal infected with it or a close progenitor virus—a virus that probably would be more than 99 percent similar to SARS-CoV-2.” Only one IC element felt “...that the first human infection with SARS-CoV-2 most likely was the result of a laboratory-associated incident, probably involving experimentation, animal handling, or sampling by the Wuhan Institute of Virology.” The rationale for this counter opinion is not given, but it speaks of it as a lab accident. That one intelligence agency concurred that it was not a bioweapon. The August 17, 2021 Bloomberg Businessweek goes back to describe how the Huanan market was closed down back in January 1, 2020 immediately after the recognition of this new disease. Beijing specialists “...ordered environmental samples to be collected from drains and other surfaces at the market. Some 585 specimens were tested, of which 33 turned out to be positive for SARS-CoV-2.... All but two of the positive specimens came from a cavernous and poorly-ventilated section of the market’s western wing, where many shops sold animals.” But which animals were in these sections? Now a critical study was just published in the June 7, 2021 Scientific Reports that may provide evidence of which animals at the Wuhan animal market could have harbored the wild virus years earlier. It documented “...47,381 individuals from 38 species, including 31 protected species sold between May 2017 and November 2019 in Wuhan’s markets.” This was a study to identify sources of the tick-borne Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) disease. As a result, this submitted scientific paper was ignored and not published for over a year since editors did not recognize its importance in correlating the market animals with likely location of the disease transmission. Research such as this, as well as backtracking of DNA changes in the evolving virus, may eventually answer how this virus jumped from animals to humans. Meanwhile, many politicians have apparently failed to read the intelligence report and continue to spout conspiracy theories falsely claiming this coronavirus could only be manmade due to unique DNA sequences: “Well that was what Nobel Laureate Dr. Richard Baltimore called the smoking gun that shows this virus came from a lab, not from nature.” But various politician's screeds indicate they have not read the latest from Dr. David (not Richard) Baltimore: “When I first saw the sequence of the furin cleavage site—as I've said, other beta coronaviruses don't have that site—it seemed to me a reasonable hypothesis that somebody had put it in there. Now, I don't know if that's true or not....” Earlier assertions that other coronaviruses lack genetic code for certain chemicals (such as the furin cleavage sites) have now been disproved, with several wild coronaviruses having it. Scientists adjust to new evidence. Politicians do not.&nbsp;&nbsp;The short unclassified IC report can be found <a href="https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Unclassified-Summary-of-Assessment-on-COVID-19-Origins.pdf?et_rid=17130443&amp;et_cid=3903383">here</a>.The text of this short IC report is below.Key Takeaways &nbsp; The IC assesses that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, probably emerged and infected humans through an initial small-scale exposure that occurred no later than November 2019 with the first known cluster of COVID-19 cases arising in Wuhan, China in December 2019.&nbsp; In addition, the IC was able to reach broad agreement on several other key issues.&nbsp; We judge the virus was not developed as a biological weapon.&nbsp; Most agencies also assess with low confidence that SARS-CoV-2 probably was not genetically engineered; however, two agencies believe there was not sufficient evidence to make an assessment either way.&nbsp; Finally, the IC assesses China’s officials did not have foreknowledge of the virus before the initial outbreak of COVID-19 emerged.After examining all available intelligence reporting and other information, though, the IC remains divided on the most likely origin of COVID-19.&nbsp; All agencies assess that two hypotheses are plausible: natural exposure to an infected animal and a laboratory-associated incident. Four IC elements and the National Intelligence Council assess with low confidence that the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection was most likely caused by natural exposure to an animal infected with it or a close progenitor virus—a virus that probably would be more than 99 percent similar to SARS-CoV-2.&nbsp; These analysts give weight to China’s officials’ lack of foreknowledge, the numerous vectors for natural exposure, and other factors. One IC element assesses with moderate confidence that the first human infection with SARS-CoV-2 most likely was the result of a laboratory-associated incident, probably involving experimentation, animal handling, or sampling by the Wuhan Institute of Virology.&nbsp; These analysts give weight to the inherently risky nature of work on coronaviruses. Analysts at three IC elements remain unable to coalesce around either explanation without additional information, with some analysts favoring natural origin, others a laboratory origin, and some seeing the hypotheses as equally likely. Variations in analytic views largely stem from differences in how agencies weigh intelligence reporting and scientific publications, and intelligence and scientific gaps. &nbsp; The IC judges they will be unable to provide a more definitive explanation for the origin of COVID-19 unless new information allows them to determine the specific pathway for initial natural contact with an animal or to determine that a laboratory in Wuhan was handling SARS-CoV-2 or a close progenitor virus before COVID-19 emerged. The IC—and the global scientific community—lacks clinical samples or a complete understanding of epidemiological data from the earliest COVID-19 cases.&nbsp; If we obtain information on the earliest cases that identified a location of interest or occupational exposure, it may alter our evaluation of hypotheses. China’s cooperation most likely would be needed to reach a conclusive assessment of the origins of COVID-19.&nbsp; Beijing, however, continues to hinder the global investigation, resist sharing information and blame other countries, including the United States.&nbsp; These actions reflect, in part, China’s government’s own uncertainty about where an investigation could lead as well as its frustration the international community is using the issue to exert political pressure on China.&nbsp;&nbsp;John Richard Schrock has trained biology teachers for more than 30 years in Kansas. He also has lectured at 27 universities in 20 trips to China. He holds the distinction of “Faculty Emeritus” at Emporia State University.

ED FRONTLINES: U.S. intelligence report says COVID-19 not a bioweapon

Today is Monday, Sept. 6, the 249th day of 2021. There are 116 days left in the year. 

On Sept. 6, 2006, President George W. Bush acknowledged for the first time that the CIA was running secret prisons overseas and said tough interrogation had forced terrorist leaders to reveal plots to attack the United States and its allies. 

In 1901, President William McKinley was shot and mortally wounded by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. (McKinley died eight days later; Czolgosz was executed on Oct. 29.) 

