Last week, Link covered recent remarks by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. During a USPS Board of Governors meeting, he addressed a variety of topics, including package volume growth and network modernization. These topics were also part of DeJoy’s speech at a conference organized by the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors in Washington, DC. As he explained, […]
After completing her deliveries recently, City Carrier Assistant Holly Bobadilla returned to the Red Bluff, CA, Post Office and saw smoke billowing from a neighboring building. She informed Letter Carrier Devin Medeiros, who called 911. Custodian Joseph Belknap also spotted the spreading blaze and grabbed a fire extinguisher to have on hand as he and […]
My name is Megan Beecher-Kennison and I’m the postmaster for Ozona, a small town in the Texas Hill Country. Since 2022, I’ve also been a volunteer firefighter for the community of Carlsbad, TX. A lot of volunteer fire work is trial by fire — no pun intended. There is training on weekends, but mostly you […]
The Postal Service wants employees to follow the proper procedures for the handling, storage and disposal of used batteries. Many used batteries contain hazardous components and cannot be tossed in the trash. These batteries are typically regulated as universal waste and include dead batteries from mobile scanners, phones, laptops and other electronic equipment. USPS facilities […]
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The USPS Benefits and Wellness team wants employees to know about atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart arrhythmia. It is caused by an irregular heartbeat in the upper chambers of the heart, also known as the atria. This does not allow blood to flow adequately to the lower chambers, or the ventricles. When […]
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The Postal Service is reminding employees of its procedure to recycle inkjet and toner cartridges. These items should be packed securely in a sturdy box, with a minimum of six items per shipment. The boxes should weigh less than 70 pounds and not exceed 108 inches in length plus girth. The boxes should be addressed […]
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The Postal Service is making significant progress under the Delivering for America plan, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told business leaders recently. Before the organization began implementing the plan in 2021, USPS had lost focus, the result of a broken business model and an ineffective management strategy, he said. Under Delivering for America, the organization is […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.59 percent during the week ending Feb. 16, down 0.10 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Feb. 21. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.02 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 95.91 percent rating. Among the […]
Read More… from WestPac Area, New York 2 District on top in scanning
The Postal Service released its newest stamp for business mailers, Radiant Star, on Feb. 19. The vibrant graphic design features red and white stripes that appear to radiate from a two-tone blue star. Carol Beehler designed the stamp, while Antonio Alcalá served as art director. The words “USA” and “Presorted Standard” appear along the bottom […]
My name is Arlene Harper and I’m the postmaster in Simpsonsville, MD, a Baltimore suburb. One of my favorite aspects of the job is interacting with customers. I’m a working postmaster; I work the window, and some customers become like family after a while. You build a rapport. Every day is different. As I tell […]
The latest Delivering for America postcard was recently mailed to employees’ homes. The card highlights Project Safe Delivery, which enhances the ability of USPS and the Postal Inspection Service to protect postal employees and secure the nation’s mail and packages. In addition to being sent to employees’ homes, Delivering for America postcards can be downloaded […]
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All Link needed last week was love — and maybe a little snow. (OK, a lot of snow.) We told you about the Post Offices across the nation that offer special postmarks for Valentine’s Day mail. “We’re getting packages from all over the country — and sometimes all over the world — wanting that Loveville […]
Mail Processing Clerk Kenneth Anderson was recently on duty at the Billings, MT, Processing and Distribution Center when he saw a co-worker fall to the floor. The man appeared to be having a seizure. While 911 was called, Anderson used the facility’s paging system to announce the medical emergency. Electronic Technician Troy Mathis responded and […]
The Postal Service will dedicate its stamp honoring famed college basketball coach John Wooden on Saturday, Feb. 24, in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. Pacific at the University of California, Los Angeles’ Pauley Pavilion’s East Plaza at 325 Westwood Plaza. The speakers will include Derek Kan, a member of the […]
“Off the Clock” is taking the week off. Link’s column on Postal Service employees and their after-hours pursuits won’t have a new edition this week, so take some time to catch up with stories you may have missed. In recent weeks, we profiled Theresa Smith, a Maryland postmaster who volunteers as a Chesapeake Bay storyteller; […]
