Kell Sackfield, Matherville, IL
I loved “Bear necessities,” the article about author Amanda Rose, who credits USPS for the success of her weight-loss book, “Half My Size With the Ridiculously Big Salad.” […]
Katie Howard
Posts by Katie Howard
May the fourth be with you
USPS will release its “Star Wars”-inspired stamps May 4 — a date that nods to the franchise’s most famous line, “May the force be with you.” The stamps, which the Postal Service announced in January, salute beloved droids from the “Star Wars” galaxy. The 20-stamp pane will feature 10 droids: IG-11, R2-D2, K-2SO, D-O, L3-37, […]
Climbing the ranks
Here’s a look at some recent changes in the USPS leadership ranks: • Mary Alt, the Denver Processing and Distribution Center’s senior plant manager, was named the Minneapolis Northland Campus’s acting lead executive. • Jeff Drake, the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center’s acting plant manager, resumed his regular duties as the Kansas City, MO, […]
Best buds
The flowers featured on the new Garden Beauty stamps have backgrounds almost as colorful as they are. Here are six examples: 1. Allium. The allium (Latin for “garlic”) is a member of the genus of the same name, a pungent bunch that includes onions, chives and leeks. Indeed, the flower we know as an allium […]
Sounds alarming
Letter Carrier Kenietra Roberson was recently delivering mail in a Stockton, CA, neighborhood when she grew concerned about unusual noises she heard coming from a customer’s residence. Roberson consulted with a neighbor, who called 911. Emergency responders soon arrived and discovered that the customer had been stranded on the floor for two weeks and was […]
‘Meal’ ticket
Postal Service employees can participate in an upcoming webinar to learn how to stretch their dollars to provide nutritious, delicious meals. The session, “Meal Planning for Health and Budget,” will be held Thursday, March 11, at noon EST. Kristen McGill, a nutritionist for the Giant supermarket chain, will conduct the webinar and provide meal planning […]
Retail revenue
A Texas retail associate’s sales leads have brought in more than $327,000 in new estimated annualized revenue for the Postal Service. Rosina Gonzales, who works at the Dallas Main Post Office, submitted her leads through the Clerks Care program, which allows retail associates, call center agents and machine and distribution clerks to pass on sales […]
Safety in numbers
Westchester District is using data to keep its employees safe on the job. The district, which encompasses much of the Hudson Valley area of New York state, has developed a simple diagnostic tool that permits top managers to analyze local work hour and accident data. “If you don’t understand what the world is telling you […]
Caring is key
Letter Carrier Kelleigh Fulton was recently delivering mail in a Manasquan, NJ, neighborhood when something out of the ordinary at an older customer’s home worried her: The woman, who normally greets Fulton at the door, was nowhere to be seen. Fulton alerted a neighbor, whom she knew had a key to the woman’s residence. They […]
Electronic smoking devices
The Postal Service has proposed a rule change that would extend the mailing restrictions for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products to include electronic cigarettes and other vaping-type products. The proposed rule change follows the recent enactment of the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, a federal law that restricts the shipping of such […]
High achievers
Here’s a look at some recent changes in the USPS leadership ranks: • Wendy Daniels, customer contact internal and contract manager, was named acting enterprise customer care support executive manager. • Kenneth E. Hanson Jr., the Greensboro, NC, Processing and Distribution Center’s acting plant manager, resumed his regular duties as the Charleston, WV, Processing and […]
Nevertheless, she persisted
Women have played a pivotal role in the American postal system since the early days of the republic. In observance of Women’s History Month, here are five categories of female firsts: 1. Postmaster. Mary Katherine Goddard served as Baltimore’s Postmaster from 1775-1789. She was the only female Postmaster when Benjamin Franklin was named the first […]
In the rough
Rural Carrier Sarah Hogan was recently making deliveries in a Jacksonville, NC, neighborhood adjacent to a golf course when she heard someone yelling for help. Unsure where the voice was coming from, Hogan asked a customer for input. They soon located a 63-year-old neighbor who had fallen off a ladder while cleaning siding on her […]
Uplifted and empowered
Hallmark marked African American History Month this year by giving away 1 million Mahogany greeting cards — with a little help from the Postal Service. Mahogany, introduced in 1987, provides the most extensive line of greeting cards available for African American consumers. On Feb. 1, Hallmark began offering free card packs to those who requested […]
Rising to the top
Here’s a look at some recent changes in the USPS leadership ranks: • San Jose, CA, Postmaster Aron Jones was named acting Bay-Valley District manager. Joseph Fahey, San Jose customer service operations manager, was named acting Postmaster. • Los Angeles District Manager Robert Reynosa was named to a special assignment, based in Las Vegas, with […]
Scamalot