In 1909, American explorer Robert Peary sent a telegram from Indian Harbor, Labrador, announcing that he had reached the North Pole five months earlier. 

In 1943, 79 people were killed when a New York-bound Pennsylvania Railroad train derailed and crashed in Philadelphia. 

In 1972, the Summer Olympics resumed in Munich, West Germany, a day after the deadly hostage crisis that claimed the lives of eleven Israelis and five Arab abductors. 

In 1975, 18-year-old tennis star Martina Navratilova of Czechoslovakia, in New York for the U.S. Open, requested political asylum in the United States.

In 1991, the Soviet Union recognized the independence of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

In 1995, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record by playing his two-thousand-131st consecutive game. 

In 1997, a public funeral was held for Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in London, six days after her death in a car crash in Paris. In Calcutta, India, weeping masses gathered to pay homage to Mother Teresa, who had died the day before at age 87. 

In 2002, meeting outside Washington, D.C. for only the second time since 1800, Congress convened in New York to pay homage to the victims and heroes of September 11. 

In 2007, opera star Luciano Pavarotti died in Modena, Italy, at the age of 71. 

In 2017, Hurricane Irma, the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic, pounded Puerto Rico with heavy rain and powerful winds; authorities said more than 900,000 people were without power. (Hurricane Maria, which would destroy the island's power grid, arrived two weeks later.)

In 2019, Zimbabwe's president announced that Robert Mugabe, the country's former leader who was forced to resign after a 37-year rule, had died at the age of 95; he had taken power after white minority rule ended in 1980. 

Ten years ago: A man with a rifle opened fire in an IHOP restaurant in Carson City, Nevada, killing three uniformed National Guard members and a woman having breakfast with her husband; gunman Eduardo Sencion also shot himself and died in the parking lot. Convoys of Moammar Gadhafi loyalists, including his security chief, fled Libya, crossing the Sahara into Niger.

Five years ago: On the campaign trail, Democrat Hillary Clinton accused Republican Donald Trump of insulting America's veterans and pressing dangerous military plans, while Trump declared "our country is going to hell" because of policies he said Clinton would make even worse.

One year ago: Rescuers in military helicopters finished airlifting 207 people to safety after an explosive wildfire trapped them in a popular camping area in California's Sierra National Forest. Temperatures reached 111 degrees in downtown Los Angeles and a record-shattering 121 degrees in the nearby Woodland Hills neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley, the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County. San Francisco set a record for the date with a high of 100 degrees, smashing the previous mark by 5 degrees. Top-seeded Novak Djokovic was defaulted from his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open after he accidentally hit a line judge with a tennis ball; he had smacked the ball behind him after falling behind in the first set.

Today's Birthdays: Comedian JoAnne Worley is 85. Country singer David Allan Coe is 82. Rock singer-musician Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) is 78. Actor Swoosie Kurtz is 77. Comedian-actor Jane Curtin is 74. Rock musician Mick Mashbir is 73. Country singer-songwriter Buddy Miller is 69. Actor James Martin Kelly is 67. Country musician Joe Smyth (Sawyer Brown) is 64. Actor-comedian Jeff Foxworthy is 63. Actor-comedian Michael Winslow is 63. Rock musician Perry Bamonte is 61. Actor Steven Eckholdt is 60. Rock musician Scott Travis (Judas Priest) is 60. Pop musician Pal Waaktaar (a-ha) is 60. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is 59. Television journalist Elizabeth Vargas is 59. Country singer Mark Chesnutt is 58. Actor Betsy Russell is 58. Actor Rosie Perez is 57. R&amp;B singer Macy Gray is 54. Country songwriter Lee Thomas Miller (Songs: "The Impossible" "You're Gonna Miss This") is 53. Singer CeCe Peniston is 52. Actor Daniele Gaither is 51. Actor Dylan Bruno is 49. Actor Idris Elba is 49. Actor Justina Machado is 49. Actor Anika Noni Rose is 49. Rock singer Nina Persson (The Cardigans) is 47. Actor Justin Whalin is 47. Actor Naomie Harris is 45. Rapper Noreaga is 44. Actor Natalia Cigliuti is 43. Rapper Foxy Brown is 43. Actor Howard Charles is 38. Actor/singer Deborah Joy Winans is 38. Actor Lauren Lapkus is 36. Rock singer Max George (The Wanted) is 33.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Monday, Sept. 6, the 249th day of 2021. There are 116 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On Sept. 6, 2006, President George W. Bush acknowledged for the first time that the CIA was running secret prisons overseas and said tough interrogation had forced terrorist leaders to reveal plots to attack the United States and its allies. On this date: In 1901, President William McKinley was shot and mortally wounded by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. (McKinley died eight days later; Czolgosz was executed on Oct. 29.) In 1909, American explorer Robert Peary sent a telegram from Indian Harbor, Labrador, announcing that he had reached the North Pole five months earlier. In 1943, 79 people were killed when a New York-bound Pennsylvania Railroad train derailed and crashed in Philadelphia. In 1972, the Summer Olympics resumed in Munich, West Germany, a day after the deadly hostage crisis that claimed the lives of eleven Israelis and five Arab abductors. In 1975, 18-year-old tennis star Martina Navratilova of Czechoslovakia, in New York for the U.S. Open, requested political asylum in the United States.In 1991, the Soviet Union recognized the independence of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.In 1995, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record by playing his two-thousand-131st consecutive game. In 1997, a public funeral was held for Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in London, six days after her death in a car crash in Paris. In Calcutta, India, weeping masses gathered to pay homage to Mother Teresa, who had died the day before at age 87. In 2002, meeting outside Washington, D.C. for only the second time since 1800, Congress convened in New York to pay homage to the victims and heroes of September 11. In 2007, opera star Luciano Pavarotti died in Modena, Italy, at the age of 71. In 2017, Hurricane Irma, the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic, pounded Puerto Rico with heavy rain and powerful winds; authorities said more than 900,000 people were without power. (Hurricane Maria, which would destroy the island's power grid, arrived two weeks later.)In 2019, Zimbabwe's president announced that Robert Mugabe, the country's former leader who was forced to resign after a 37-year rule, had died at the age of 95; he had taken power after white minority rule ended in 1980. Ten years ago: A man with a rifle opened fire in an IHOP restaurant in Carson City, Nevada, killing three uniformed National Guard members and a woman having breakfast with her husband; gunman Eduardo Sencion also shot himself and died in the parking lot. Convoys of Moammar Gadhafi loyalists, including his security chief, fled Libya, crossing the Sahara into Niger.Five years ago: On the campaign trail, Democrat Hillary Clinton accused Republican Donald Trump of insulting America's veterans and pressing dangerous military plans, while Trump declared "our country is going to hell" because of policies he said Clinton would make even worse. One year ago: Rescuers in military helicopters finished airlifting 207 people to safety after an explosive wildfire trapped them in a popular camping area in California's Sierra National Forest. Temperatures reached 111 degrees in downtown Los Angeles and a record-shattering 121 degrees in the nearby Woodland Hills neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley, the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County. San Francisco set a record for the date with a high of 100 degrees, smashing the previous mark by 5 degrees. Top-seeded Novak Djokovic was defaulted from his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open after he accidentally hit a line judge with a tennis ball; he had smacked the ball behind him after falling behind in the first set.Today's Birthdays: Comedian JoAnne Worley is 85. Country singer David Allan Coe is 82. Rock singer-musician Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) is 78. Actor Swoosie Kurtz is 77. Comedian-actor Jane Curtin is 74. Rock musician Mick Mashbir is 73. Country singer-songwriter Buddy Miller is 69. Actor James Martin Kelly is 67. Country musician Joe Smyth (Sawyer Brown) is 64. Actor-comedian Jeff Foxworthy is 63. Actor-comedian Michael Winslow is 63. Rock musician Perry Bamonte is 61. Actor Steven Eckholdt is 60. Rock musician Scott Travis (Judas Priest) is 60. Pop musician Pal Waaktaar (a-ha) is 60. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is 59. Television journalist Elizabeth Vargas is 59. Country singer Mark Chesnutt is 58. Actor Betsy Russell is 58. Actor Rosie Perez is 57. R&amp;B singer Macy Gray is 54. Country songwriter Lee Thomas Miller (Songs: "The Impossible" "You're Gonna Miss This") is 53. Singer CeCe Peniston is 52. Actor Daniele Gaither is 51. Actor Dylan Bruno is 49. Actor Idris Elba is 49. Actor Justina Machado is 49. Actor Anika Noni Rose is 49. Rock singer Nina Persson (The Cardigans) is 47. Actor Justin Whalin is 47. Actor Naomie Harris is 45. Rapper Noreaga is 44. Actor Natalia Cigliuti is 43. Rapper Foxy Brown is 43. Actor Howard Charles is 38. Actor/singer Deborah Joy Winans is 38. Actor Lauren Lapkus is 36. Rock singer Max George (The Wanted) is 33.

