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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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. […]
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, […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Thank you for “Pride of place,” your great article on the Ben Franklin portrait that now hangs in the Oval Office. I feel connected to him as a postal employee and also as the descendant of Revolutionary War patriots. […]
Letter Carrier Erin Pennington was recently delivering a package to a residence in a Pittsburgh neighborhood when she smelled smoke. Pennington momentarily saw flames shooting out of the house, so she immediately alerted a neighbor, who called 911. The Postal Service employee then rushed to adjacent homes, knocked on doors, alerted occupants and remained on […]
The Postal Service dedicated its Year of the Ox stamp during a Feb. 2 virtual ceremony that showcased Chicago, home to one of the nation’s largest Lunar New Year celebrations. Lunar New Year, an important holiday for many Asian communities, is celebrated by people around the world. The lunar calendar operates on a 12-year cycle, […]
Postal Service employees can participate in a webinar next week on the importance of good digestive health. The session, “Love Your Guts,” will be held Monday, Feb. 8, at noon EST. Coletta Meyer, a health and wellness manager for GEHA, a not-for-profit provider of health plans for federal employees, and Mandy Katz, a nutritionist for […]
Here’s a look at some recent changes in the USPS leadership ranks: • Jewelyn Harrington, continuous improvement manager at Postal Service headquarters in Washington, DC, was named operational excellence senior director. • Abigail “Abby” Martin, human resources integration and support manager at headquarters, was named acting logistics and processing integration and support manager. • Jack […]
The stamp honoring playwright August Wilson — the 44th entry in the Black Heritage series — was released last week. Here are seven facts about the acclaimed playwright and his work: 1. Wilson changed his surname to honor his mother. Wilson was born Frederick August Kittel Jr. in 1945, one of seven children to Daisy […]
I enjoyed “The List” of memorable Love stamps. The 1986 puppy love stamp is a favorite of mine. I still have a replica pin of the stamp. […]
Letter Carrier David Wallasky knew a customer on his route was diligent about picking up his mail, so last spring when he saw the man had three days’ worth of mail sitting untouched, he knew something was off. Wallasky alerted Iowa Park, TX, Postmaster Bruce Donald, who contacted the town’s police department. Officers were dispatched […]
A painting of Benjamin Franklin — the nation’s first Postmaster General — has a place of prominence in President Joe Biden’s White House. The 1785 portrait by Joseph Siffred Duplessis hangs in the Oval Office, just to the left of the Resolute Desk. The Franklin painting, along with a nearby moon rock, are intended to […]