Shawn Selby

USPS to implement second phase of service standard refinements

7/1/25 at 10:08 am | Updated 7/1/25 at 10:08 am

The Postal Service will implement the next phase in its service standard refinements on July 1, part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to better serve customers nationwide. Service standards indicate the expected number of days for delivery after a mailpiece is accepted by USPS. In March, the Postal Service announced service standard refinements to be […]

Fireworks are fun, but they don’t belong in the mail

6/30/25 at 10:15 am | Updated 6/30/25 at 10:05 am

With July 4 quickly approaching, the Postal Service is reminding customers that while fireworks are a fun way to celebrate Independence Day, they are strictly prohibited in the mail system. Fireworks of all kinds — including sparklers, firecrackers, bottle rockets and Roman candles — are considered hazardous materials and are banned from all air and […]

‘It put a smile on my face’

6/30/25 at 5:03 am | Updated 6/26/25 at 4:43 pm

Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column. […]

Employees have August deadlines for cybersecurity training

6/30/25 at 5:01 am | Updated 6/26/25 at 4:46 pm

Postal Service bargaining employees have until Tuesday, Aug. 19, and nonbargaining employees have until Tuesday, Aug. 26, to complete a cybersecurity training course. The CyberSafe Fundamentals course provides the information and best practices employees need to know to keep USPS electronic data secure. By taking the assigned course, employees will learn how to protect critical […]

Here’s what Link covered June 22-28

6/29/25 at 4:58 am | Updated 6/26/25 at 4:39 pm

Link kicked off last week with a story on the enduring magic of the mailbox for high school seniors awaiting word on college acceptances. “I remember looking forward to the physical letters in the mail and I still have every one of them,” said Jamira Collins, a recent graduate of Northeastern University in Boston. She […]

He saw a shed on fire and took action

6/28/25 at 5:01 am | Updated 6/26/25 at 12:30 pm

Rural Carrier Dylan Mickelson was delivering mail in Frazee, MN, recently when he came upon a tool shed engulfed in flames. The Postal Service employee called 911 and alerted the homeowners, who had no idea that the structure was on fire. The homeowners’ daughter later sent a note to Mickelson thanking him. Employees featured in […]

USPS announces more stamps

6/26/25 at 2:32 pm | Updated 6/26/25 at 2:32 pm

The Postal Service has announced new stamps for its 2025 lineup. Holiday Cheer will be a set of four festive designs that will come in booklets of 20: a holly wreath, a trio of amaryllis flowers, cardinals perched on mistletoe and an evergreen branch adorned with fruit. Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed […]

Use multifactor authentication? You’ll need to set a backup

6/26/25 at 12:18 pm | Updated 6/26/25 at 12:18 pm

The Postal Service is asking employees who use multifactor authentication to add a backup security method. This will allow continued access to USPS systems and applications if the primary method becomes unavailable, such as when a smartphone is lost or not working. Employees who already have a secondary multifactor authentication method do not need to […]

The eagle takes wing

6/26/25 at 5:09 am | Updated 6/26/25 at 8:31 am

The unique hybrid entity known as the U.S. Postal Service — part business, part federal agency — had been in operation for roughly four years by 1975 and, like its new eagle emblem, was looking forward and poised for flight. The 1970s saw advances in automated mail processing, and USPS worked with business mailers to […]

She’s helping others by healing out loud

6/26/25 at 5:06 am | Updated 6/25/25 at 10:43 am

My name is Tonia Lott and I’m a USPS strategic integration and communications advisor in Washington, DC. When I’m not at my job, I’m an advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. My advocacy work not only centers around prevention but breaking the stigma associated with depression, mental health and suicide. I authored a self-published […]

He’s a pro at giving back

6/26/25 at 5:01 am | Updated 6/25/25 at 10:20 am

Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column. […]

Postal Posts looks at dog bite awareness campaign

6/25/25 at 10:15 am | Updated 6/25/25 at 9:58 am

The latest entry on Postal Posts, the USPS blog, encourages customers to keep their dogs on leashes or otherwise secured so that letter carriers can safely deliver the mail. Leeann Theriault, the Postal Service’s employee safety and health awareness manager, wrote the post, which was published June 20. […]

WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island District on top in scanning

6/25/25 at 9:53 am | Updated 6/25/25 at 9:53 am

A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.25 percent during the week ending June 20, down 0.09 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected June 25. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.44 percent, while Central ranked last with a 96.97 percent rating. Among the […]

ACE Toolbar and tickertape to end by July 31

6/23/25 at 5:07 am | Updated 6/23/25 at 2:56 pm

The ACE Toolbar, along with its associated tickertape, will be removed permanently from all ACE computers by Thursday, July 31. Most of the shortcuts the toolbar provides quick access to — such as the USPS Blue website, national applications and forms — can be accessed from Blue by selecting “My Work” at the top of […]

For news of their future, students look to the mail

6/23/25 at 5:02 am | Updated 6/18/25 at 2:14 pm

In an increasingly digital world, high school seniors still get a thrill checking their mailboxes for acceptance letters and other correspondence from colleges and universities. Although social media is filled with viral videos of prospective collegians checking online portals to see if they were accepted to their dream schools, other students value receiving official word […]

Here’s what Link covered June 15-21

6/22/25 at 5:01 am | Updated 6/18/25 at 2:12 pm

Link had lots of business news to share last week, including the ratification of a new union contract. Members of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, which covers more than 130,000 employees, approved a deal with the Postal Service that includes annual wage increases, semiannual cost-of-living adjustments and carrier retention measures. The agreement runs through […]