Washington’s Birthday, also known as Presidents Day, will be observed Monday, Feb. 19. The annual observance began in the early 19th century. After George Washington’s death in 1799, his birthday — Feb. 22 — was celebrated informally across the young nation. In 1879, Congress declared Feb. 22 a federal holiday. A 1968 law moved the […]
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar that will examine how Medicare works with the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. The session, “USPS: Medicare + FEHB,” will be held Thursday, Feb. 22, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from GEHA, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.44 percent during the week ending Feb. 9, down 0.11 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Feb. 14. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 96.84 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 95.81 percent rating. Among the […]
Love is in the air — and in the mail. More than 30 Post Offices across the nation with romantic-sounding names allow customers to send preaddressed Valentine’s Day cards, letters and more to receive a local postmark before the pieces are mailed to sweethearts. “We’re getting packages from all over the country — and sometimes […]
The Postal Service looked toward the future last week, announcing new, ambitious sustainability targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. “The improvements we need to achieve in sustainability are an integral outgrowth of the broader modernization efforts we have undertaken through our 10-year Delivering for America plan,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “As we […]
Carrier Technician Nathaniel Bowes was delivering mail recently at a home in Geneva, NY, when he noticed movement through a window. An older woman was lying on the floor, waving her hands and mouthing “Help!” repeatedly. The Postal Service employee entered the residence, spoke with the customer and called 911. Bowes followed the dispatcher’s directions, […]
My name is Douglas Lowe and I’m the postmaster in Hope, ID. When I’m not working, I’m getting ready for my latest scuba diving instructor certificate by practicing in Lake Pend Oreille — a 1,150-foot-deep lake in Idaho’s northern panhandle. I also help teach safety basics to first-time scuba divers and specialty courses to seasoned […]
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar on how the back works and learn stretching and strengthening exercises to help keep it relaxed and healthy. The session, “Healthy Back,” will be held Thursday, Feb. 15, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from Kaiser Permanente, a provider of health plans for federal employees, […]
The Postal Service’s latest Literary Arts stamp was dedicated during a special local ceremony at the University of Chicago on Feb. 6. The 34th stamp in the series honors novelist Saul Bellow, widely regarded as one of the greatest authors of the 20th century. He is the only person to have won the National Book […]
The Postal Service has announced a set of new, ambitious sustainability targets for fiscal year 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste at every level of the organization’s operations. The goals are the latest in a series of actions the Postal Service has taken to enhance sustainability across its network and day-to-day operations. “The […]
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A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 96.24 percent during the week ending Feb. 2, down 0.11 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Feb. 7. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 96.71 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 95.52 percent rating. Among the […]
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Postal Service employees across the nation are sharing news and information about the organization on social media through a first-of-its-kind program in the federal government. USPS Zone, which began in 2021, allows Executive and Administrative Schedule employees to post approved content on their personal social media accounts. “Employee advocacy is one of the most effective […]
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The Postal Service will celebrate NASA’s continued exploration of deep space by releasing two new stamps featuring stunning images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The $9.85 Priority Mail stamp shows the Pillars of Creation, a trillions-of-miles-tall formation that lies 6,500 light-years away from Earth within the vast Eagle Nebula. Flush with gas and […]
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar on how nutrition and lifestyle choices can positively affect emotional and physical well-being. The session, “Food for Thought: Boosting Mood Through Nutrition,” will be held Monday, Jan. 29, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Representatives from GEHA, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will […]
Let’s talk about the weather, shall we? Last week, Link covered the snow, ice and cold temperatures that affected many states, including Oregon and Texas, where tens of thousands of customers lost power. We also talked to some USPS employees who drive delivery vehicles and heard their advice for colleagues who are braving the slick […]