Henry Battle III, Livonia, MI
I used Link during a recent service talk. My employees loved the “On the job” profile of Postal Police Officer Tyrone Williams. I encouraged them to start reading Link each day. […]
Shawn Selby
Posts by Shawn Selby
Cristian Carrillo, Irvine, CA
City Carrier Assistant Cristian Carrillo was recently delivering mail in an Irvine, CA, neighborhood when he spotted flames leaping out of a trash can near a residence. Carrillo rushed to grab a garden hose and quickly extinguished the blaze. The homeowner, John Jaeger, who was in the garage at the time, later mailed a letter […]
There when you need it
Dolores Williams is grateful to one Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity for helping her when she was diagnosed with cancer. In 2009, Williams, an Edison, NJ, customer care agent, realized that a pimple on her neck wasn’t going away. After undergoing testing, she received life-changing news from her doctor: She had follicular lymphoma. “They called […]
Clean win
The U.S. Department of Energy recently honored the Postal Service for its efforts to cut waste and energy costs and improve operations. USPS received a Federal Energy and Water Management Award for its work at the Washington Network Distribution Center in Capitol Heights, MD. Through a recent pilot program envisioned by Plant Manager Robert Borris […]
Benefits info
The Postal Service will hold four webinars for employees who want to learn more about the offerings available during this year’s open season. Here’s the schedule: Tuesday, Nov. 13, from 10-11 a.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 21, from 3-4 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 29, from noon-1 p.m. EST Wednesday, Dec. 5, from 4-5 p.m. EST Each […]
Get the message
The Postal Service wants employees to always exercise caution when sending emails internally and outside the organization. Employees should only send sensitive information, such as business financial data, or sensitive-enhanced information, such as Social Security numbers, to those with a need to know. Before emailing USPS information to external recipients, the CyberSafe at USPS team […]
Those who served
To help mark Veterans Day, here are six facts about the holiday and the men and women it honors. 1. Veterans Day began almost a century ago. The first observance of Veterans Day, then called Armistice Day, took place Nov. 11, 1919, on the one-year anniversary of the end of World War I. In 1926, […]
Todd Eklund, Spokane, WA
Letter Carrier Todd Eklund was recently delivering mail in a Spokane, WA, neighborhood when he heard a loud bang and spotted a rapidly spreading brush fire on a hill behind a customer’s home. As Eklund called 911, he rushed to the front door to alert the customer to the danger, then helped her and her […]
Susan Wright, Lexington, KY
I loved Link’s Halloween-themed list of spooky TV and movie addresses. […]
Green lights
The Postal Service is honoring 15 facilities, teams and projects for their efforts to protect the environment and promote sustainability. The honorees, announced this week, will receive 2017 Postmaster General Sustainability Excellence Awards. The recipients are: Bedford Park, IL, Vehicle Maintenance Facility, where managers have improved training and engagement to ensure employees understand environmental regulations […]
Shared interests
If you’re a Postal Service employee, you’ve probably heard of the Human Resources Shared Service Center, but do you understand what the HRSSC does — and how it can help you? If not, here’s what you should know: • The HRSSC offers a variety of services and information. The center, based in Greensboro, NC, can […]
Get Smart
Some Postal Service facilities will soon receive new fleet fuel payment cards through GSA SmartPay, a federal program that provides charge cards to U.S. government agencies. The new GSA SmartPay 3 Voyager cards will replace the current SmartPay 2 Voyager cards. Vehicle maintenance facility (VMF) managers will begin to receive the new cards around Nov. […]
News quiz
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. Approximately how much money has the Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamp raised since its release in 1998? a) $8.78 million b) $87.8 million c) $878 million d) $8.78 billion […]
Dean Lardinois, Green Bay, WI
Letter Carrier Dean Lardinois was delivering mail on a chilly spring day in Green Bay, WI, when he encountered an unsupervised toddler locked out of an apartment building near a busy intersection. Lardinois opened the door for the 2-year-old boy — who was visibly cold in only a T-shirt and a diaper — and kept […]
John Purdy, Washington, DC
It’s been gratifying to see beloved memories from childhood recognized by USPS: Mister Rogers, Scooby-Doo and now Hot Wheels. Kudos to the Stamp Services team for its brilliant designs. […]
‘Just like everyone else’
Mike McCord and Tim Smith have a unique bond at the Huntsville, AL, Processing and Distribution Facility: They’re both deaf, and they both rely on a variety of ways to receive and give information at work. “It’s nice having a co-worker who is also deaf because we can help each other out,” said McCord, a […]
Showing support
Jacqueline Nutter spent a recent Sunday afternoon discussing a serious subject — breast cancer — in an unlikely setting: FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins football team. “I love talking about breast cancer awareness because I don’t want another woman to hear they have breast cancer and feel death is the next destination,” said […]
Need to know
See you in Indianapolis. USPS is once again encouraging employees to recruit customers to attend the National Postal Forum. The mailing industry’s largest annual conference brings approximately 4,000 attendees together each year for educational workshops, certification courses, trade show exhibitions, panel discussions and presentations from Postal Service leaders. Next year’s event will be held from […]
Who goes there?
