Chris Baker

USPS Board of Governors appoints David Steiner to be 76th postmaster general

5/9/25 at 10:42 am | Updated 5/23/25 at 3:40 pm

The USPS Board of Governors has announced that it has chosen David Steiner to be the nation’s 76th postmaster general. Pending the outcome of necessary background and ethics checks, Steiner will succeed former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who resigned in March, and current Acting Postmaster General Doug Tulino, who will return to his permanent position […]

No yolk! These readers really liked our egg story

4/24/25 at 4:47 am | Updated 4/22/25 at 1:55 pm

Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in the “Mail” column. […]

Postal Bulletin examines passports

4/3/25 at 10:16 am

Postal Bulletin’s latest edition, published April 3, offers an overview of USPS passport services. Updates to the organization’s policies, procedures and forms are also included. Employees can go to usps.com to read and download the latest Postal Bulletin, along with past issues. […]

WestPac Area, California 6 District top scanning rankings

4/2/25 at 12:02 pm | Updated 4/2/25 at 12:02 pm

A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.16 percent during the week ending March 28, down 0.38 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected April 2. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.5 percent, while Central ranked last with a 96.82 percent rating. Among the […]

Betty White is the star of this USPS video

3/28/25 at 3:59 pm | Updated 4/1/25 at 12:50 pm

A new Postal Service video spotlights the Betty White stamp, which honors the life of the entertainer and animal lover. The four-minute video contains archival footage and features comments from singer Lance Bass, a friend of White’s who shared a mutual love of animals. Amber McReynolds, chair of the USPS Board of Governors, provides the […]

Here’s why 2025’s stamps are special

3/25/25 at 11:00 am

The latest episode of “Mailin’ It,” the USPS podcast, talks about this year’s new stamps. The guests are Lisa Bobb-Semple, the Postal Service’s stamp services director, and Daniel Piazza, the National Postal Museum’s chief curator of philately. The 34-minute episode, released March 25, is available on Link and other postal websites, as well as most […]

It’s Women’s History Month

3/20/25 at 3:34 pm | Updated 3/20/25 at 7:01 pm

The Postal Service is observing Women’s History Month in March. The commemoration was first observed nationally as Women’s History Week in 1980. The week was chosen to coincide with International Women’s Day on March 8, a global observance that began in 1911. In 1987, Congress designated the month of March as Women’s History Month. Women […]

How to avoid falling for an imposter scam

3/4/25 at 2:06 pm | Updated 3/4/25 at 2:07 pm

The latest episode of “Mailin’ It,” the USPS podcast, talks about the most common imposter scams, including phishing, smishing and fake package delivery alerts. The guest is Brian Coleman, the Postal Inspection Service’s mail fraud program manager. The 33-minute episode, released March 4, is available on Link and other postal websites, as well as most […]

USPS dedicates its Appalachian Trail stamps

2/28/25 at 4:47 pm | Updated 2/28/25 at 4:52 pm

The Postal Service dedicated its Appalachian Trail stamps during a ceremony at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia on Feb. 28. The century-old Appalachian National Scenic Trail runs 2,200 miles through 14 states from Georgia to Maine. “The natural beauty of the Appalachian Trail has delighted millions throughout the years,” said Daniel Tangherlini, a USPS […]

Tenure plan of PMG DeJoy announced

2/18/25 at 8:09 am | Updated 2/18/25 at 11:35 am

The Postal Service announced on Feb. 18 that Louis DeJoy, the 75th Postmaster General, has notified the USPS Board of Governors that it is time for them to begin the process of identifying his successor. The governors of the Postal Service, working with key stakeholders, will now begin the process of identifying an appropriate candidate […]

Ending a counterfeit coupon operation

2/11/25 at 12:17 pm | Updated 2/11/25 at 2:33 pm

The latest episode of “Mailin’ It,” the USPS podcast, tells the story of how the Postal Inspection Service shut down a $31 million counterfeit coupon operation. The guest is Jason Thomasson, a postal inspector who worked on the case. The 32-minute episode, released Feb. 11, is available on Link and other postal websites, as well […]

