Patricia Branch-Brown, Cleveland
“Beloved botanical,” the article about why people from around the world send letters to an oak tree in Germany, proves again that many wonderful, warm stories emanate from mail delivery. […]
Mike Milligan
Posts by Mike Milligan
Scanning snapshot
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.51 percent during the week ending Feb. 18, down 0.2 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Feb. 23. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.06 percent, while Atlantic ranked last with a 96.12 percent rating. […]
First winners
Two USPS employees have received complimentary registrations to this year’s National Postal Forum (NPF). Annette Atkin, a business alliances manager in Santa Ana, CA, and Cheri Valdivia, a customer relations manager in West Sacramento, CA, are the first employees in 2022 to earn the distinction. Both employees registered five eligible customers through the NPF Employee […]
Creative solutions
The Postal Service is looking for employees interested in learning the Lean Six Sigma methodology for improving processes and increasing efficiencies within the organization. Lean Six Sigma (LSS) — which consists of a set of statistical methods for systemically analyzing processes to reduce variations — draws upon on well-established quality control and data analysis techniques […]
COVID-19 test coverage
The Office of Personnel Management has directed Federal Employees Health Benefits Program plans to offer expanded coverage for over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits. This coverage must be provided without adding any cost-sharing requirements or prior authorization. In addition, plans are required to reimburse out-of-network costs up to $12 per test. Plans have the right to limit […]
John Long, Hampton, VA
“Delivering a dream” was a wonderful story about how Letter Carrier Van Singletary and the Laguna Niguel, CA, Post Office crew helped fulfill young cancer survivor Jacob Hayward’s birthday wishes. I’m proud to be a part of a great organization that hires employees like Van. […]
Scanning snapshot
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.58 percent during the week ending Feb. 11, down 0.10 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Feb. 16. Central led the four areas with a rating of 96.9 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.29 percent rating. […]
Curious, George
This year, Presidents Day falls on Monday, Feb. 21. In a peculiar twist, the holiday that began as an unofficial observance of George Washington’s birthday, and that is now celebrated on the third Monday of February, never actually falls on the Founding Father’s birthday — or any other president’s, for that matter. Here’s how the […]
Career change?
Have you ever considered a career in cybersecurity? The Postal Service, like other organizations, relies on cybersecurity experts to protect its network and customers from ransomware and other online threats. Cybersecurity experts are in demand. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that information technology and cybersecurity will be among the fastest growing jobs over the […]
Pania Heimuli, Phoenix
“Delivering a dream” was such a great article. I loved reading about little Jacob Hayward, a cancer survivor, and Van Singletary, the incredible Postal Service employee who helped him become an honorary letter carrier. […]
Love connections
For Ismelda Ornelas, peak season begins the last week of January. “I’m as busy or busier than Christmas on Valentine’s Day,” said Ornelas, postmaster of the Valentine, TX, Post Office. For more than 30 years, the small West Texas town has held an annual contest among local students to design a customized Valentine’s Day pictorial […]
Scanning snapshot
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.43 percent during the week ending Feb. 4, down 0.38 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Feb. 9. Central led the four areas with a rating of 96.81 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.13 percent rating. […]
Information flow
Postal Service employees can participate in an upcoming webinar to learn how blood pressure affects overall health. The session, “Controlling Blood Pressure,” will be held Tuesday, Feb. 15, at noon EST. Representatives from GEHA, a not-for-profit provider of health plans for federal employees, will discuss what happens when blood pressure becomes too high or too […]
Together again
The Postal Service will emphasize technology, investments and service during this year’s National Postal Forum. The annual meeting, to be held May 15-18 in Phoenix, brings together USPS leaders, business customers and other industry professionals. The event is returning to an in-person format for the first time since 2019. This year’s theme is “Facing the […]
Scanning snapshot
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.61 percent during the week ending Jan. 28, down 0.44 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Feb. 2. Central led the four areas with a rating of 96.82 percent, while Atlantic ranked last with a 96.15 percent rating. […]
