Marilyn Worthy, Jenkinsville, SC
The 2018 stamps featured in “Stamps spotlight” are indeed praiseworthy. […]
Katie Howard
Posts by Katie Howard
Brandon Franklin, West Bloomfield, MI
Letter Carrier Brandon Franklin was quick on his feet — literally — when he recently encountered a traffic emergency while delivering mail in West Bloomfield, MI. Franklin was driving on a busy road when he noticed a car moving erratically. When he attempted to pass the vehicle, he saw that the driver was slumped over […]
Changing lives
Postal Service employees across the nation participated in this year’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the federal workplace charity drive that concludes Jan. 12. Employees volunteered their time to promote the campaign and encourage co-workers to support the 12,000 participating charities. In Greenville, SC, Berea Branch became the first workplace in Greenville County to pledge volunteer hours, a new method […]
Lunar New Year
The Postal Service released its Year of the Dog stamp Jan. 11. The stamp is the 11th entry in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Lunar New Year, the most important holiday of the year for many Asian communities around the world, is celebrated primarily by people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan and Mongolian […]
Need to know
Hazardous materials. USPS is reminding employees about the proper handling of packages that contain exempt human or animal specimens, including samples transported for routine testing of noninfectious diseases, as well as drug, alcohol, cholesterol and pregnancy testing. Mailpieces marked “Exempt Human Specimens” should be handled appropriately for the mail class and product. No special handling […]
Steven Placek, Milwaukee
I’m not an advocate of social media, so I try to write to one relative at least once a month. I have actually gotten my family and some friends back into letter writing. They say it feels better getting a handwritten letter in the mail than a [social media] message. […]
Raymond Luna, Lyles, TN
Rural Carrier Raymond Luna recently smelled smoke as he delivered a package to a customer in Lyles, TN. At her front door, the woman told Luna not to worry because she had been burning brush. But as he started to leave, he saw black smoke pouring from the rear of the house. The Postal Service […]
Face value
You’ve probably seen her around your workplace. Deborah Valentine is one of several USPS employees who appear on posters to promote the current Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), which is underway through Jan. 12. The Washington, DC, retail associate became involved in the campaign’s marketing efforts after serving a customer who works for the National Capital […]
Warm and dry
The Postal Service is reminding employees to dress warmly when working outside this winter. Here are some tips: • Layer up. Each layer provides insulation and acts as a barrier from the cold to help retain body heat. Avoid pure cotton, linen or similar materials because they retain moisture and can cause you to become colder. […]
Back in the box
The Postal Service has made improvements to prepare for the flurry of consumers returning holiday gifts through the mail. Approximately 15-30 percent of items bought online during the holidays will be returned, according to the National Retail Federation. To help these businesses, USPS has expanded its returns processing capabilities, which include more than 16,000 return […]
Need to know
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.57 percent during the week ending Dec. 29, up from one week earlier. Eastern (97.74 percent) topped the districts, while Dakotas (98.81 percent) led the areas. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail. It also helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
Jody O’Keefe, Hartford, CT
I love reading Link’s stories about postal history and looking at the vintage pictures. The stories about railroad routes and “Stagecoach Mary” were great. I also enjoy “The list” when it includes fun facts about Post Offices. […]
Here to help
Postal Service employees were recognized throughout 2017 for moments when co-workers needed a heroic helping hand. Dodge City, KS, Letter Carrier Rex Romesburg was among those who performed the Heimlich maneuver on co-workers who were choking. Others, like Adam Quiles Jr., a mail handler equipment operator in Honolulu, rushed to the aid of co-workers injured […]
Spring service
Spring began with the national rollout of Informed Delivery, a new feature that provides residential consumers with digital previews of their incoming mail. PMG Megan J. Brennan discussed the free feature at the 2017 National Postal Forum in Baltimore. “Informed Delivery brings mail into the daily digital lives of consumers, building anticipation of the physical […]
Above and beyond
