Columbus Day, a holiday that celebrates Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas, is Monday, Oct. 14. The first Columbus Day celebration took place in 1792 in New York City. A century later, President Benjamin Harrison declared Columbus Day as a one-time national celebration to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s voyage. In 1934, Congress passed […]
USPS employees and annuitants may participate in an upcoming virtual seminar on the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program. The session will be held Thursday, Oct. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern and from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern. PSHB — which takes effect in 2025 — is a new, separate program within […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.06 percent during the week ending Oct. 4, down 0.5 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Oct. 9. Atlantic led the four areas with a rating of 97.47 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.29 percent rating. Among the […]
Read More… from Atlantic Area, IA-NE-SD District lead in scanning
A Utah couple has created a successful business using the mail to regale subscribers with a romance set during World War II. Hannie and Michael Clark launched the Flower Letters in August 2020, telling the fictional story of Audrey Rose Drollinger and Cpl. Charlie Henderson Burke. At first, there were 38 subscribers who followed the […]
Last week, Link covered the release of Thank You, Healthcare Community, a stamp honoring the nation’s health workers. We also reported on a special ceremony in Indianapolis for the new Christmas Madonna and Child stamp and marked the end of National Preparedness Month on Sept. 30 and the beginning of Cybersecurity Awareness Month and National […]
Letter Carrier Carlos Vlaun was driving in San Antonio recently when another vehicle suddenly veered off the road and narrowly missed striking a utility pole. He safely pulled over his vehicle, called 911 and checked on the driver and her passenger. Vlaun, a military veteran, relied on his medical training to assess the driver, who […]
The Postal Service’s preparations for this year’s general election are the subject of the latest Postal Posts blog entry. Adrienne Marshall, the organization’s election and government mail services director, wrote the post, which was published Oct. 1. […]
The Postal Service held a special dedication ceremony last month for its Christmas Madonna and Child stamp in Indianapolis, home to the painting shown on the new release. The stamp features an oil painting from the workshop of the 17th century Italian artist Giovanni Battista Salvi, known as “Sassoferrato” (1609-1685). He and his workshop produced […]
Read More… from A special ceremony for Christmas Madonna and Child
The Postal Service has begun delivering a seventh round of free at-home COVID-19 test kits. Every U.S. household, including those in U.S. territories, is eligible to receive four test kits. The test kit initiative is a collaboration with the White House and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), an agency within the U.S. […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.37 percent during the week ending Sept. 27, down 0.26 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Oct. 2. WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.72 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.6 percent rating. Among the […]
Read More… from WestPac Area, ID-MT-OR District on top in scanning
The release of the Postal Service’s latest Kwanzaa stamp was a highlight of Link’s coverage last week. The stamp, the 10th honoring the Pan-African holiday since 1997, was dedicated during a ceremony in Pittsburgh. “The issuance of this Kwanzaa stamp is a powerful symbol of the enduring principles of the holiday,” said Roderick Sallay, the […]
To help mark National Preparedness Month in September, the Postal Service is encouraging employees to prepare or freshen their home emergency supply kit. Such a kit is a collection of basic items to meet the needs of your family — including pets — for at least 72 hours. These items should be packed in a […]
In April, Letter Carrier Tesfaye Deyasso was returning to his Minneapolis home after his shift when he came upon a car ablaze with the driver trapped inside. Deyasso and several others attempted to rescue the man, but a guardrail blocked the driver’s door and flames prevented access to the passenger door. One rescuer was able […]
My name is Jerry Loney. As a letter carrier in Topeka, KS, I deliver the mail. In my role as a freelance clown, I deliver joy and laughter. After college, a friend suggested that I get into theater. I learned to juggle to audition for the role of the clown Touchstone in the Shakespeare play […]
USPS employees and annuitants may participate in an upcoming virtual seminar on the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program. The session will be held Thursday, Oct. 3, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern and from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern. PSHB — which takes effect in 2025 — is a new, separate program within […]