Here’s how USPS builds business connections

1/28/25 at 12:14 pm | Updated 1/28/25 at 3:27 pm

The latest episode of “Mailin’ It,” the Postal Service podcast, looks at the central role USPS plays in the mailing and shipping industry. The guest is Lindsey Taylor, the organization’s industry engagement and outreach director. The 23-minute episode, released Jan. 28, is available on Link and other postal websites, as well as most podcast platforms. […]

USPS to participate in national day of observance

1/7/25 at 11:34 am | Updated 1/7/25 at 11:34 am

A national day of observance has been declared Thursday, Jan. 9, to honor former President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29 at age 100. The Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery, retail services and office activity on Jan. 9. There will be limited package delivery service on that day to ensure the organization does […]

Don’t get snowed this holiday season

12/3/24 at 11:22 am

The latest episode of the “Mailin’ It!” podcast features a discussion on holiday scams involving the mail, including guidance to avoid them. The guest is Eric Shen, a postal inspector. The 25-minute episode, released Dec. 3, is available on Link and other postal websites, as well as most podcast platforms. […]

USPS Operation Santa launches online catalog

11/18/24 at 4:24 pm | Updated 11/20/24 at 11:11 am

The Postal Service has introduced Santa’s Gift Shoppe, an online catalog — powered by Toys “R” Us — that USPS Operation Santa program participants can use to shop for gifts and ship them with just a click. USPS Operation Santa allows generous people from across the United States to help fulfill the holiday wishes of […]

Improving the Postal Service’s ground game

11/5/24 at 11:44 am | Updated 11/5/24 at 1:01 pm

The “Mailin’ It!” podcast’s latest episode focuses on the transformation of the Postal Service’s network, and how those changes have paved the way for new products and services, such as USPS Ground Advantage. The guest is Juan Nadal, the organization’s strategic sales and accounts executive director. The 23-minute episode is available on Link and other […]

An enduring value

10/28/24 at 6:08 am | Updated 10/28/24 at 12:22 pm

Mail is as relevant as ever to customers, marketers and the Postal Service’s bottom line, The Eagle magazine reports in its fall issue. The cover story examines how mail accounts for a large percentage of USPS revenue — despite a steep drop in volume from its height in the mid-2000s — thanks in large part […]

Call this number to get USPS facility information during an emergency

10/28/24 at 5:57 am | Updated 10/24/24 at 3:57 pm

The Postal Service is reminding employees and contractors to use the USPS National Emergency Hotline number to receive up-to-date information about facility closings, changes in reporting times and other workplace information during severe and inclement weather. The toll-free number, found on the back of most USPS employee badges, is 888-EMERGNC (888-363-7462). After dialing the number, […]

Here’s what Link covered Oct. 20-26

10/27/24 at 4:47 am | Updated 10/25/24 at 4:03 pm

Last week, Link offered you another reminder about the Hatch Act, the law that governs the political activity of all federal government employees. Under one provision of the law, employees are permitted to wear nonpartisan stickers and buttons urging people to vote, but wearing partisan political apparel is not allowed. We also told you about […]

The customer was in the weeds

10/26/24 at 3:34 am | Updated 10/24/24 at 3:39 pm

Letter Carrier Adam Benincosa was delivering mail recently in Roy, UT, when he spotted a customer in distress. The woman, Sherry Jarvis, was lying on the ground of her front yard and frantically waving and calling out for help. She had been stranded for hours but was unable to catch anyone’s attention. Benincosa rushed to […]