Today in History - Sept. 6

“Yes” and “no” are two simple words, but they carry a ton of weight. We live in a fast-paced world where we make hundreds of decisions every day about how to spend our time. And since time is our most precious resource, we should all be careful about how often we say yes.&nbsp;

Easier said than done, right? I want to give you five questions to ask yourself before making a time commitment so you can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/personal-growth/why-do-i-feel-so-busy-quiz" target="_blank">create a sense of balance in your life</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

This is the first and most obvious question—but isn’t it surprising how we overcommit ourselves and try to do 47 things at once? Be realistic. If you aren’t available, say so up front. If you are available, move on to the next four questions.

Is this a priority for me right now?

Even if you are available, you need to consider if this opportunity is a priority for you in your current season of life. Is it important to you? Do you actually care about it? If not, don’t give it space on your calendar.

What will I not be able to do if I do this?

We rarely, if ever, ask this question. But every decision comes at a cost. For everything you say yes to, you have to say no to a lot of other things. If you say yes to coaching your child’s soccer team, it means you won’t be able to sit on the sidelines and just watch and cheer. Calculate the time and energy cost and be realistic about whether or not you want to go for it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

My default answer is to always say yes to new opportunities. But I learned early on in my marriage that this isn’t how my husband operates. It took me some time to understand how my decisions impact him—and not only him but our three kids as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Whether you’re single, married, with kids or without, think through how this decision will impact your closest relationships. Will you see less of your friends? Will your kids have to come with you to this new event or do you need to find a babysitter? I encourage you to communicate clearly with your spouse before making big time commitments.

So many things sound like a fantastic idea in the moment. Hosting the PTA at my house on Sunday nights? Sure! Attending a conference the weekend before Thanksgiving? Absolutely!

Don’t ask yourself if you want to do it right now — ask yourself if you’ll want to do it then. Will you really want to have people in your house every Sunday night? Is it a good idea to be out of town the weekend before you’re hosting family for the holidays? Framing it this way helps you avoid making decisions you’ll eventually regret.

I hope these five questions help you be more intentional with your time. I can guarantee making wise decisions will allow you to feel balanced and confident. After all, you only have this one precious life. You get to decide how to live it!

