Chris Baker

USPS unveils first charging stations and electric delivery vehicles

1/23/24 at 1:01 pm | Updated 1/24/24 at 7:32 am

The Postal Service, alongside White House officials, unveiled its first set of electric vehicle charging stations at the organization’s South Atlanta Sorting and Delivery Center on Jan. 22. Charging stations like those at the Atlanta facility will be installed at hundreds of new sorting and delivery centers across the United States throughout the year and […]

USPS wants everyone to know its policy regarding firearms on postal property

1/18/24 at 11:45 am | Updated 1/25/24 at 5:28 pm

Employee safety is a top priority for the Postal Service, which is why the organization wants to ensure everyone is aware of its longstanding policy on firearms on postal property. A recent Florida district court decision is being misreported or may be misinterpreted as holding that the Postal Service’s ban on carrying firearms — either […]

Need help sticking to your New Year’s resolutions? These employees have advice

1/17/24 at 8:06 am | Updated 1/25/24 at 5:00 pm

If you’re like many people, the New Year’s resolutions you made a few weeks ago are already becoming a thing of the past. Almost a quarter of those who make resolutions quit them after the first week of January, according to one study by the University of Scranton. Some Postal Service employees who’ve bucked that […]

Much of the nation is dealing with harsh winter weather this week

1/16/24 at 8:31 am

After observing the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday at the start of the week, USPS will resume regular delivery and retail services on Tuesday, Jan. 16, in a nation firmly in winter’s grip. About 150 million Americans — or 45 percent of the nation’s population — are under a wind chill warning or advisory, according […]

On the hunt

1/16/24 at 7:01 am | Updated 1/12/24 at 4:01 pm

My name is Rachael Kneisly and I’m a team leader for the Postal Inspection Service in Washington, DC. My group focuses on combating drugs in the mail. We’re hunters. We focus on drug trafficking organizations that send narcotics, money and illegal firearms through the mail, and use analytics and street work to stop them. My […]

Here’s what Link covered Jan. 8-13

1/14/24 at 7:36 am | Updated 1/18/24 at 5:38 pm

The holiday season is now a memory for many, but the Postal Service’s busiest time of year was still making news in Link last week. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy led his latest employee video message with a review of the organization’s performance during the holidays. We also introduced you to a quartet of letter carriers […]

Veterans roundtable

1/14/24 at 7:21 am | Updated 1/12/24 at 4:29 pm

The Postal Service will hold its next online veterans roundtable for employees on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. Eastern. Warren Small Jr., a Vietnam War veteran and retired New York state court clerk, will lead a discussion on the importance of staying resilient, and Tena Branstetter, a USPS human resources manager, will discuss navigating […]

Who let the dogs out?

1/13/24 at 7:12 am | Updated 1/12/24 at 4:14 pm

Rural Carrier Gary Sherman saw smoke coming from a home in Warsaw, NY, while he was delivering mail recently. The Postal Service employee, who is also a volunteer firefighter, called 911 and headed to the residence to warn anyone inside. No one was home, but Sherman could hear the customer’s dogs. He found an unlocked […]

Beck appointed to Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee

1/12/24 at 4:07 pm | Updated 1/12/24 at 5:13 pm

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has appointed Graham Beck, a business executive and stamp collector, to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, the USPS panel that makes recommendations for future stamp subjects. Since 2016, Beck has promoted philately through a YouTube channel, Exploring Stamps, that has gained more than 32,000 subscribers and almost 4 million views during […]

USPS reports consistent delivery performance

1/12/24 at 3:03 pm | Updated 1/12/24 at 3:03 pm

The average time for the Postal Service to deliver a mailpiece or package across the nation was 2.8 days from Jan. 1-5, which marked the beginning of fiscal year 2024’s second quarter. The organization reported the data Jan. 12. During the Jan. 1-5 period, USPS delivered 87.5 percent of First-Class Mail on time when compared […]

Happy birthday, Mr. Franklin

1/12/24 at 7:36 am | Updated 1/11/24 at 4:38 pm

Perhaps it’s fitting that the Postal Service, an organization that has touched every corner of American life, can trace its roots to the most quintessential American. Benjamin Franklin, the nation’s first postmaster general, was born 318 years ago on Jan. 17, 1706. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution and […]

Best of the West, bar none

1/12/24 at 7:28 am | Updated 1/11/24 at 2:45 pm

Leroy Brown, a general clerk at the Los Angeles International Service Center, recently marked 70 years of federal service — 68 of them with USPS. At a celebration in his honor held late last year, the Western Division processing operations team presented Brown with a certificate and special service coin, and family, friends and colleagues […]

‘This day will forever be with me’

1/12/24 at 7:23 am | Updated 1/12/24 at 7:39 am

City Carrier Assistant Darian Bolton was making a delivery in Amarillo, TX, last fall when she witnessed an accident involving an automobile and a pedestrian. Bolton called 911 as she rushed to aid the 69-year-old man, who had been hit by a car while attempting to cross a nearby intersection. She reported the details of […]

The new Love stamp has arrived

1/12/24 at 7:16 am | Updated 1/11/24 at 2:21 pm

The Postal Service will release its latest Love stamp on Friday, Jan. 12. The stamp is the newest addition to the popular Love series that began in 1973. This year’s stamp depicts a pink, heart-sealed envelope delivered by a bird in flight. The word “forever” appears in pink cursive in the upper left corner. Antonio […]

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s latest employee video message is now available

1/11/24 at 12:37 pm | Updated 1/11/24 at 12:37 pm

In his latest video message for employees, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy discusses the Postal Service’s performance during the holiday season. He also updates employees on the organization’s efforts to become a high-performing logistics and delivery provider under the Delivering for America plan. Additionally, DeJoy talks about the Postal Service’s plans for the next 18 months […]

