Mary Betts, Washington, DC
I wonder how many people heard and ignored the cries of the teenager who reportedly escaped months-long captivity before Sacramento, CA, Letter Carrier Ivan Crisostomo helped her? What a phenomenal act of courage. […]
Mike Milligan
Posts by Mike Milligan
Stacy Chamberlain, Gays Mills, WI
Rural Carrier Stacy Chamberlain was recently making deliveries in Gays Mills, WI, when he noticed that an older customer’s mail was piling up. Chamberlain alerted the local Postmaster, who asked the sheriff’s department to check on the man. Officers determined that the customer needed medical attention, and he was hospitalized. His daughter later contacted the […]
Postal property
USPS wants employees to remember the following electioneering activities are prohibited on Postal Service property: • Ballot boxes. These boxes should never be displayed or collected in Post Office retail lobbies or other locations. • Non-USPS fliers, pamphlets and unauthorized literature. This includes partisan materials, such as the depositing, posting or displaying of materials that […]
Amato to retire
Michael Amato, the Postal Service’s engineering systems vice president, will retire Sept. 30 after more than 33 years with the organization. Amato helped USPS operate more efficiently and better serve customers by developing several innovative technologies, including optical character recognition equipment, automation enhancements and Mobile Delivery Devices. He joined USPS as a maintenance mechanic in […]
On brand
I’m a letter carrier in Chicago, based at Robert LeFlore Station. I spend most of my day delivering mail and interacting with customers on my route. I started my USPS career as a clerk in 2012 and became a letter carrier about six months later. I love working outdoors, working with the public and just meeting […]
Top notch
USPS honored 10 businesses last week for providing the organization with excellent products and services. The companies received Supplier Performance Awards in four categories: performance, excellence, innovation and sustainability. LiteBlue has a list of the honorees. “This is an important event for the Postal Service because it gives us the opportunity to acknowledge — and […]
In remembrance
President Trump has ordered flags flown at half-staff to honor U.S. Sen. John McCain, who died last week. Flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset Sunday, Sept. 2, the day of interment. To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak for an instant and then lower it to the half-staff […]
Susan Casagrande, Clinton, CT
Letter Carrier Susan Casagrande was delivering mail in Clinton, CT, in May when an emergency flared up. A customer had been burning leaves on his lawn, and the fire had spread to his house. While the man called 911, his wife struggled to connect a hose underneath the porch, so Casagrande rushed to assist her […]
Denise Rosin, Pontiac, MI
“Faraway friends,” the article about the woman in Croatia who recently reconnected with her childhood pen pal in Chicago, reminded me why I’m still proud to wear my postal uniform. Letter writing resonates. […]
Peak prep
Teams from the Postal Service’s Pacific, Western and Great Lakes areas came together recently to strategize for this year’s holiday season. The two-day meeting, held in San Diego, focused on preparing for further growth in package deliveries, which have increased as more consumers go online to do their holiday shopping. “By working together, we are […]
Holiday lights
The Postal Service is inviting employees to audition for this year’s holiday season TV advertising campaign. The audition is open to all employees. No prior acting experience is required. To audition, follow these steps: • Complete the online form. The form is available on the USPS Holiday 2018 Employee Casting site. You’ll be asked to provide […]
Every customer counts
Frank Scolaro believes every customer is important. Scolaro, a retail associate at Greenwood Village Station in Englewood, CO, strives to deliver excellent service during each transaction. “I love working with the public,” he says. Scolaro follows the guidance that USPS provides retail associates, including: • Deliver first-class first impressions. Welcome customers, make eye contact and […]
Janet Watkins, Greensboro, NC
Thanks for sharing the “Heroes’ corner” story about Ivan Crisostomo, the Sacramento, CA, letter carrier who helped a teenager escape what she describes as months-long captivity and abuse. His efforts made me feel proud to be part of the postal family. […]
Kimberly Barber, Ashland, OH
Retail Associate Kimberly Barber was on duty recently at the Ashland, OH, Post Office when an older customer requested a money order worth more than $3,000. As they talked, Barber grew concerned that the woman was being scammed, so she alerted a supervisor. The customer was advised against sending the money order, and she was […]
Need to know
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.86 percent during the week ending Aug. 17, up from one week earlier. Dakotas (99.22 percent) topped the districts, while Eastern (98.04 percent) led the areas. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail, and it helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
Ongoing trends
The Postal Service’s financial performance is continuing to be affected by long-term trends, Chief Financial Officer Joe Corbett reports in his latest “Dollars and Change” video. The results for fiscal 2018’s third quarter (April 1-June 30), released this month, show USPS posted $17.1 billion in total revenue and $18.6 billion in total expenses, leaving the […]
What’s the word?