To help mark National Consumer Protection Week, which begins Feb. 28, here are the five most common scams in 2020, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC): 1. Imposter schemes. A con artist poses as a trusted person — such as a government official or a traveling grandchild — to hoodwink targets out of cash […]
Pumped up
Rural Carrier Associate Brannon Cockrell was on duty one day last spring in Calera, AL, when a routine task — refueling his postal vehicle at a local gas station — took a surprising turn. A family of four pulled up alongside Cockrell, and two children stayed in the car while their mom went inside the […]
Locations, locations
The Postal Service and the General Services Administration (GSA) have teamed up to assist federal employees with their government credentials. GSA, a federal agency that manages government real estate, typically operates hundreds of USAccess sites that provide federal employees and contractors with credentialing services and support. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, almost 500 USAccess […]
New gigs
Here’s a look at some recent changes in the USPS leadership ranks: • Sacramento District Manager Jagdeep Grewal was named acting San Diego District manager, and Salt Lake City District Manager Mike Mirides was named acting Sacramento District manager. Tucson, AZ, Postmaster John LaFreniere was named acting Salt Lake City District manager, while Steve Rademacher, […]
Physics phenom
To help mark the Postal Service’s recent release of the Chien-Shiung Wu stamp, here are six facts about the pioneering scientist: 1. She was an early bloomer. Wu was born in 1912 in a village outside Shanghai. She attended a school run by her parents, who were enthusiastic supporters of education for girls, which was […]
Vera Brueggeman, Vernon, CO
I enjoyed “Out of the blue,” the article about an early 20th-century Postmaster from Laird, CO. I was so thrilled to see a story about my childhood hometown. The Post Office was a very popular place growing up. We could even get a bottle of pop there. […]
Her only hope
Letter Carrier Peter Farrell was delivering mail at a residence in West Seneca, NY, one day last winter when a customer in distress came to the door to ask him for help. Farrell immediately called 911 for the woman, who was visibly injured, and stayed with her until police arrived. According to a local newspaper, […]
‘Our next chapter’
In his latest video message for USPS employees, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy discusses the organization’s efforts to meet its service standards. The Postal Service has experienced challenges for several years — issues that have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic — but the organization is working to turn the page. “The time to start our […]
Climbing the ranks
Here’s a look at some recent changes in the USPS leadership ranks: • Stephen Nickerson, strategic business and financial planning director at Postal Service headquarters in Washington, DC, retired Jan. 31 after more than 30 years with the organization. Michael Milligan, business planning and analysis manager, was named acting strategic business and financial planning director. […]
More than love
To help mark Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14, here are 14 facts about a holiday whose history goes beyond cards, flowers and chocolates. 1. Valentine’s Day is celebrated all around the globe. There are unique celebrations on every continent. In Wales, lovers traditionally exchange wooden spoons to express their sentiments. In the Philippines, the date […]
Crystal’s clear purpose
Rural Carrier Associate Crystal Vaca was recently making deliveries in Castaic, CA, when she spotted a customer lying on the front porch of a residence. Vaca rushed to the woman’s side, found her unresponsive and immediately called 911. Emergency responders soon arrived and treated the customer for an epileptic seizure. The woman recovered from the […]
Marianne Miller, Winnebago, IL
I really appreciated “Out of the blue,” the article about the long-lost Postmaster certificate. Great detective work by Justin, TX, Postmaster Alicia Winn and Steve Kochersperger, senior research analyst in the USPS historian’s office. […]
Year that was
The Postal Regulatory Commission released its annual report to the president and Congress last week. The report outlines the ways in which the commission, also known as the PRC, provided regulatory oversight of the Postal Service during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. The document also outlines the agency’s work to regulate rates and […]
Opportune moments
Debra Salisbury, a USPS retail associate in Grand Rapids, MN, submitted six leads through the Clerks Care program during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. Four of those leads turned into sales totaling more than $43,000 in new estimated annualized revenue for the Postal Service. The largest came in June, after a customer Salisbury […]
Upgrade downtime
The Postal Service will soon take its primary financial system offline to conduct mandatory upgrades. The National Accounting Oracle Financials Application and several other accounting subledgers will be inaccessible from Friday, Feb. 12, at 12:35 am. CST through Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 5:30 p.m. CST. In preparation, the San Mateo, CA, Accounting Service Center will process […]