Matters of the heart
In recognition of American Heart Month, the USPS Health and Wellness team is encouraging employees to check their blood pressure levels regularly. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal levels. Blood pressure changes throughout the day based on activity, so having hypertension means that your blood pressure is consistently […]
Property rules
The Postal Service is reminding employees they may not use USPS property for any unauthorized purpose. Misusing postal property violates federal ethics rules and can result in discipline, such as fines, garnishment of wages and termination. Examples of misused items include: • Postal-issued cellphones. Don’t use them for outside business or to send or store […]
New vice president
Eric E. Henry has been named Central Area vice president, a role he has filled on an acting basis since July. As vice president, Henry will be responsible for improving the customer experience, using technology and analytics, as well as increasing employee engagement. In a memo last week announcing the appointment, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy […]
Robin Person, Orlando, FL
“Royal mail” was a beautiful story about Jalayne Sutherland, a toddler in Kentucky who received a letter from Windsor Castle after she dressed as Queen Elizabeth II for Halloween. This story put joy in my heart and a smile on my face. […]
Service mission
In his latest video message, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy thanks employees for their work during the recent holiday season. The Postal Service accepted more than 13.2 billion letters, cards, flats and packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, up from 12.7 billion during the same period one year earlier. DeJoy also reports the organization has […]
Scanning snapshot
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.84 percent during the week ending Jan. 21, down 0.37 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Jan. 26. Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.13 percent, while Atlantic ranked last with a 96.36 percent rating. […]
Working together
Postal Service employees can participate in an upcoming webinar to learn about Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. The session, “Medicare and FEHB,” will be held Monday, Jan. 31, at noon EST. Representatives from GEHA, a not-for-profit provider of health plans for federal employees, will conduct the webinar. The session will explore […]
Red and white delight
USPS is offering special ReadyPost shipping supplies at select Post Offices, in time for Valentine’s Day. Customers can purchase “Sweet Valentine” decorative box and bubble mailer designs that can be used for gift wrapping as well as mailing. The decorative mailers fit inside Priority Mail boxes, making them an ideal shipping item with added protection. […]
Scanning snapshot
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.94 percent during the week ending Jan. 14, up 0.08 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Jan. 19. Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.23 percent, while Atlantic ranked last with a 96.59 percent rating. […]
Word games
Passwords are widely used to control access to online accounts, but they aren’t always secure. Using powerful software that runs through millions of word and number combinations, thieves can easily decipher commonly used passwords in seconds. For instance, it only took hackers one second to figure out 123456, a password used by more than 2.5 […]
Magnetic stripes
The Postal Service will release Year of the Tiger, the third in its Lunar New Year series of stamps, on Jan. 20. The Year of the Tiger begins Feb. 1 and ends Jan. 21, 2023. The Lunar New Year is celebrated in many Asian cultures and has become a popular observance in the United States, […]
Snow pro
When the AccuWeather Network wanted to talk to a winter expert recently, producers knew exactly where to turn — a postal worker. Carilla Hayden, a letter carrier at Englewood Station in Chicago, appeared on the TV channel to discuss how to keep ice and snow cleared from mailbox paths, sidewalks and stairs. “It was such […]
In remembrance
President Joe Biden has ordered U.S. flags flown at half-staff to honor Harry Reid, the former U.S. senator from Nevada who died late last month. Flags should be flown at half-staff on Thursday, Jan. 13, the day of interment, until sunset. To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak for an […]
Scanning snapshot
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.52 percent during the week ending Jan. 7, down 0.38 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Jan. 12. Central led the four areas with a rating of 96.84 percent, while Atlantic ranked last with a 96.32 percent rating. Among the […]
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday that commemorates the civil rights leader’s birth, will be observed Monday, Jan. 17. King was born on Jan. 15, 1929, to a family of preachers. He helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech. He also helped pave […]