A show of unity

9/25/24 at 5:57 pm | Updated 9/26/24 at 2:01 pm

The Postal Service dedicated its new Kwanzaa stamp Sept. 25 during a ceremony in Pittsburgh, where speakers praised the annual Pan-African holiday’s emphasis on diversity and unity. “The issuance of this Kwanzaa stamp is a powerful symbol of the enduring principles of the holiday,” said Roderick Sallay, the USPS director of legislative policy and strategy […]

USPS announces no stamp price changes for January 2025

9/20/24 at 5:25 pm | Updated 9/20/24 at 5:25 pm

A recommendation by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy not to raise prices in January 2025 for market-dominant products — including First-Class Mail — has been approved by the Postal Service governors. Accordingly, the price of a stamp to mail a 1-once single-piece First-Class Mail letter will not increase. The Postal Service’s operational strategies are designed to […]

The changing of the green

8/16/24 at 5:18 am | Updated 8/13/24 at 3:22 pm

USPS will release stamps on Friday, Aug. 16, that capture the drama of trees in a biochemical blaze of glory as they get ready for winter. The Autumn Colors stamps will be dedicated during the Great American Stamp Show in Hartford, CT. The leaves of deciduous trees appear green in spring and summer because of […]

Employees can’t hire or promote a relative

8/16/24 at 5:13 am | Updated 8/13/24 at 3:17 pm

The Postal Service is marking USPS Ethics Awareness Week by reminding employees that nepotism is prohibited in the workplace. Under the rules, USPS employees cannot hire or promote a relative, which is defined as a spouse, parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, nephew, in-law, stepparent, stepsibling or half sibling. Employees are also prohibited from […]

‘STAMP’ of approval

8/16/24 at 4:56 am | Updated 8/13/24 at 5:22 pm

A Postal Service employee and his wife have created a work of art memorializing the COVID-19 pandemic that will become part of the organization’s historical collection. In March 2020, to boost the morale of his colleagues, Kevin Devaney, a distribution operations supervisor at the Boston Processing and Distribution Center, began displaying letters from customers expressing […]

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On the beat

8/16/24 at 4:47 am | Updated 8/13/24 at 2:52 pm

“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. When is the latest Postal Pulse employee survey scheduled to conclude? a) Friday, Aug. 23 b) Friday, Aug. 30 c) Friday, Sept. 6 d) Friday, Sept. 13 2. Fill in the […]

The hunt for dead devices

8/13/24 at 4:52 am | Updated 8/9/24 at 4:55 pm

The Postal Service is holding its second Equipment Scavenger Hunt, a contest to locate and return unused computer, retail, delivery and networking equipment. Participation is open to all employees in the chief retail and delivery officer’s organization. The scavenger hunt started Aug. 12 and will end on Sunday, Sept. 8. This year’s contest will have […]

Letter-writing aid sparks debate

8/13/24 at 4:28 am | Updated 8/13/24 at 8:58 am

Letter writing is a skill many people begin learning in elementary school, but the potential threat artificial intelligence poses to putting pen to paper is now in the spotlight, thanks to a recent TV commercial. The Google advertisement, which aired during the 2024 Summer Olympics, showed a father encouraging his daughter to use the company’s […]

Employees must follow the rules on using postal property

8/13/24 at 4:13 am | Updated 8/13/24 at 8:59 am

The Postal Service is marking USPS Ethics Awareness Week by reminding employees to follow the rules on using the organization’s property. Misusing postal property violates federal ethics rules and can result in discipline, fines, garnishment of wages and termination of employment. Employees should never: • Use a USPS-issued phone or work computer for an outside […]

Here’s how USPS is modernizing its vehicles

8/13/24 at 4:07 am | Updated 8/9/24 at 11:10 am

In its latest episode, the “Mailin’ It!” podcast looks at the Postal Service’s efforts to modernize its delivery vehicle fleet. Justin Glass, the organization’s fleet management director, is the guest. The 24-minute episode, released Aug. 6, is available on Link and other postal websites, as well as most podcast platforms. […]

Posts by Chris Baker