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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
“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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Congratulations to Marion, CT, Postmaster Kevin Johnston for completing races in all 169 towns in his state, as highlighted in the article “On the run.” […]
State Center, IA, Rural Carrier Emily Walker was recently making deliveries when she grew worried that a customer’s mail was piling up. Walker alerted the woman’s neighbor, who contacted the sheriff’s department. Officers checked on the customer and discovered that she needed medical attention after falling two days earlier. The woman is recovering from the […]
Clarence Carson remembers the night his life changed forever. It was 1998, and Carson, now the Cross River, NY, Postmaster, had been living on the streets for 10 years. He went to the homeless camp where he usually slept and saw that someone had set it on fire. “Living on the streets is very hard,” […]
Joe Lavoie takes heat safety seriously. The longtime letter carrier delivers mail and packages in Bakersfield, CA, where summertime temperatures are often in the 100s. “It does get hot here,” Lavoie says. To protect himself, he follows the guidelines that USPS provides employees who work in hot weather. Here are the tips: • Hydrate before, […]
The Art of Magic, a pane and souvenir sheet that celebrate magicians and the seemingly impossible illusions they create, will be released Tuesday, Aug. 7. The stamps honor an art form that has entertained people for centuries. Illusions include mental phenomena, defiance of natural laws, and transformation, among other types. The 20-stamp pane features five […]
After reading “Wish you were here,” the article about how people used postcards to send quick messages to loved ones, I thought about my mom and dad, who recently moved to a retirement community. I send them postcards about twice a week to help keep in touch. It’s fun to find antique, funny or interesting cards […]
Letter Carrier Tommy Daniels was recently delivering mail in Mesquite, TX, when he encountered an older customer who’d fallen while watering plants in her front yard. The woman — who was muddy, shaken and concerned about putting weight on her knee replacements — wanted her husband’s help, but she’d been unable to get his attention […]
The Postal Service has introduced a system to improve the way you receive training, enter performance goals, apply for job openings and perform other career development activities. HERO, formerly known as the Integrated Human Resources System, will be a single platform that replaces several “legacy” platforms, including the Learning Management System, eCareer, eIDP, the Performance […]
The Postal Service has announced release dates for this year’s holiday stamps, along with the cities where the dedication ceremonies will be held: Madonna and Child by Bachiacca, Wednesday, Oct. 3, Santa Fe, NM Kwanzaa, Wednesday, Oct. 10, Raleigh, NC Sparkling Holidays, Thursday, Oct. 11, Pigeon Forge, TN Hanukkah, Tuesday, Oct. 16, Newport, RI The […]
Gary McClellan takes recycling seriously. McClellan, a custodian at the Baltimore Processing and Distribution Center, recognizes recycling as a way to both protect the environment and reduce costs. He helps his facility recycle a range of materials, including cardboard and plastics, as well as paper products like undeliverable marketing mail, a special area of focus. […]
Do you remember the Hatch Act’s rules on social media? If not, here’s another look at what you should know. • First things first: The Hatch Act exists to protect you. The law, which dates to 1939, aims to keep politics out of federal workplaces. Specifically, the Hatch Act establishes rules to prevent federal employees from […]
Letter Carrier Dottie Wickham was delivering mail on a snowy day in Zanesville, OH, this year when she spotted a 2-year-old boy in distress outside a residence. The toddler — who was wearing only a T-shirt, shorts and shoes — cried out to Wickham as she reached the front porch. She immediately took off her […]
I enjoyed “Safe!”, the article that detailed the Postal Inspection Service’s important role in protecting mail and packages at the recent All-Star Game in Washington, DC. […]
The Postal Service is working with universities to teach the nation’s future business leaders how to effectively use direct mail in marketing campaigns. USPS is rolling out the initiative at Bentley University in Waltham, MA, and Clemson University in Clemson, SC, where students are gaining hands-on experience with Irresistible Mail, a program that encourages businesses […]
Vadessa Hernandez understands the value of teamwork. The Brooklyn, NY, retail associate is on a detail assignment as an acting retail specialist for Northeast Area’s Triboro District. In this role, she helps oversee retail activities at more than 140 Post Offices. “I’m only as successful as my team. We build each other up. We balance […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees about the Environmental Tool Kit (ETK), an online application to help them manage environmental data and comply with environmental regulations. Through ETK, employees can manage information about their facility’s regulated activities and systems, including permits, registrations and implementation plans. This can help employees ensure records are accessible and up […]
Humblebragging about vacations and fancy meals is common on social media, but a recent retrospective on postcards is a reminder that the phenomenon isn’t new. Before Facebook and Instagram, postcards were how family and friends on holiday sent quick messages to each other. “People often like to brag a little. People went vacationing and sent […]
Gerry Papariella, the master facilitator featured in “Lesson plans,” was my instructor when I became a lead retail associate last year. She’s a positive and extremely informative instructor. […]
Retail Associate Deborah Alton was recently on duty at the Walkersville, WV, Post Office when she noticed that a customer in the parking lot was in medical distress. Alton rushed to aid the woman, who was unconscious in a vehicle with the door open, and called 911. The customer came to and said she suspected […]