Cindy Venable, Washington, DC
“Cracking the code,” the story about the St. Louis Network Distribution Center’s effort to better utilize cardboard containers, was really good. […]
Mike Milligan
Posts by Mike Milligan
Anthony Wheeler II, Buffalo, NY
Buffalo, NY, Letter Carrier Anthony Wheeler recently grew worried about a customer whose mail was piling up. Wheeler alerted his manager, who contacted police. Responding officers checked on the woman and found her unconscious, in dire need of medical attention. The customer was hospitalized and died several days later. […]
World of options
The Postal Service has released a video that offers consumers tips on sending packages around the world. “How to Ship Internationally” is the latest video in the “How to: Shipping Tips” series. “Whether you’re shipping to Austria or Zimbabwe … the United States Postal Service provides a range of cost-effective service options for you to choose […]
Need to know
Party of five. Ashlee Hansen is the latest USPS employee to earn a complimentary registration to this year’s National Postal Forum. Hansen, a field account representative for Western Area’s Central Plains District, received the registration after recruiting five customers to attend the forum, which will be held in San Antonio from May 6-9. Hansen’s efforts […]
Richard Milleville Jr., Tonawanda, NY
Letter Carrier Richard Milleville Jr. was recently delivering mail in Tonawanda, NY, when he encountered a customer in crisis. The man had fallen in his driveway and suffered a broken arm. Milleville rushed to the customer’s aid and called 911. The Postal Service employee stayed with the man until emergency responders arrived. […]
Sherri Walls, Great Lakes, IL
The retail associates at the Naval Station Great Lakes, IL, Post Office are delighted with the pleasant chiming sound produced by the Postal Service’s new credit card chip readers. It’s much better than the obnoxious “honking” sounds made by readers at most other stores. […]
Faster information
USPS has dramatically improved its response to official information requests, part of the organization’s effort to better comply with a law that promotes good government practices. Since 2014, the Postal Service’s average response time for these requests has dropped 40 percent, while the backlog of information requests has been slashed by 75 percent. The improvements […]
Good catch
Jonathan Truong knew something was amiss. It was a recent weeknight at the City of Industry, CA, Processing and Distribution Center, where Truong works as an in-plant support specialist. He spotted an outbound shipment of parcels on the loading dock and decided to take a look at the postage. Based on the size of the […]
Collective praise
A new video features a Postal Service employee whose work is praised by customers and co-workers alike. “Tracy’s Story” showcases Tracy Crumrine, a Wendell, ID, retail associate whose work ethic has garnered the respect and admiration of those around her. “She’s very cheerful and eager to help you, and she does a good job at […]
File safely
Tax crimes often rise this time of year, when cybercriminals try to steal taxpayers’ information and refunds. To protect yourself, the CyberSafe at USPS team offers these tips: • Think before you click. Beware of emails that claim to be from the IRS and contain links or attachments. Cybercriminals may try to install malware on […]
James Beardslee, Cass City, MI
Cass City, MI, Rural Carrier James Beardslee was recently stopped at an older customer’s mailbox on a hot day when he heard someone yell out three distinct words: “James, help me!” Beardslee soon spotted the homeowner on the ground and rushed to his side, where he found the man in distress after taking a spill […]
Mary Betts, Washington, DC
Kudos to Fords, NJ, Letter Carrier Paula Drake, whose quick thinking saved an unconscious customer’s life. […]
Love, Dad
Like many college students, Bryn Cavin looks forward to receiving mail from home. There’s something special about her deliveries, though: She gets a postcard from her dad just about every day. “Getting a postcard from him is always one of my favorite parts of the day,” said Bryn, a sophomore at Whitworth University in Spokane, […]
Take the lead
Mail handlers don’t work directly with customers, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help the Postal Service grow. Through the Mail Handlers Lead Program, USPS encourages mail handlers to submit leads for businesses where there is a potential opportunity to gain new revenue. The Postal Service wants districts to hold lunch and learn events in […]
Beauty standards
A new video shows what the Postal Service means to one small-business owner. “Nikki’s Story” highlights Nikki Scott, a hair salon operator who relies on USPS to deliver and ship the beauty supplies she needs to run her business. “It’s very important for us to get those deliveries,” Scott says. “My customers are relying on […]