Christy Wright&nbsp;is a No. 1 national best-selling author,&nbsp;personal development expert, and host of The Christy Wright Show.&nbsp;Her new book,&nbsp;Take Back Your Time: The Guilt-Free Guide to Life Balance, will be released September 14, 2021. Christy’s been featured on Today Show and Fox News, and in Entrepreneur and Woman’s Day Magazines.&nbsp;Since 2009, Christy has served at Ramsey Solutions, where she teaches on&nbsp;personal development, business, and faith. Follow Christyon&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ChristyBWright" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/christybwright/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialChristyWright/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/christywright" target="_blank">YouTube</a>&nbsp;or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.christywright.com/" target="_blank">christywright.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602376792935.jpeg" alt="Christy Wright" />
 <figcaption>Christy Wright</figcaption>
 </figure>By CHRISTY WRIGHT“Yes” and “no” are two simple words, but they carry a ton of weight. We live in a fast-paced world where we make hundreds of decisions every day about how to spend our time. And since time is our most precious resource, we should all be careful about how often we say yes.&nbsp;Easier said than done, right? I want to give you five questions to ask yourself before making a time commitment so you can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/personal-growth/why-do-i-feel-so-busy-quiz" target="_blank">create a sense of balance in your life</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Can I do it?This is the first and most obvious question—but isn’t it surprising how we overcommit ourselves and try to do 47 things at once? Be realistic. If you aren’t available, say so up front. If you are available, move on to the next four questions.Is this a priority for me right now?Even if you are available, you need to consider if this opportunity is a priority for you in your current season of life. Is it important to you? Do you actually care about it? If not, don’t give it space on your calendar.What will I not be able to do if I do this?We rarely, if ever, ask this question. But every decision comes at a cost. For everything you say yes to, you have to say no to a lot of other things. If you say yes to coaching your child’s soccer team, it means you won’t be able to sit on the sidelines and just watch and cheer. Calculate the time and energy cost and be realistic about whether or not you want to go for it.&nbsp;&nbsp;How will this affect my family?My default answer is to always say yes to new opportunities. But I learned early on in my marriage that this isn’t how my husband operates. It took me some time to understand how my decisions impact him—and not only him but our three kids as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether you’re single, married, with kids or without, think through how this decision will impact your closest relationships. Will you see less of your friends? Will your kids have to come with you to this new event or do you need to find a babysitter? I encourage you to communicate clearly with your spouse before making big time commitments.Will I want to do it then?So many things sound like a fantastic idea in the moment. Hosting the PTA at my house on Sunday nights? Sure! Attending a conference the weekend before Thanksgiving? Absolutely!Don’t ask yourself if you want to do it right now — ask yourself if you’ll want to do it then. Will you really want to have people in your house every Sunday night? Is it a good idea to be out of town the weekend before you’re hosting family for the holidays? Framing it this way helps you avoid making decisions you’ll eventually regret.I hope these five questions help you be more intentional with your time. I can guarantee making wise decisions will allow you to feel balanced and confident. After all, you only have this one precious life. You get to decide how to live it!Christy Wright&nbsp;is a No. 1 national best-selling author,&nbsp;personal development expert, and host of The Christy Wright Show.&nbsp;Her new book,&nbsp;Take Back Your Time: The Guilt-Free Guide to Life Balance, will be released September 14, 2021. Christy’s been featured on Today Show and Fox News, and in Entrepreneur and Woman’s Day Magazines.&nbsp;Since 2009, Christy has served at Ramsey Solutions, where she teaches on&nbsp;personal development, business, and faith. Follow Christyon&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ChristyBWright" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/christybwright/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialChristyWright/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/christywright" target="_blank">YouTube</a>&nbsp;or online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.christywright.com/" target="_blank">christywright.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

WRIGHT: 5 questions to ask yourself before committing your time

Today is Sunday, Sept. 5, the 248th day of 2021. There are 117 days left in the year. 

On Sept. 5, 1972, the Palestinian group Black September attacked the Israeli Olympic delegation at the Munich Games, killing 11 Israelis and a police officer. German forces killed five of the gunmen. 

In 1774, the first Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia. 

In 1864, voters in Louisiana approved a new state constitution abolishing slavery. 

In 1939, four days after war had broken out in Europe, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation declaring U.S. neutrality in the conflict. 

In 1957, the novel "On the Road," by Jack Kerouac, was first published by Viking Press. 

In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford escaped an attempt on his life by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a disciple of Charles Manson, in Sacramento, California. 

In 1984, the space shuttle Discovery ended its inaugural flight as it landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California. 

In 1986, four hijackers who had seized a Pan Am jumbo jet on the ground in Karachi, Pakistan, opened fire when the lights inside the plane failed; a total of 20 people were killed before Pakistani commandos stormed the jetliner. 

In 1991, the 35th annual Naval Aviation Symposium held by the Tailhook Association opened in Las Vegas; during the four-day gathering, there were reports that dozens of people, most of them women, were sexually assaulted or otherwise harassed. (The episode triggered the resignation of Navy Secretary H. Lawrence Garrett and the early retirement of Adm. Frank B. Kelso, then the chief of naval operations.)

In 1997, breaking the royal reticence over the death of Princess Diana, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II delivered a televised address in which she called her former daughter-in-law "a remarkable person." Mother Teresa died in Calcutta, India, at age 87; conductor Sir Georg Solti died in France at age 84. 

In 2006, Katie Couric began a five-year run as principal anchor of "The CBS Evening News."

In 2018, The New York Times published an opinion piece from an anonymous senior administration official claiming to be part of an internal "resistance" working to thwart President Donald Trump's "worst inclinations;" Trump responded that if such a "gutless" person exists, "the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to the government at once!" 

In 2019, the NFL opened its 100th season in Chicago, where the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 10-3 in the season's first game.

Ten years ago: President Barack Obama used a boisterous Labor Day rally in Detroit to put congressional Republicans on the spot, challenging them to place the country's interests above all else and vote to create jobs and put the economy back on a path toward growth.

Five years ago: Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the close of the G-20 summit in the eastern city of Hangzhou, saying it had contributed to encouraging new progress in boosting global growth. Hugh O'Brian, the actor who shot to fame as Sheriff Wyatt Earp in what was hailed as television's first adult Western, died in Beverly Hills, California, at age 91. Phyllis Schlafly, the outspoken conservative activist who helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and founded the Eagle Forum political group, died in St. Louis at age 92.

