James French, Washington, DC
Link did a great job with “The List” of nine events that shaped 1969. That was the year I graduated from high school. Thanks for the flashback. […]
Shawn Selby
Posts by Shawn Selby
No package, no problem
USPS will test a service that allows customers to ship returns to merchants when they no longer have the original packaging for the item. The Package Less Returns service will be tested at 53 sites in Southern Area’s Dallas District that are equipped with Retail Systems Software (RSS) workstations. The returned merchandise will be shipped […]
Watch happening
As the eyes of the nation turn toward the fall TV season, here are nine times postage stamps featured beloved shows and characters. 1. Early TV Memories. These 2009 stamps recalled 20 favorites from television’s “Golden Age,” including “Howdy Doody,” “Dragnet,” “Lassie,” “The Lone Ranger,” “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “The Twilight Zone” and “The Honeymooners.” […]
Election protection
The 2020 presidential primary season is around the corner, and so USPS is reminding employees to follow the rules established under the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act is a law that prohibits postal and other federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty, while wearing a uniform, while on federal property, or while […]
‘Amazed’ by Grace
Grace Flannery has admired letter carriers since she was a child. The 21-year-old Cincinnati resident, who has Down syndrome, has “always liked watching [carriers] and going to get the mail,” her father, Michael, said. He recently contacted his local Postal Service facility, Westwood Station, to ask if Grace could deliver mail for a day. Employees […]
Cecil Stine, Bluff City, TN
The recent “Best Practices” column about John Blair, the Vienna, VA, letter carrier who treats customers like friends, was excellent. I printed the article and put it on a bulletin board for our carriers to see. His tips were spot on. […]
Out of order
Retail Associate Bertie Faulkner was on duty recently in New Albany, IN, when a man attempted to cash a money order that had apparently been altered. Faulkner alerted authorities, but the suspect and an accomplice left before law enforcement officers got there. Several weeks later, the suspect returned to the Post Office. Faulkner recognized him […]
New vice president
Mark Guilfoil has been named supply management vice president, a position he has held on an acting basis since April. Guilfoil will manage the organization’s supplier relationships, including more than $12 billion in annual spending. He will report to Chief Financial Officer Joseph Corbett. Guilfoil previously served as supply management infrastructure manager, a role responsible […]
Lurkers on the line
The Postal Service wants employees to take precautions to prevent hackers or other unauthorized listeners from accessing WebEx conference calls. Like hackers who attempt to attack USPS networks or mobile devices, unauthorized listeners who lurk unannounced on WebEx virtual meetings could learn sensitive information that could compromise the organization. To secure WebEx calls, the CyberSafe […]
Search and find
Search tool reminder. The Postal Explorer site recently introduced a search tool for Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail. The tool allows employees to quickly access guidelines for hazardous materials, restricted matter, warning labels and more. The Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) and DMM Advisories are also available on the site. T-shirts reminder. Postal Service employees can order USPS-approved T-shirts to […]
Mural, mural on the wall
Here’s Link’s latest “News Quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Where is the new mural honoring Roger “Buck” Hill, also known as “the Wailing Mailman”? a) Detroit b) New York City c) Tucson, AZ d) Washington, DC 2. Fill […]
Lawn lift
Rural Carrier Mary Bruno was recently delivering mail in Henrietta, NY, when she spotted an older customer lying facedown on her lawn. Bruno stopped to aid the woman, who had fallen. The Postal Service employee helped the customer sit up, then got her into her home with the assistance of a neighbor. The neighbor stayed […]
Cynthia Phillips, Wilkes-Barre, PA
Thank you for the “Soldiering on” article. I often wondered what happened to Sully, the beautiful dog who was former President George H.W. Bush’s companion. […]
Information disclosures
The Postal Service wants you to understand the federal law that governs the disclosure of customers’ address information. Postmasters frequently receive requests for change of address and PO Box holder information. The Privacy Act of 1974 allows federal agencies to disclose information protected under the law without the written consent of the individual in limited […]
Hurricane Dorian
USPS is restoring service in areas affected by Hurricane Dorian, which brought heavy rain, tornadoes and serious flooding to the Southeast last week. The long-running storm developed in late August and left a wide path of destruction, including parts of the Bahamas and North Carolina and South Carolina. After temporarily suspending service in areas affected […]
