Stephanie White, Washington, DC
“Little boy blue,” the article about Philadelphia Letter Carrier Jody Forte and his 2-year-old pal, Julius Westfall, made my day. It’s the cutest article that I’ve read in Link. […]
Shawn Selby
Posts by Shawn Selby
Delivering integrity
In his latest video message, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy thanks Postal Service employees for their work during election season. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, millions more people voted by mail this year. The Postmaster General reviews the steps USPS took to serve these voters, and he discusses how political campaigns used mail to educate voters […]
Peak vessels
The Postal Service is shining a light on employees and what they contribute to the organization during the holidays. Peek into Peak is a #PostalProud communications initiative that was introduced in 2018. The campaign is back with new images and quotes from employees who discuss how they spread joy throughout the peak delivery season. “What […]
Opening soon
Open season, the annual period when Postal Service employees can change their health benefits or enroll in a new plan, begins Monday, Nov. 9. A variety of health, vision and dental coverage is available through the following plans and programs: Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) USPS Health Benefits Plan (USPSHBP) for non-career employees only […]
Raising awareness
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a time to learn more about the disease that affects more than 30 million adults in the United States. Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how the body converts food into energy. The disease increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, lower-limb amputation and blindness, according […]
Martha Carson, Guysville, OH
The doggie mail carrier costumes featured in “Doggie double take” are pawesome and the two canine models are quite fetching! […]
Mr. Right
Letter Carrier Nathan Sies was delivering mail in March to a Whitewater, WI, group home for eight disabled residents when he noticed something worrisome: There was a burning odor in the air and a smoke detector was beeping. Sies knocked on the main door and alerted a customer, who called 911 just as they saw […]
Safer communities
The Postal Service dedicated the Drug Free USA stamp during a ceremony this week at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters in Arlington, VA. “It’s our hope that the Drug Free USA stamp will help publicize the dangers of illicit drug use and to promote drug abuse prevention,” said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “Millions of […]
Retirement info
Postal Service employees can participate in an upcoming webinar on preparing for retirement. The session, “Understanding Health Insurance in Retirement,” will be held Friday, Nov. 6, at 1 p.m. EST. (The webinar was originally slated for Oct. 27 but was rescheduled due to technical problems.) Susan Allgood, a federal plans team relationship manager for Aetna, […]
Fall back
Daylight saving time will end Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 a.m. In areas where the change is observed, people will “fall back” and set their manual clocks back one hour at bedtime Oct. 31. Standard time will be in effect until March 14, 2021, when daylight saving time will resume. Got news? Email your submissions […]
Zoom at the top
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. True or false: When using the Zoom videoconferencing platform, you can help the Postal Service avoid charges by using your computer’s audio or your phone to dial into a meeting. a) […]
Carolynn Arndt, Chicago
The “Heroes’ Corner” column about Keith Rollins, the Washington, DC, carrier technician who rescued a lost 2-year-old boy, brought tears to my eyes. […]
Final push
The latest video from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy updates employees on the Postal Service’s work to deliver election-related mail. To serve voters who mail their ballots close to deadline, the organization is prioritizing ballots, adding postmarking resources, adding extra transportation wherever it is needed, and working with local election officials to meet special needs. “We […]
Fit to print
Tanya Lyle wants to help Postal Service employees share accurate, approved information with their colleagues. Lyle, the USPS brand and policy manager, oversees the organization’s clearance process, which is used to review and approve forms, directives, Postal Bulletin articles and other official documents before they are published. Through clearance, employees seeking to publish documents must […]
Healthy holidays
Need help avoiding dreaded holiday weight gain? If so, you can participate in an upcoming webinar to learn ways to stay healthy during the most wonderful time of the year. The session, “Hold the Stuffing,” will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3, at noon EDT. GEHA, a not-for-profit provider of health plans for federal employees, will […]