He put out a fire in a recycling bin

6/21/25 at 4:59 am | Updated 6/18/25 at 2:09 pm

Letter Carrier Pjerin Kita was delivering mail in Shrewsbury, MA, recently when he saw a burning recycling bin next to a home. The flames were brushing against the house and melting the vinyl siding, producing a lot of smoke. The Postal Service employee threw the bin into the backyard, then used a bucket of rainwater […]

‘Self-Care for Parents’

6/18/25 at 11:30 am | Updated 6/18/25 at 11:40 am

Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar to learn tips to reduce stress and make time for themselves without feeling guilty. The session, “Self-Care for Parents,” will be held Tuesday, June 24, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from Kaiser Permanente, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the […]

Read More… from ‘Self-Care for Parents’

‘Recharge for Good’

6/18/25 at 11:25 am | Updated 6/18/25 at 11:13 am

Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar that will explore common causes of fatigue and ways to recharge. The session, “Recharge for Good: How to Overcome Fatigue,” will be held Wednesday, June 25, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will […]

Read More… from ‘Recharge for Good’

WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island District lead in scanning

6/18/25 at 9:40 am

A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.08 percent during the week ending June 13, down 0.28 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected June 18. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.32 percent, while Central ranked last with a 96.89 percent rating. Among the […]

National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association approves contract with USPS

6/16/25 at 11:00 am | Updated 6/16/25 at 9:39 am

The National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association membership has ratified a new three-year labor contract with the Postal Service. The agreement will run through May 20, 2027. Highlights of the agreement include annual general wage increases, semi-annual cost-of-living adjustments, measures designed to assist with rural carrier associate retention, and maintenance of the operational flexibility achieved by […]

USPS appoints historical preservation architect

6/16/25 at 5:02 am | Updated 6/13/25 at 10:40 am

The Postal Service has named Noel Roman historical preservation architect. In this role, he will help guide the conservation of historic sites and artifacts; support construction and repair projects affecting historical properties; and ensure compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, among other duties. Before joining USPS, Roman was a project architect in Washington, DC, […]

Here’s what Link covered June 8-14

6/15/25 at 5:01 am | Updated 6/13/25 at 10:35 am

It was an all-American line-up in Link last week. We told you about the new Barbara Bush stamp, which was dedicated in a ceremony in Kennebunkport, ME, near the Bush family vacation home, and the new U.S. Flag stamp, which had a lively dedication at a festival in Three Oaks, MI. “If you ever need […]

He had no time for trash talk

6/14/25 at 5:03 am | Updated 6/13/25 at 10:28 am

Letter Carrier Rafael Pozo was delivering mail in Arlington Heights, IL, recently when he came upon a garbage truck on fire. While calling 911, he saw the driver of the truck attempting to battle the blaze with a small fire extinguisher. Pozo, who is a safety captain at the Arlington Heights Post Office, told the […]

USPS dedicates Barbara Bush stamp

6/12/25 at 8:21 am

The Postal Service dedicated a stamp honoring former first lady Barbara Bush — wife of the 41st president, George H. W. Bush, and mother of the 43rd president, George W. Bush — on June 10. The ceremony was held at Ganny’s Garden on the Green in Kennebunkport, ME, near the Bush family’s vacation home. “At […]

A honey of a story

6/12/25 at 5:03 am | Updated 6/11/25 at 9:39 am

Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column. […]

WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island on top in scanning

6/11/25 at 9:27 am | Updated 6/11/25 at 9:27 am

A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.1 percent during the week ending June 6, down 0.28 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected June 11. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.3 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.75 percent rating. Among the […]

Time to check your facility’s flags

6/11/25 at 9:21 am | Updated 6/11/25 at 9:21 am

The upcoming June 14 Flag Day is a good time for Postal Service facility managers to check the condition of U.S. flags and the poles that they fly from. The USPS Administrative Support Manual has additional guidelines on U.S. flag display and ordering replacement flags. […]

USPS unveils this year’s U.S. Flag stamp

6/11/25 at 8:51 am | Updated 6/11/25 at 7:06 pm

The Postal Service dedicated its latest U.S. Flag stamp during an annual festival in Three Oaks, MI, that celebrates Old Glory. “An enduring emblem of freedom, national unity and patriotic spirit, the flag of the United States has flown proudly stateside, abroad and even on the surface of the moon,” said Donald Dombrow Jr., the […]

Here’s what Link covered June 1-7

6/8/25 at 4:59 am | Updated 6/9/25 at 2:06 pm

The USPS National Dog Bite Awareness Campaign is underway, and Link kicked off the month with two relevant stories. First, we published statistics on where dog attacks are most prevalent, followed by a “Heroes” column on Butler, PA, Postmaster Anthony Kriley and Jamie Stevens, a letter carrier, who came to the aid of a customer […]

Posts by Shawn Selby

USPS to implement second phase of service standard refinements

Fireworks are fun, but they don’t belong in the mail

‘It put a smile on my face’

Employees have August deadlines for cybersecurity training

Here’s what Link covered June 22-28

He saw a shed on fire and took action

USPS announces more stamps

Use multifactor authentication? You’ll need to set a backup

The eagle takes wing

She’s helping others by healing out loud

He’s a pro at giving back

Postal Posts looks at dog bite awareness campaign

WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island District on top in scanning

ACE Toolbar and tickertape to end by July 31

For news of their future, students look to the mail

Here’s what Link covered June 15-21

He put out a fire in a recycling bin

‘Self-Care for Parents’

‘Recharge for Good’

WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island District lead in scanning

National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association approves contract with USPS

USPS appoints historical preservation architect

Here’s what Link covered June 8-14

He had no time for trash talk

USPS dedicates Barbara Bush stamp

A honey of a story

WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island on top in scanning

Time to check your facility’s flags

USPS unveils this year’s U.S. Flag stamp

Here’s what Link covered June 1-7

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