Postal pets
A new video shows how an animal rescue organization relies on USPS to serve its customers. “Elysa’s Story” features Elysa Hellermann, who helps run the Park City, UT-based organization. “USPS has been a great asset to doing what we do,” she says. The video shows Hellermann printing a shipping label, preparing a package and taking it […]
Proud heritage
To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is held from Sept. 15-Oct. 15 each year, here’s a look at six stamps honoring Americans of Hispanic or Latino origin. 1. Desi Arnaz. The Cuban-born entertainer appeared on a 1999 stamp with his wife, Lucille Ball. In 1950, Arnaz and Ball co-founded Desilu Productions; the following year, […]
Daniel Quesnel, Burlington, VT
It’s always interesting to read Link and to learn what’s happening with other USPS employees. We’re united with the same goal in mind. […]
‘Just to make sure’
Customer Services Supervisor Ming Liu was on duty recently in San Antonio when he grew concerned about an older customer who had displayed an unusual pattern of sending out Priority Mail Express envelopes. Liu alerted the Postal Inspection Service, which intercepted the woman’s latest shipment, discovered that it contained $5,000 in cash, and determined that […]
Keeping pace
The Postal Service is installing new package sorting equipment at 30 facilities across the nation. The Automated Delivery Unit Sorters join 22 others that were installed in delivery units earlier this year during the initial phase of the rollout. “By automating package sorting in delivery units, [these] machines will significantly reduce operational costs and improve […]
Career opportunities
The Postal Service will host a career conference this month to allow employees to learn about job opportunities at USPS headquarters and in the field. The conference will be held from Friday, Sept. 27-Saturday, Sept. 28, at the William F. Bolger Center in Potomac, MD. The two-day conference is open to all employees and will […]
Always in fashion
USPS is reminding managers and supervisors about Postal Uniform Guidelines, a pictorial guidebook they can use to help ensure employees wear their uniforms properly. The 21-page guidebook features color, head-to-toe images of actual letter carriers, retail associates and motor vehicle operators dressed in everything from year-round uniforms to cold weather postal attire. Managers and supervisors […]
Leading the way
Here’s Link’s latest “News Quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. How many Business Connect leads did Postal Service employees submit in August? a) 22,945 b) 29,245 c) 92,245 d) None of the above 2. Fill in the blank: (Blank) […]
Renea Puckett, Fayetteville, NC
“Soldiering on,” the article about President George H.W. Bush’s devoted service dog, Sully, had me in tears. God bless all the service and military dogs. I’m glad they’ve been honored with their own stamps. […]
Life line
Heather Adams, a financial programs compliance manager for Northern New England District in Portland, ME, was in a different position last summer at the Southern Maine Processing and Distribution Center in Scarborough when she saw a life-changing social media post. A 31-year-old woman in Adams’ community was desperately seeking a kidney, having exhausted the pool […]
All hail the king
The Tyrannosaurus rex may have been extinct for 66 million years, but the king of the dinosaurs can now be found roaming freely at Post Offices. “The T. Rex has stirred the public imagination — and for good reason,” Isaac Cronkhite, the Postal Service’s chief human resources officer, said during the Aug. 29 dedication ceremony […]
Giving season
With the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) set to begin Sept. 9, the Postal Service wants employees to understand the rules about fundraising in the workplace. The CFC allows federal employees, retirees and contractors to contribute to more than 7,000 charitable organizations. The campaign consolidates solicitations of postal employees into a single, officially supported effort. Contractors […]
Still greeting
Are you into greeting cards? If so, the Link team wants to hear from you. We’re planning a story about greeting cards in the mail and would like to hear from Postal Service employees and customers who send and receive them. Drop us a line at uspslink@usps.gov and tell us why you’re a fan of […]
Class acts
As summer winds down and the nation heads back to school, here’s a look at 10 times the Postal Service raised its hand for education. 1. Jaime Escalante. With this 2016 stamp, USPS honored the East Los Angeles teacher whose inspirational methods led supposedly “unteachable” high school students to master calculus. 2. Robert Panara. The […]
Blind spot
Londonderry, VT, Postmaster Victoria Girouard was recently filling in for a sick carrier when she noticed something out of the ordinary while delivering a package to an older customer’s home. Girouard spotted the woman’s blinds moving strangely, and upon closer inspection, she saw her lying on the floor inside. The Postal Service employee immediately called […]