More than 93,000 employees used the Postal Pulse survey’s new comment box this year to provide feedback in their own words to USPS. Comments are now being reviewed, including ensuring the information adheres to Privacy Act requirements and that no personal identifying information is included. Once this review and analysis is complete, Employee Engagement will […]
Credentials confidential
The Postal Service wants employees and contractors to remember that USPS email addresses and passwords should be used only for business purposes. A USPS email address and password used on an external site can be compromised if the site is hacked. This is why the Postal Service prohibits employees and contractors from using their USPS […]
Janet Blair, Kearny, NJ
Ivan Crisostomo, the Sacramento, CA, letter carrier who rescued a teenager from alleged predators, truly is a hero for keeping the community safe. […]
Marcus Steele, Charlotte, NC
Letter Carrier Marcus Steele recently responded to two emergencies he encountered while delivering mail in Charlotte, NC. In the first incident, Steele spotted a house on fire. He called 911 and attempted to alert anyone who might have been inside. A month later, Steele came across an unconscious pedestrian. The Postal Service employee checked for […]
‘Hand’ of justice
A new book highlights a Postal Inspection Service investigation that changed law enforcement’s understanding of organized crime operations. “Inspector Oldfield and the Black Hand Society: America’s Original Gangsters and the U.S. Postal Detective Who Brought Them to Justice” tells how Frank Oldfield busted a turn-of-the-century underground criminal network that used the mail to extort money […]
Huddle up
Patricia Whalen believes employees have good ideas. Whalen, the Media, PA, Postmaster, oversees more than 80 employees. When she was appointed to her job last year, she began seeking their input. “When I first arrived, I quickly realized that the employee’s voices hadn’t been heard in a long time,” Whalen says. “I asked the employees […]
Now you see me
The Art of Magic stamp dedication ceremony is highlighted in a new video from the Postal Service. The video features comments from Chief Human Resources Officer Jeff Williamson, who says the stamp is meant to remind everyone that wonder and amazement are all around us. “In the fertile minds of magicians, the basic principles of […]
Need help?
The Postal Service is reminding employees about the online resources available to help them accept, process and deliver ballots and political mailpieces during this year’s elections. The Election and Political Mail 2018 Blue page has an interactive map that allows employees to find the names and contact information for each state’s election and political mail coordinators. Lists of the election […]
Anthony Robertson, Marinette, WI
City Carrier Assistant Anthony Robertson was recently delivering mail in Marinette, WI, when he witnessed a single-car accident. While a passerby called 911, Robertson rushed to the overturned vehicle to check on the driver. The Postal Service employee rendered aid by safely climbing atop the wreck, opening the door and turning off the ignition. Robertson […]
Wanda Whitehead, Jeff, KY
“Road to redemption,” the story about Cross River, NY, Postmaster Clarence Carson, was wonderful, uplifting and inspiring. He truly has pulled himself up by his bootstraps to become a hero. […]
Opportunities everywhere
Deanna “Dee” Moore sees everyone as a potential customer for USPS. Moore, an acting business development specialist in San Diego, helps companies, nonprofit groups and others find ways to use postal products and services to grow their organizations. This could include helping a restaurant advertise through Every Door Direct Mail or helping an online retailer […]
Flight into history
A flight that marked a turning point in aviation history was recalled at last week’s United States Air Mail stamp dedication ceremony. The journey from College Park, MD, to New York City occurred Aug. 12, 1918, and marked the transition of airmail service from the Army to the U.S. Post Office Department. “Under the department’s […]
So sorry
A recently rediscovered 1957 mailpiece sparked a Wall Street Journal essay last week about a disappearing art form: the apology letter. Paula Marantz Cohen, a dean and English professor at Drexel University in Philadelphia, wrote the essay, which describes a letter that a friend’s parents received from a businessman apologizing for a billing error. It […]
Be prepared
Reminder: USPS wants employees to be prepared for hurricane season, which runs from June 1-Nov. 30 each year. Most coastal areas are subject to hurricanes. The storms can cause high winds, heavy rain, flooding and other dangerous conditions. Take these steps to prepare: • Complete a personal preparedness plan that includes a household inventory and the […]