“The list” is here to get you in the Halloween spirit with five frightful facts. 1. USPS issued its first Halloween-themed stamps in 2016. The Jack-o’-Lanterns stamps — available on usps.com — feature four images of carved pumpkins, a symbol of Halloween in the United States since the late 19th century. 2. The Colorful Celebrations […]
Fort Valley, GA, Rural Carrier Jane Field was delivering mail recently when she spotted smoke billowing from a customer’s garage. As she attempted to alert the homeowner, she saw that a bucket was in flames near a garage wall. Field got no response from the customer, so she called 911. Firefighters extinguished the blaze before […]
The job shadowing program described in “Shadow effect” is a wonderful opportunity. This kind of initiative gives employees a better understanding of why we do what we do. […]
A group of mail processing clerks recently moved into new roles helping USPS strengthen customer service. The Customer Retention Team (CRT) in Dayton, OH, has added about 40 bargaining unit positions represented by the American Postal Workers Union. The employees are responsible for contacting business customers across the nation and helping to address their issues […]
The Postal Service is inviting employees to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing pink Friday, Oct. 20. Wear Pink Day aims to raise awareness of the disease and honor survivors and those who have died. Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in American women, according to the National Cancer Institute. […]
USPS is accepting requests from employees who want to volunteer to work in Puerto Rico to help restore service following hurricanes Irma and Maria. If you wish to participate, you must submit a letter of intent no later than Friday, Oct. 20. Career and non-career employees are needed. Those selected will work in their assigned crafts. […]
The Celebrating African American History and Culture stamp isn’t the first to honor a Smithsonian Institution museum. Here’s a look at five others. 1. Smithsonian Institution. This 3-cent stamp was issued in 1946 to mark the 100th anniversary of the world’s largest museum and research complex. The stamp pictured the sandstone façade of the Smithsonian […]
I enjoyed “Gift of hope,” the story about how Shirley Hines’ prized cups lost to Hurricane Harvey were replaced by a stranger. I’m so glad USPS could be part of that experience. […]
A hotel pool party held during a youth baseball tournament recently took a life-threatening turn, and a Postal Service employee was part of the team that ultimately ensured a safe outcome. Aaron Alessio, a distribution operations supervisor at the Pennwood Place, PA, Processing and Distribution Center, was at the party as a chaperone when an […]
All incoming mail is now available to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where USPS is continuing to expand service in the devastating aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Customers are receiving mail by picking it up at Post Offices or through limited delivery. USPS is also working with the Postal Inspection Service to […]
The Postal Service is offering suggested mail-by dates for customers planning to send holiday letters and packages to diplomatic and military service members overseas. The dates are listed in an Oct. 10 news release, along with details on ordering free military care kits and guidelines for addressing packages to Army/Air Post Offices, Fleet Post Offices […]
Floreana, an island in the Galápagos, is known as the place where Charles Darwin researched natural selection. But that’s not its only claim to fame. The remote site off Ecuador’s coast — one of the world’s most ecologically diverse and uninhabitable places — also operates a unique, stampless system of sending mail. In 1793, traveling […]
You know the Postal Service released its Christmas Carols stamps last week, but how much do you know about the songs themselves? “The list” is here to fill in the blanks. 1. “Silent Night” is not performed in Austria until Dec. 24. Traditionally, the first performance is during a special service at St. Nicholas Church, […]
I commend Link on its coverage of the recent hurricanes. The stories and photos in “Keys to recovery” were exceptional. […]
Two Postal Service customers who were recently vacationing away from their Great Falls, MT, home were spared extensive property damage from a flooded yard, thanks to a keen-eyed letter carrier. Kenneth Craig was delivering mail when he noticed an unusual amount of standing water outside the residence. He alerted neighbors, who determined a broken lawn […]
Mary Sinkfield Leach has spent most of her adult life helping children. The Columbus, OH, Processing and Distribution Center plant manager estimates she has fostered 612 children during a period that has exceeded 30 years. Leach is fulfilling a promise she made to herself as a child when she entered the foster care system following […]
The Postal Service will release four stamps Oct. 4 to celebrate the beloved 1962 children’s book “The Snowy Day,” the first prominent picture book with an African-American lead character. The story follows Peter, a young boy who lives in the city, as he explores his neighborhood after a snowfall. Each stamp features a different illustration […]
Informed Delivery is receiving accolades as a time-saver for customers and a new marketing channel for businesses. In a survey, 91 percent of users report they are either very satisfied or satisfied with Informed Delivery, an optional, free feature that provides residential consumers with digital previews of their incoming mail and the ability to interact […]
In recent weeks, Link has covered the Postal Service’s response to hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Here’s another look at how USPS is aiding the recovery efforts. 1. Restoring service. The Postal Service is continuing to get operations back to normal in the affected areas, including Houston, the Florida Keys and the Caribbean. 2. Resuming […]
When Letter Carrier Jason Moss recently spotted a fire while delivering mail on his longtime route in Tampa, FL, he knew instantly that there was much more than a customer’s home in jeopardy: The disabled, bedbound resident’s life was in immediate danger. Moss sprang into action to save the 68-year-old man, removing screens from a […]
I hope Denny Graham, the Henderson, MN, rural carrier who recently concluded his USPS career, enjoys his retirement. […]
“Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as a reminder that the purchase of Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamps help raise research funds.” […]
Read More… from Acting Pacific Area Vice President Larry Muñoz
The Postal Service’s efforts to reduce dog attacks don’t end when the organization’s annual prevention campaign concludes each spring. Areas, districts and individual Post Offices promote dog bite awareness all year long. For example, Eastern Area has pursued an aggressive campaign that has helped reduce the number of attacks against employees by more than 8 […]
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, “The list” looks at five Hispanic and Latino Americans who have been recognized with stamps. 1. David G. Farragut. In 1903, the Navy admiral and Civil War hero became the first Hispanic-American to be featured on a postage stamp. He also graced a 3-cent Navy stamp in 1937 and a […]
Data breaches have unfortunately become all too common in today’s increasingly digital world. To protect your financial information, security experts offer these tips: Get a copy of your credit report immediately and review recent activity. You can request a free report through AnnualCreditReport.com, if you haven’t already done so. Consider signing up for free credit […]
One of a kind. James Bircher has a unique distinction among USPS employees in Fort Worth, TX: He’s worked the longest. Bircher, a Business Mail Entry Unit clerk, was recently recognized for his 55 years of service, the most of any employee in the city. He joined the Postal Service in 1962 as a clerk […]
Rural Carrier Jason Francis was delivering mail recently in Scott Depot, WV, when he encountered a distressed woman in the middle of the road. She flagged him down and asked him to help a man in her car who was unresponsive following an overdose. While the woman called 911, Francis parked his vehicle and assessed […]
“Little lessons” was the best story ever. […]
“I don’t rush through stops and turns because it is asking for trouble.” […]
Read More… from North Tonawanda, NY, Letter Carrier Robert Grogan
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma aren’t the only disasters that have put postal employees on the front lines of relief efforts. “The list” looks at five other disasters that affected U.S. Mail. 1. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. The Mission Street Post Office was one of the city’s few postal facilities to survive the […]