Show of unity
The Postal Service will help mark Red Ribbon Week by releasing the Drug Free USA stamp on Oct. 27. Red Ribbon Week, the nation’s oldest and largest drug abuse prevention awareness program, runs Oct. 23-31 and coincides with National Substance Abuse Prevention Month every October. The annual commemoration began in 1988 to honor Enrique “Kiki” […]
Keep on, Rollins
Washington, DC, Carrier Technician Keith Rollins was driving to a postal facility while on duty one morning in February when something alongside Interstate 95 caught his eye. It might have been a small animal, Rollins thought, but he also knew authorities and volunteers had been combing the area overnight for a missing toddler, Ethan Adeyemi. […]
Sharon Efird, Raleigh, NC
I enjoyed the Postal Inspection Service video highlighted in the recent “Proud history” article. I learned so much about what the agency has done over the years to protect the mail, people and Post Offices. […]
Philadelphia story
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy discussed the Postal Service’s important role in elections and thanked employees for their dedication during a recent visit to USPS facilities in Philadelphia. “Our fellow citizens are counting on us more than ever. Delivering their ballots must be our top priority now and through the first week of November,” DeJoy told […]
A little holiday spirit
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Fill in the blank: More than 13 million customers are expected to use usps.com on (blank), making it the Postal Service’s busiest day online this holiday season. a) Dec. 7 b) […]
High-level performance
USPS has released Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s latest video update for employees. Among the topics addressed: preparations for the holiday mailing and shipping season, the Postal Service’s new organizational structure, the response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and efforts to deliver election-related mail. “Based on the great work being done now, we should all be […]
Your choice
The Postal Service wants employees to avoid choosing the audio option in Zoom that costs additional money. If you select the “Call Me” feature before connecting to a meeting and then choose the “United States of America” option, the Postal Service incurs a charge. The following Zoom audio connection choices do not cost the Postal […]
Fade out
The Postal Service wants employees to know that they are prohibited from showing prerecorded films or movie clips at USPS facilities because of trademark and other legal restrictions. Prerecorded movies include motion pictures stored on VHS cassettes, DVDs, Blu-ray discs and storage devices (such as computers, tablets and smartphones), as well as movies accessed on […]
Our Lady of Guápulo
Our Lady of Guápulo, this year’s religious-themed Christmas stamp, will be released Oct. 20. The stamp features a detail of “Our Lady of Guápulo,” which was painted in the 18th century by an unknown artist in Cuzco, Peru. The painting shows the Virgin Mary — wearing a crown, enrobed in a pyramidal gown speckled with […]
Senior saver
Letter Carrier Dixie Manns was recently delivering mail to a Michigan City, IN, apartment building occupied by mostly older residents. When she walked in, she heard alarms going off and saw a customer standing in his doorway. The man said his apartment was on fire and Manns urged him to leave, but he was unable […]
No false moves
The Postal Service is launching a national campaign to raise employee awareness of job-related injuries caused by slips, trips and falls. National Slip, Trip and Fall Prevention Week will run from Oct. 17-23. The organization ran a similar effort last year. A total of 17,534 USPS employees were affected by slip, trip and fall injuries […]
Winter is here
The Postal Service will release Winter Scenes, stamps that celebrate the season’s splendor and serenity, on Oct. 16. The booklet of 20 stamps feature 10 photographs from the Northern United States. Five stamps feature images of winter wildlife against their snowy habitats: a bright red cardinal, a colorful blue jay, two foraging deer, a majestic […]
Finish line
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. How much revenue did the Race for a $Billion campaign raise for the Postal Service? a) $1 billion b) $1.1 billion c) $1.2 billion d) $1.3 billion 2. Which city did […]
In a heartbeat
Letter Carrier Pedro Mendoza was delivering mail earlier this year in a Grand Junction, CO, neighborhood when he came upon an alarming scene: A man wielding a knife was threatening a woman and her child outside a residence. “He was saying, ‘I’m going to kill you and your baby and I’m going to slice his […]
Tim Rachow, Providence, RI
The “Money’s worth” article that encouraged USPS employees to conduct a paycheck checkup was very helpful. I think it would be good to offer this information again in late April, after most people have filed their taxes. […]