One year ago: New wildfires in Southern California included one caused by a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device used during a gender-reveal party. Hundreds of people gathered for Black Lives Matter rallies and marches in Portland, Oregon, as often violent nightly demonstrations that had taken place for 100 days showed no signs of ceasing; Molotov cocktails were thrown in the street during a march, sparking a large fire and prompting police to declare a riot. Authentic led all the way to win a Kentucky Derby held in front of an empty grandstand and in September rather than May because of the coronavirus; it was a record-tying sixth Derby victory for trainer Bob Baffert.

Today's Birthdays: Comedian-actor Bob Newhart is 92. Actor-singer Carol Lawrence is 89. Actor Lucille Soong is 86. Former NFL All-Pro quarterback and college football Hall of Famer Billy Kilmer is 82. Actor William Devane is 82. Actor George Lazenby is 82. Actor Raquel Welch is 81. Movie director Werner Herzog is 79. Singer Al Stewart is 76. Actor-director Dennis Dugan is 75. College Football Hall of Famer Jerry LeVias is 75. Singer Loudon Wainwright III is 75. Soul/rock musician Mel Collins is 74. "Cathy" cartoonist Cathy Guisewite is 71. Actor Michael Keaton is 70. Actor Debbie Turner-Larson (Marta in "The Sound of Music") is 65. Actor Kristian Alfonso is 58. R&amp;B singer Terry Ellis is 58. Rock musician Brad Wilk is 53. TV personality Dweezil Zappa is 52. Actor Rose McGowan is 48. Actor Carice Van Houten is 45. Rock musician Kyle O'Quin (Portugal. The Man) is 36. Olympic gold medal figure skater Yuna Kim is 31. Actor Skandar Keynes is 30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Sunday, Sept. 5, the 248th day of 2021. There are 117 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 5, 1972, the Palestinian group Black September attacked the Israeli Olympic delegation at the Munich Games, killing 11 Israelis and a police officer. German forces killed five of the gunmen. On this date: In 1774, the first Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia. In 1864, voters in Louisiana approved a new state constitution abolishing slavery. In 1939, four days after war had broken out in Europe, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a proclamation declaring U.S. neutrality in the conflict. In 1957, the novel "On the Road," by Jack Kerouac, was first published by Viking Press. In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford escaped an attempt on his life by Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a disciple of Charles Manson, in Sacramento, California. In 1984, the space shuttle Discovery ended its inaugural flight as it landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California. In 1986, four hijackers who had seized a Pan Am jumbo jet on the ground in Karachi, Pakistan, opened fire when the lights inside the plane failed; a total of 20 people were killed before Pakistani commandos stormed the jetliner. In 1991, the 35th annual Naval Aviation Symposium held by the Tailhook Association opened in Las Vegas; during the four-day gathering, there were reports that dozens of people, most of them women, were sexually assaulted or otherwise harassed. (The episode triggered the resignation of Navy Secretary H. Lawrence Garrett and the early retirement of Adm. Frank B. Kelso, then the chief of naval operations.)In 1997, breaking the royal reticence over the death of Princess Diana, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II delivered a televised address in which she called her former daughter-in-law "a remarkable person." Mother Teresa died in Calcutta, India, at age 87; conductor Sir Georg Solti died in France at age 84. In 2006, Katie Couric began a five-year run as principal anchor of "The CBS Evening News."In 2018, The New York Times published an opinion piece from an anonymous senior administration official claiming to be part of an internal "resistance" working to thwart President Donald Trump's "worst inclinations;" Trump responded that if such a "gutless" person exists, "the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to the government at once!" In 2019, the NFL opened its 100th season in Chicago, where the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 10-3 in the season's first game.Ten years ago: President Barack Obama used a boisterous Labor Day rally in Detroit to put congressional Republicans on the spot, challenging them to place the country's interests above all else and vote to create jobs and put the economy back on a path toward growth. Five years ago: Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the close of the G-20 summit in the eastern city of Hangzhou, saying it had contributed to encouraging new progress in boosting global growth. Hugh O'Brian, the actor who shot to fame as Sheriff Wyatt Earp in what was hailed as television's first adult Western, died in Beverly Hills, California, at age 91. Phyllis Schlafly, the outspoken conservative activist who helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and founded the Eagle Forum political group, died in St. Louis at age 92. One year ago: New wildfires in Southern California included one caused by a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device used during a gender-reveal party. Hundreds of people gathered for Black Lives Matter rallies and marches in Portland, Oregon, as often violent nightly demonstrations that had taken place for 100 days showed no signs of ceasing; Molotov cocktails were thrown in the street during a march, sparking a large fire and prompting police to declare a riot. Authentic led all the way to win a Kentucky Derby held in front of an empty grandstand and in September rather than May because of the coronavirus; it was a record-tying sixth Derby victory for trainer Bob Baffert.Today's Birthdays: Comedian-actor Bob Newhart is 92. Actor-singer Carol Lawrence is 89. Actor Lucille Soong is 86. Former NFL All-Pro quarterback and college football Hall of Famer Billy Kilmer is 82. Actor William Devane is 82. Actor George Lazenby is 82. Actor Raquel Welch is 81. Movie director Werner Herzog is 79. Singer Al Stewart is 76. Actor-director Dennis Dugan is 75. College Football Hall of Famer Jerry LeVias is 75. Singer Loudon Wainwright III is 75. Soul/rock musician Mel Collins is 74. "Cathy" cartoonist Cathy Guisewite is 71. Actor Michael Keaton is 70. Actor Debbie Turner-Larson (Marta in "The Sound of Music") is 65. Actor Kristian Alfonso is 58. R&amp;B singer Terry Ellis is 58. Rock musician Brad Wilk is 53. TV personality Dweezil Zappa is 52. Actor Rose McGowan is 48. Actor Carice Van Houten is 45. Rock musician Kyle O'Quin (Portugal. The Man) is 36. Olympic gold medal figure skater Yuna Kim is 31. Actor Skandar Keynes is 30.