Just say yes
Vang Thao always finds a way to say yes. “Never tell a customer ‘no,’” says Thao, a Brooklyn Center, MN, city carrier assistant. “I’ve had people chase me down on my route to hand me packages, and I always take them — even if my bag is full.” Postal Service leaders say employees like Thao […]
Kimberly Freeborough, Richmond, VA
I enjoyed “Center stage,” the story about the play based on Letter Carrier Victor Green and his travel guide for African-American motorists. The story highlights the enduring connection between postal employees and the communities they serve. […]
Kathy Potter, Middleburgh, NY
Rural Carrier Kathy Potter was recently stopped at a mailbox in Middleburgh, NY, when a distraught child approached her for help. The boy was in tears after getting off his school bus on a half day and finding that his grandmother wasn’t at home — leaving him locked out and alone. Potter comforted the child […]
Go west
Jay Robertson just made the delivery of a lifetime. Robertson, a Phoenix-based physical security specialist for the Postal Service, took a break from his regular duties last month to join the Hashknife Pony Express ride across Arizona. “It was a great experience,” he said. The annual tradition honors the Pony Express, the storied service that […]
New milestone
Informed Delivery now has 8.3 million subscribers. The free feature, which the Postal Service rolled out nationally last year, allows users to digitally preview their incoming mail and manage their packages from computers, tablets and mobile devices. USPS is encouraging employees to help continue the growth. “Every Postal Service employee can help grow Informed Delivery,” […]
Shine bright
A new Postal Service video features highlights from the recent dedication of the Bioluminescent Life stamps. The stamps were dedicated Feb. 22 in Fort Pierce, FL. “It is our hope that these stamps will serve as an important reminder that we still have much to learn from our oceans, aquatic ecosystems and other habitats,” says Chief […]
Let there be light
Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 11. Here are five things to know about the practice of turning back clocks for a few months each year. 1. Benjamin Franklin suggested the concept — as a kind of joke. In 1784, about a decade after Franklin’s tenure as Postmaster General ended, he penned a satirical letter […]
Paula Drake, Fords, NJ
Letter Carrier Paula Drake was worried when she recently noticed mail piling up at a customer’s home in Fords, NJ. Drake looked through a window and spotted the resident unconscious on the floor. She immediately called 911 and remained on the scene until emergency responders arrived and took the customer to a hospital. In recognition […]
Rochelle Mckibben, Pittsburgh
“Turning the page,” the article about millennials using catalogs to shop, was very encouraging. I shared the news with my co-workers. […]
Cracking the code
Like Postal Service plants across the nation, the St. Louis Network Distribution Center is handling more packages than ever. That means more cardboard, too. Many parcels arrive at the center in large cardboard boxes. Once the boxes are emptied, the center must spend time and money disposing of the cardboard. These costs used to add […]
Golden streak
Things were a little different when Edward Kane began his postal career in 1967. The retail associate used to begin each workday waiting in an alley outside the Rochester, MI, Post Office for a bus to drop that day’s mail for delivery. “There were four to five people sorting mail in the bus who would […]
Delivering what matters
A new video aims to show Postal Service employees why their work matters. “Liam’s Story” highlights an eight-year-old boy with autism who looks forward to receiving packages of art supplies that his mom, Jeannie Falvey, regularly orders for him. “Everything that we count on [for] his health and well-being … is being shipped to us,” […]
Need to know
‘Neighborhood’ watch. “Mister Rogers: It’s You I Like,” a special that celebrates the pioneering children’s series “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” will air on PBS stations this month. Michael Keaton, who worked as a stagehand on the show during the 1970s, will host the special. Several guests — including Judd Apatow, Whoopi Goldberg, John Lithgow, Yo-Yo Ma, […]
Michael Hotovy, Gaithersburg, MD
Cleveland Letter Carrier Alfonzo Wilson Jr. is one very dapper gentleman. I hope to have his energy and love for life at 80. Congratulations on 60 years with the Postal Service. […]
Christopher Bazinet, Tampa, FL
Letter Carrier Christopher Bazinet was recently delivering mail in Tampa, FL, when he spotted a motorist in trouble. The woman was sitting in her car, which was stalled alongside a road with black smoke coming out of the windows. Bazinet rushed to the vehicle to make sure the woman realized it was on fire. He […]