Editor’s note: The “Medicare + FEHB Program” webinar scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 3, has been canceled. 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, “Medicare + FEHB Program,” will be held Thursday, Oct. 3, from 1 to 2 […]
The Postal Service will hold a special dedication ceremony for its Thank You, Healthcare Community on Thursday, Oct. 3, in Washington, DC. The ceremony will be held at 2:30 p.m. Eastern at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The speakers will include Louis DeJoy, postmaster general, and Xavier Becerra, the department’s secretary. Attendees […]
Read More… from Thank You, Healthcare Community stamp ceremony
The Postal Service will hold two virtual job fairs for sales positions this month. The events are part of the organization’s efforts to expand its sales force and align sales strategies with new operational capabilities to drive revenue, one of the goals of the Delivering for America plan. Topics to be covered during the fairs […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.35 percent during the week ending Sept. 20, down 0.33 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Sept. 25. Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.65 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.63 percent rating. Among the […]
Read More… from Central Area, Pennsylvania 1 District lead in scanning
USPS leaders will meet with business customers throughout the nation this week to update them on the transformational changes occurring within the organization. The meetings are part of National Postal Customer Council Week, which encourages USPS leaders and postal customer councils (PCCs) to come together to network and discuss the latest trends in the mailing […]
Link ushered in the holiday season last week. We covered the joint dedication ceremony for the Holiday Joy and Christmas Madonna and Child stamps, held at the National Postal Museum in Washington, DC, and the dedication of the latest Hannukah stamp, held at the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, also in Washington. “These stamps provide our customers […]
Benton, MS, Postmaster Chris Broyles recently encountered a familiar customer who appeared to be shaky and anxious. As the older woman prepared to send a Priority Mail Express package, Broyles struck up a conversation. She showed him $32,000 in cash that she was preparing to send. The postmaster told her that she might be a […]
USPS and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU, AFL-CIO) have agreed to extend contract negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement. Although the contract with the APWU expired on Sept. 20, the Postal Service and the union mutually agreed to extend negotiations. The APWU represents more than 200,000 employees nationwide. […]
The Postal Service will release its latest Hanukkah stamp on Thursday, Sept. 19. The stamp features an image of a hanukkiah, the nine-branch candelabra used during the holiday. Antonio Alcalá, the stamp’s art director and designer, created the ink drawing using irregular lines to suggest a more human presence. He completed the image by digitally […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees and contractors to adhere to cybersecurity best practices to protect the USPS network. Employees and contractors with ACE computers should always: • Lock their computers before stepping away by pressing the Windows and L keys or by pressing the control, alt and delete keys; • Create a password with […]
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.5 percent during the week ending Sept. 13, down 0.14 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Sept. 18. Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.75 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.93 percent rating. Among the […]
Read More… from Central Area, Michigan 2 District on top in scanning
The Postal Service dedicated two new holiday stamp releases at a ceremony on Sept. 14 in Washington, DC. Up first was the Christmas Madonna and Child stamp, which features an oil painting from the workshop of the 17th century Italian artist Giovanni Battista Salvi (1609-1685), known as “Sassoferrato.” The extent to which Sassoferrato had a […]
The Postal Service will observe National Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration held each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Around 13.5 percent of USPS employees identify as having Hispanic ancestry. It may seem unusual to have a monthly observance start and end in the middle of a month, but it makes sense in the […]
Read More… from Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
To help mark National Preparedness Month in September, the Postal Service is encouraging employees to take steps to be ready at a moment’s notice. Employees should: • Update their emergency contact information. • Review posted emergency procedures and evacuation routes. • Be familiar with the USPS National Employee Emergency Hotline (888-363-7462). Employees can call the […]
Last week, Link reported this year’s Stamp Out Hunger results. The annual food drive, held May 11, collected 44 million pounds of food. “Letter carriers showed up again for their communities and helped ensure that the needs of the hungry are met in every city and town in the United States,” said Brian Renfroe, president […]