Today in History - Sept. 5

Nancy Campos’ back ached as she loaded more than 100 Amazon packages onto her truck. The 59-year-old grandmother, a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, had worked 13 days in a row without a lunch break, and now she was delivering on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to keep up with a never-ending flow of boxes.

At the end of her shift that January day, Campos filled out her time sheet. Then she took a picture of it — for proof.

“I knew what was going to happen,” said Campos, who delivers mail in Midland, Texas, “because it happens every pay period.”

Two weeks later, when she checked her paystub in the payroll system, she said she was missing six hours of overtime pay. That added up to about $201 in lost wages — a week’s worth of groceries.

Postal workers across the country share her frustration.

The Postal Service regularly cheats mail carriers out of their pay, according to a Center for Public Integrity investigation. Managers at hundreds of post offices around the country have illegally underpaid hourly workers for years, arbitrators and federal investigators have found.

Private arbitration records tell part of the story. From 2010 to 2019, at least 250 managers in 60 post offices were caught changing mail carriers’ time cards to show them working fewer hours, resulting in unpaid wages, according to a batch of arbitration award summaries obtained by Public Integrity for cases filed by one of the three major postal unions.

Supervisors found to be cheating were rarely disciplined — often receiving only a warning or more training. In four cities, arbitration documents show, post office managers continued to alter time cards after promising union leaders they would stop.

Since 2005, meanwhile, the Postal Service has been cited by the federal government 1,150 times for underpaying letter carriers and other employees, including one case that involved 164 violations, according to Labor Department data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. The agency determined that those workers lost about $659,000 in pay. But it allowed the Postal Service to pay back less than half after negotiations with the agency — a common practice at the Labor Department. About 19% of the cases did not indicate whether the Postal Service paid back employees.

These findings point to widespread wage theft at the iconic quasi-governmental institution. Yet they offer only a partial view of the problem. Not captured are any arbitration cases filed by other postal unions or wage theft grievances settled before reaching arbitration.

Cases keep cropping up as the Postal Service struggles to pay off $188 billion in debt and unfunded liabilities, accrued largely because federal law requires it to prepay retiree healthcare and pension benefits. The agency has cut nearly 142,000 jobs since 2007, and in March 2020, it needed a $10 billion emergency loan from Congress to help pay its bills.

Mail carriers say their supervisors face intense pressure to keep overtime costs down. At the same time, pandemic-fueled spikes in online ordering are overwhelming mail carriers with packages. And they can’t count on getting paid for all their work.

A spokesperson for the Postal Service, David Partenheimer, said the agency does not condone supervisors making unsupported timecard adjustments and takes such allegations seriously.

“This position is messaged to the postal workforce directly from postal leaders, including the Vice President, Delivery Operations, who periodically reissues policies regarding appropriate timecard administration for supervisors,” Partenheimer wrote in an email to Public Integrity. He declined to comment on specific cases.

Campos said the agency still owes her thousands of dollars for two other wage theft grievances they settled before she discovered the missing overtime pay in January. She said her boss promised to pay her back for working the holiday but never did.

“I just had it. Enough is enough,” said Campos, who shared copies of her timesheets and pay stubs with Public Integrity. “We are depending on that money. When you get shorted, it’s the most horrible feeling.”

Every morning, Campos and thousands of other mail carriers across the United States swipe their badges at a local post office to clock in for work. They sort mail for their routes, check undelivered items and load up their trucks. They swipe their badge a few more times when they begin and end their delivery route and other tasks, and once again when they’re done for the day.

All of this is supposed to happen within an eight-hour shift for most carriers. That’s because the Postal Service doesn’t want to pay overtime, which is 50% extra per hour under federal law. The inspector general has repeatedly admonished the post office for spending billions of dollars in overtime each year and has urged managers to cut back.

But mail carriers say it’s impossible to get back in time. After all, the Postal Service is notoriously short-staffed at a time when carriers are delivering a record number of packages. In 2019 alone, they delivered 1.5 billion items for Amazon — nearly a third of the online retailer’s packages.

That means carriers log a lot of extra hours. And it’s not uncommon for managers to go into the system and delete some of them. Sometimes their changes show carriers ending their shifts earlier or taking an unpaid lunch break, according to Public Integrity’s review of private arbitration decisions maintained by the National Association of Letter Carriers, a labor union with nearly 290,000 members — about 45% of the agency’s total workforce.

In most of these cases, managers did not submit the required paperwork to explain the changes or notify the affected employee. Other times, supervisors just told carriers to clock out after eight hours and keep working without pay.

That happened regularly to Maverick Tran and some of his colleagues in San Jose, California, according to a 2019 decision by an independent arbitrator.

Tran told the arbitrator — who acts like a judge in this type of legal dispute — that two supervisors often told him to manually clock out at 6 p.m. if he was running late while delivering the mail.

“I still haven’t unloaded my truck or empty out anything, but I would be off the clock,” he said during a closed-door hearing at the main San Jose post office.

A co-worker said managers would regularly clock him out themselves before he returned to the station. Another carrier said they instructed him to punch out before the end of his shift to avoid “unauthorized overtime.”

One of those co-workers, Rafael Zambrano-Lay, said he was so scared about returning to his post office past 6 p.m. that he would skip meals, forego rest breaks and run while carrying mail to customers’ homes.

Zambrano-Lay did not respond to a request for comment and Tran declined to discuss the case.

Their union representative told the arbitrator that nearly every supervisor in San Jose’s 12 post offices had improperly manipulated employee hours each week for at least three years. In an eight-month period in 2017, the union found that these unauthorized changes shorted mail carriers out of 77 regular hours and 1,864 overtime hours, collectively costing them anywhere from $52,000 to $90,000 in lost wages.

In the arbitration hearing, a Postal Service representative did not explain why managers changed carriers’ time cards. He said the behavior was not widespread.

Nancy Hutt, the arbitrator, disagreed. After reviewing time cards for 240 mail carriers in San Jose, Hutt said she grew alarmed. The data “reflects a widespread practice by management of willfully and repetitively deleting and altering time records of Letter Carriers,” she wrote in her decision.