Postal Bulletin covers passports process

1/11/24 at 9:33 am | Updated 1/11/24 at 9:35 am

Postal Bulletin’s latest edition, published Jan. 11, features an overview of passports, including instructions on how to obtain or renew a passport through USPS. The latest 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. […]

Blasts of winter

1/11/24 at 7:49 am | Updated 1/10/24 at 4:57 pm

Winter is roaring into the new year like a lion: Two storms brought heavy snow, rain and gale-force winds to much of the Lower 48, and a third disturbance is waiting in the wings. Dicey conditions led to numerous power outages, school closings, flight cancellations and highway closures. Up to 18.5 inches of snow was […]

Bay watcher

1/11/24 at 7:37 am | Updated 2/14/24 at 3:02 pm

My name is Theresa Smith — I go by “T” — and I’m the postmaster for Solomons, MD, a very rural, water-driven community with a small-town vibe. Everyone knows everybody else. I come by my love of the water naturally. My father was in the Navy for 35 years, and his father was a commercial […]

Fit for a King

1/11/24 at 7:26 am | Updated 1/10/24 at 4:59 pm

Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed Monday, Jan. 15 — the 95th anniversary of the civil rights icon’s birth. King helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech. He also helped pave the way for the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 […]

‘USPS Retirement Health Benefits’

1/11/24 at 7:12 am | Updated 1/18/24 at 5:45 pm

Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar that will address benefits available after retirement. The session, “USPS Retirement Health Benefits: Medicare, Dental and Vision,” will be held Wednesday, Jan. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from Aetna, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the discussion. Participants must […]

Priority: You

1/10/24 at 8:27 am | Updated 1/9/24 at 3:25 pm

The Postal Service offers several tools and programs for employees who have made professional development one of their goals this year. The options include: • The Learning Library, part of HERO, the organization’s learning management system, which offers more than 120,000 self-development resources, including videos, books, audiobooks, certification preparation tools and textbooks. The content is […]

Appointments, awards and more

1/10/24 at 8:21 am | Updated 1/9/24 at 2:41 pm

• Kathy J. Hand was named Midwest Processing Division’s senior director. She previously served as processing operations senior director. • Jason E. McMahill was named the Omaha, NE, Processing and Distribution Center’s plant manager. • Taren L. Reynolds, training development director, was named acting national training director. Ashlea A. Meyer, succession and internal talent director, […]

How to act if you’re hacked

1/10/24 at 8:16 am | Updated 1/9/24 at 2:27 pm

The Postal Service wants employees and contractors to know what to do if they suspect a computer, mobile device or online account has been hacked. Here are some common hacking signs: • An alert appears on your antivirus program letting you know your system is infected. • When browsing the internet, you are redirected often […]

The fall guy

1/10/24 at 8:10 am | Updated 1/10/24 at 8:16 am

Letter Carrier Justin Montero was delivering mail along his Harrisburg, PA, route last August when he noticed a customer who appeared to be overheated. Montero waved to the 80-year-old and said, “Good morning.” He knew something was wrong when she didn’t reply. She also appeared to have a blank look on her face. As Montero […]

USPS is working to deliver more return packages

1/9/24 at 8:17 am | Updated 1/9/24 at 7:51 am

The holiday season is over, but the shipping season isn’t. Consumers are expected to return $173 billion worth of holiday purchases from 2023, 28 percent more than the previous year, according to Optoro, a company that helps merchants manage their returns process. This makes returns an important source of growth for the Postal Service’s package […]

Miles of smiles

1/9/24 at 8:14 am | Updated 1/21/24 at 10:40 am

My name is Likkasit Siriviboon and I’m a letter carrier at Burke Branch in Springfield, VA, where my route includes both homes and businesses. I walk more than 10,000 steps a day. Before I joined the Postal Service in 2013, I was a manager at a busy restaurant. Customers don’t like to wait when they’re […]

The Postal Service offers virtual fitness classes for employees

1/9/24 at 8:03 am | Updated 1/8/24 at 3:34 pm

The Postal Service offers employees free virtual fitness classes every weekday. The classes cover a variety of activities, including chair exercise; dance-oriented cardio; high-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT; meditation; strength training; yoga; and Zumba. To see the schedule, employees can go to the USPS Wellness LiteBlue page and select the “HQ Fitness Center” […]

USPS is already gearing up for the holidays

1/9/24 at 7:56 am | Updated 1/8/24 at 3:36 pm

The Postal Service has announced four new art-inspired stamps for the 2024 holiday season. The Holiday Joy stamps will feature two colorful Christmas ornaments, a vibrant poinsettia surrounded by greenery, and a whimsical blue flower centered against green leaves and delicate scrollwork. Antonio Alcalá, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using original digital […]

USPS reports stable first-quarter delivery performance

1/9/24 at 7:43 am | Updated 1/8/24 at 3:37 pm

During fiscal year 2024’s first quarter (Oct. 1 through Dec. 29), the Postal Service delivered 85.4 percent of First-Class Mail on time when compared with the organization’s service standard, according to data released Jan. 5. First-Class Mail performance was down 5.7 percentage points when compared with the previous quarter. Also during the first quarter, 93.8 […]

These employees made some of the holiday season’s most notable deliveries

1/8/24 at 8:47 am | Updated 1/8/24 at 8:47 am

Sara Carroll Jiminez opened her door on Dec. 20 to find her Orlando, FL, neighborhood letter carrier, Dennis Winston, waiting for her — along with a TV news crew. Winston was there to deliver the Postal Service’s 10 billionth delivery of the holiday season, and the news crew — from WKMG, the local CBS station […]

Posts by Chris Baker