Postal Service employees delivered excellent customer service throughout 2017. A trio of employees from different USPS areas — Sherri Andrews (Great Lakes), Sharon Bayly (Capital Metro) and Awjanae Johnson (Pacific) — saved on customer’s honeymoon by reuniting him with his passport just in time for his flight. Another trio — Yvonne Bradbury, who works in […]
Golden guys
Several USPS retirees made news in 2017, along with employees who concluded their postal careers. Harold “Sundance” Thomas, a retired mail handler in Memphis, TN, performed on “America’s Got Talent,” while Charles Wiggins, a 100-year-old World War II veteran and former postal worker, received a tribute from the Pittsburgh Steelers. A retired letter carrier, Jim […]
Link love
Every weekday, the Link team is privileged to tell the stories of Postal Service employees. Here are 12 favorites from 2017 that include both reader submissions and selections from our team. 1. Keys to recovery. Link had boots on the ground in the Florida Keys after Hurricane Irma, and our writer and photographer brought back […]
Marcos Perez III, San Antonio
San Antonio Letter Carrier Marcos Perez III recently became one of just a handful of people in South Texas to reach a remarkable milestone: donating 100 gallons of blood. The achievement, which has received international media attention, has earned him recognition as a PMG Hero. “Mr. Perez is what you’d consider an all-star for the […]
Abbi Tucker, Pickens, OK
The “Write brothers” story about the newly discovered World War II letters would make a good movie. […]
Keeping track
The Postal Service has added package tracking information to the emails that Informed Delivery users receive. The tracking information appears below the letter-size mailpiece images in the “daily digest” emails. This information is also available on the Informed Delivery online dashboard and app. In addition to tracking packages through Informed Delivery, users can leave delivery […]
Need to know
Santa’s big helper. A Truckee, CA, customer recently spent $15,000 granting kids’ holiday wishes through Operation Santa. “I couldn’t think of a better thing to do than to answer a letter to Santa Claus,” said Ryan Wood, who “adopted” 35 letters, fulfilling the wishes of 150 children in need. Wood assembled a group of volunteers […]
Home stretch
It’s almost over. The Postal Service’s busiest period of the holiday season will conclude this weekend. USPS is on track to process and deliver nearly 200 million packages from Dec. 18-24, along with almost 3 billion greeting cards and other First-Class Mail pieces. This week’s totals include an estimated 6 million packages that will be […]
James Wiley, Yucaipa, CA
The “Write brothers” story is a prime example of why letter writing is so important. If the brothers had exchanged e-mails or text messages instead of handwritten letters, their stories would have been lost forever. […]
Patricia Matney, Rock, WV
When Rock, WV, Rural Carrier Patricia Matney recently rushed to the aid of a riding lawn mower accident victim, she was helping not only a customer, but a Postal Service colleague. Matney was delivering mail at the man’s residence when she saw that he was trapped beneath an overturned mower with smoke pouring from it. […]
The greet goes on
Thomas Jasak and his wife recently continued one of their favorite holiday traditions: mailing Christmas cards — 125 in all — to their friends and relatives. “It’s important to us because it’s nice to keep in touch with people to let them know we’re thinking of them,” said Jasak, a Vaucluse, SC, retail associate. Although […]
Peak productivity
The Postal Service’s network distribution centers are playing a key role in moving packages this holiday season. The 21 centers, located across the nation, help process a variety of mailpieces — including bulk shipments that arrive from major retailers fulfilling customers’ holiday orders. “What fuels the engines of these systems is scanning,” said Joseph Kielbasa, […]
Need to know
Holidays with Hizzoner. Letter Carrier Ryan Grimley was doing collections in New York City last week when he spotted Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, walking along Sixth Avenue. To get the mayor’s attention, Grimley called out his first name: “Bill!” “That’s Mayor Bill!” de Blasio replied with a chuckle. Grimley asked […]
Stephanie Schuelke, Jackson, WI
Keep those news quizzes coming. They are interactive and engaging. […]
Daniel Grubic, Glenshaw, PA
Letter Carrier Daniel Grubic was recently delivering mail in a Glenshaw, PA, neighborhood when he smelled smoke. The concerned employee soon spotted the source: It was billowing from a home’s dryer vent. Grubic rushed to the front door and knocked while calling 911. A customer came to the door with his dog — both disoriented […]
Returning the favor
Bernice Redden has witnessed firsthand the power of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The Clearwater, FL, customer services supervisor credits several CFC charities with helping her son, Adrian, learn to walk after he was born with cerebral palsy in 1984. “His limbs were so tight he couldn’t use them that well,” she said. Adrian had […]