Other arbitrators expressed similar shock when reviewing such allegations.

“Heinous,” an arbitrator in Nashville, Tennessee, wrote in 2018 when presented with evidence that a manager deleted carriers’ work hours. “It’s an act, in my view, on the same level as theft.”

In Boston, arbitrator Katherine Morgan called the pattern of wage theft “systemic” and “egregious.” In a 2019 decision, she described the time card changes as serious federal offenses “which cannot be treated lightly, and which could lead to fines and even imprisonment.”

In all, arbitrators found that postal managers in at least nine states illegally altered mail carriers’ time cards in recent years, cheating more than 900 mail carriers out of pay. They ordered the Postal Service to stop falsifying time cards and pay back employees they cheated.

“It’s hard to believe,” said Jennifer Williams, a former mail carrier in the Atlanta area. “This is a government job. Nobody should go to work and wonder if they’re going to get paid.”

Williams, 36, said co-workers warned her to keep track of her hours when she was hired as a mail carrier in February 2020. She said she didn’t get her first paycheck and had to file a grievance with the union to get paid. When her second paycheck arrived, Williams said, she was missing five hours of overtime. Another supervisor told Williams that her boss had deleted the hours, according to a lawsuit she filed against the Postal Service in federal court.

When she brought up the missing overtime to her boss on the phone, she said her boss berated her. A few days later, Williams said the mail truck she was driving broke down and she was fired for not finishing her route. She sued in September 2020, claiming she was illegally fired for complaining about wage theft.

“I was really upset because I was depending on working at the post office to keep myself afloat,” said Williams, who said she had to take a low-paid job at a filter factory after she was fired.

Partenheimer, the Postal Service spokesperson, declined to comment on the lawsuit. But in court records, lawyers for the agency denied that a supervisor deleted Williams’ overtime hours or that she was fired for complaining about missing pay. Both parties settled the case in June, with the Postal Service agreeing to pay Williams $2,356 in damages and $3,143 in attorney’s fees.

Williams said she misses working for the post office. She once viewed the agency the same way thousands of other Black Americans have before her: as a stable job with good benefits and decent pay.

The Postal Service has long been one of the largest employers of African Americans in the United States. During the civil rights era, it was a place where Black workers could advance their careers without as many barriers as the private sector, said Frederick Gooding, an African American studies professor at Texas Christian University.

“The (Postal Service) was in many ways a beacon of hope and opportunity,” said Gooding, author of the book “American Dream Deferred: Black Federal Workers in Washington, D.C., 1941-1981.”

To this day, Black workers are overrepresented in the Postal Service. Though 12% of the overall U.S. workforce, they make up 19% of the agency’s mail carriers, 38% of its clerks and 31% of its mail handlers. Asians also represent a larger-than-average share of the postal workforce.

Wage theft within the agency might disproportionately harm these workers, but that’s unclear. Arbitration documents and Labor Department records don’t track each employee’s race or ethnicity. Yet the repeated paycheck theft tests the notion that the Postal Service is a desirable place to work.

“I would never have expected this from the post office,” said Campos, the Texas mail carrier. “This used to be an honorable job.”

Campos, who has worked as a carrier for three years, says she filed three grievances against her supervisors for unpaid work. They have since settled the complaints, she said, and management agreed to pay her a yet-to-be determined amount, including the extra hours she worked when delivering an “overburdened route” — a long one that regularly takes more time to finish than it’s supposed to.

Several of her co-workers are also waiting to be paid for similar reasons, she said, but she suspects that no one will be punished for ripping them off.

The arbitrator in the San Jose case told the Postal Service to pay employees what they’re owed. Tran, Zambrano-Lay and other carriers sued the agency in federal court a few months later. They want cash damages in addition to back pay. As of February, the Postal Service had paid back employees in that case a total of $570,000, attorneys for both sides reported to the court.

About two dozen employees gathered for a tense meeting at a San Antonio post office in February 2019. The station manager, Ruben Vela, was agitated. He told them that union outsiders were arriving to cause trouble.

When union steward Steven Ramirez showed up, Vela got in his face and berated him in front of everyone at the meeting, a witness said.

Ramirez had discovered that Vela and at least one other supervisor regularly deleted 25 employees’ work hours over a period of two years, according to an arbitration decision from later that year. In some cases, the arbitrator found, the other supervisor forged an employee’s initials approving the changes.

Employees who were at the 2019 meeting later said that Vela described the time card changes as a “simple mistake.”

Public Integrity was unable to reach Vela for comment.

Kirk Fraser, one of the mail carriers at the meeting, said he was devastated, according to the arbitration document. He called the practice an “immoral and egregious” breach of trust.

“Clearly, falsifying dozens of (USPS) forms does not equate to a simple mistake, but rather something that was done deliberately,” he told the arbitrator, according to the decision. He and some of his co-workers said they didn’t understand why Vela wasn’t fired.

Instead, the Postal Service said in arbitration that Vela was temporarily restricted from accessing the time card system until he could retake training on the proper way to handle time card changes. The agency told the arbitrator that they had paid back the employees.

Union representatives Richard Gould and Adam Reyna were incensed with the light rebuke. They asked the arbitrator to order the Postal Service to ban Vela from supervising letter carriers.

“This kind of thievery would have resulted in the immediate removal if perpetrated by a letter carrier, but inexplicably the Postal Service appears to have taken the position that (its) supervisors should be somehow held to a lower standard than the craft employees they manage,” the union representatives stated.

The Postal Service representative argued that any further punishment would impact the supervisor’s career and rob him of “due process.” The arbitrator decided not to mandate harsher discipline, agreeing with that argument.

A similar scene has played out in several closed-door hearings across the country. The Postal Service will acknowledge the unlawful time card changes and agree to pay back workers. A union advocate then asks an arbitrator to sanction the supervisors involved. The arbitrators say they can’t under the contract, ordering supervisors to take training instead.

That doesn’t always make a difference. A union representative begged an arbitrator in Chicago to take action after supervisors were found deleting employee work hours at all 11 offices in the city. Internal mediators had already ordered those supervisors to stop multiple times, but they wouldn’t.

“Cease and desist orders have not been effective in convincing Chicago Management to enforce the prohibition against stealing time,” the union advocate argued, according to the December 2020 decision. The arbitrator said she didn’t have the authority to mandate monetary penalties, and instead required post office leaders to meet with supervisors and tell them to stop. She also told the Postal Service to let the union do periodic time card reviews.

Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, declined to comment on individual cases and said the union addresses time card fraud through the grievance-arbitration system and in the courts.

“Meanwhile, we are constantly monitoring these situations to make sure USPS complies with arbitration decisions and grievance settlements,” he said in a statement to Public Integrity.

In a September 2019 newsletter, Rolando lamented that one of the biggest problems facing the Postal Service is “a toxic workplace culture that tolerates abuse and wage/time theft.”

One rural mail carrier in North Carolina compared the Postal Service to a “bank robber.”

“It just seems like the post office is above the law,” said the employee, who asked that he not be identified out of fear of retaliation from his supervisors. “They pretty much do anything they want.”

The Postal Service knows it has a problem

Postal Service leaders are well aware that many supervisors have been caught cheating employees. The agency’s inspector general — its independent watchdog — has audited time records at dozens of post offices over the years.

In a 2009 letter to Rep. Paul Hodes, the inspector general’s office confirmed complaints that supervisors at three New Hampshire post offices were changing time cards, underpaying employees by nearly $30,000. A year later, the office found more than 160 suspicious changes during a year-long audit of three post offices in Ohio, North Carolina and New Hampshire. At least 75 of the changes were not properly documented. Auditors said the Postal Service did not have adequate systems in place to make sure supervisors aren’t shorting employees.

“As a result, we could not determine with certainty the reasons supervisors altered time and attendance records,” the lead auditor wrote.

The agency watchdog recommended that the Postal Service train all supervisors periodically, create another layer of approval for each time card change and do its own periodic audits.

Dean Granholm, then the Postal Service’s head of delivery and operations, agreed to follow the recommendations.

But the wage theft didn’t stop. In 2018, the inspector general alerted postal leaders that more than 100 supervisors in the Boston area had changed time records, deleting hundreds of work hours from 814 postal employees over a period of two years. The auditors reviewed a sampling of 199 changes and found that the majority of them were improperly documented.

Granholm no longer works for the agency and did not respond to a request for comment.

Finally the inspector general looked at the problem on a national level. During a six-month period in 2019, auditors discovered that managers had deleted more than 46,000 work hours from employees across the country. Investigators then examined records at seven post offices in Illinois, Florida and the Washington, D.C., region, finding that 86% of time card changes shorted employees’ pay without proper documentation.

The inspector general made similar recommendations to those from previous audits: talk to supervisors about the time card rules and establish a process to periodically review such changes. The Postal Service agreed to do it.

Mail carriers who spoke to Public Integrity say they believe supervisors keep docking their hours because managers’ annual pay raises depend on keeping overtime spending down. Union stewards and lawyers made the same claims in legal records. The Postal Service would not say whether it does in fact link pay raises to overtime spending.

Mail carriers say the wage theft will continue unless the Postal Service punishes managers doing it.

In the meantime, some carriers take pictures of their time sheets or write down their hours in a notebook. One of the unions developed a mobile app to help with that.

Campos refuses to quit her job, despite it all.

“I’ve invested so much. I don’t want to leave,” she said. “I am 59 years old. Who do you think is going to hire me?”

This story was provided to The Associated Press by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit news organization based in Washington, D.C.

Report: USPS has shorted some workers’ pay for years

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 4:30p.m. Sept. 2, a sheriff’s deputy arrested&nbsp; 27-year-old Carmelle Marie Inez Stoweres on Topeka in the 12000 block of 150th Street in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Stowers was allegedly in possession of illegal drug contraband and was booked into jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630687354495.png" alt="Stowers-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Stowers-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 4:30p.m. Sept. 2, a sheriff’s deputy arrested&nbsp; 27-year-old Carmelle Marie Inez Stoweres on Topeka in the 12000 block of 150th Street in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.Stowers was allegedly in possession of illegal drug contraband and was booked into jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: Kansas woman was transporting meth

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting death and after asking the public for help to ID a suspect have arrested 33-year-old Daniel Scott Carpenter, according to the Sedgwick County booking report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630758451498.png" alt="Carpenter-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Carpenter-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting death and after asking the public for help to ID a suspect have arrested 33-year-old Daniel Scott Carpenter, according to the Sedgwick County booking report.Just after 2 a.m. on Wednesday, officers responded to a welfare check in the 800 block of West Murdock in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 32-year-old Jason Huber of Wichita who had been shot. He was taken to an area hospital for medical treatment where he died.The investigation revealed&nbsp;28-year-old Caesar Hermosillo of Dodge City and Huber were both at the same nearby business.&nbsp; &nbsp;They left the business, Huber on a bicycle and Hermosillo in a van westbound on Murdock.At Murdock and Stackman Drive, Huber was shot and his bicycle was taken.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630691706666.png" alt="Carpenter as seen on security cameras -Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Carpenter as seen on security cameras -Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Another suspect later seen on security cameras and identified as Carpenter was at the same nearby business as Huber before the shooting, according to Davidson.Carpenter left the business driving a white Buick La Sabre and Huber left on a bicycle both going west on Mudock before the shooting.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=198141">Carpenter is being held </a>on requested charges of first-degree murder. Police have not reported details of the arrest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630687658014.png" alt="Hermosillo" />
 <figcaption>Hermosillo</figcaption>
 </figure>Police say Hermosillo, facing a possible first-degree murder charge in Huber's shooting death, is no longer facing those charges.&nbsp;He remains in custody on a pending warrant.