To help get you in the mood for Halloween, here’s a look at five eerie addresses from TV shows and movies. 1. 1313 Mockingbird Lane. Herman, Lily, Grandpa, Eddie and Marilyn — the family on the 1964-66 sitcom “The Munsters” — lived in a multi-level Victorian home at this address in Mockingbird Heights, a fictional […]
Pamela Parker, Vieques, PR
“Those in need,” this week’s reminder about the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), hit home. Being in Puerto Rico during last year’s hurricanes was a nightmare. EAP provides a valuable resource for those who need it. […]
Tonja Hahn, Rapid City, SD
Postal Support Employee Tonja Hahn was driving to work recently in Rapid City, SD, when her commute was interrupted by a crisis. Hahn heard someone crying out for help. When she stopped to investigate, she saw a woman pinned to the ground by a man who appeared to be assaulting her. The man fled the […]
Got plans?
Ever wonder if you should have a different health plan? There are four types of plans you can enroll in during open season, the annual period when Postal Service employees can make changes to their health coverage. The plan types are: Health maintenance organizations (HMOs), which provide care from in-network plan physicians and hospitals located […]
Feathered friends
A new video shows highlights from the Postal Service’s recent dedication of the Birds in Winter stamps. The stamps, which each feature a colorful bird in a wintry scene, were dedicated last month in Quechee, VT. “The Postal Service has a long tradition of putting birds on stamps to celebrate and raise awareness of these […]
Need to know
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.58 percent during the week ending Oct. 19, up from one week earlier. Great Lakes (97.87 percent) topped the areas, while Dakotas (99.17 percent) led the districts. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail, and it helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To […]
Ashley Warner, Grenville, NM
Ashley Warner, a highway contract route driver, was delivering mail on a summer Saturday in Grenville, NM, when she spotted an off-road utility vehicle overturned in a field. Warner didn’t see any sign of activity at first, but as she drove away, she saw a hand waving in her side mirror. She stopped to investigate […]
John Purdy, Washington, DC
Even with the Postal Service’s proposed price changes, I’m reminded that USPS remains the most efficient post, with some of the lowest letter mail rates in the industrial world. […]
How sweet it is
To celebrate National Dessert Month in October, here are five facts about treats that have been featured on stamps. 1. A child invented the Popsicle. This year’s Frozen Treats stamps feature colorful, icy pops on sticks — a dessert that traces its roots to 1905, when 11-year-old Frank Epperson combined sugary soda powder with water […]
Call to action
A new video features highlights from the Postal Service’s recent Honoring First Responders stamp dedication ceremony. The stamp, which honors firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical professionals, was dedicated Sept. 13 in Missoula, MT. “With this stamp, the Postal Service recognizes these brave men and women [who] respond to critical situations with skill, dedication […]
Service improvements
The Postal Service has updated its online refunds application to better serve consumers. Effective Oct. 16, consumers who access the application through usps.com can do the following: Submit a maximum of five tracking numbers in one refund request Confirm the address where the refund check should be mailed before submitting a refund request View a […]
Juan Chavez, San Diego
Letter Carrier Juan Chavez was recently delivering mail in a San Diego neighborhood when he saw a customer carrying a toilet. As the man stepped onto his porch, he tripped and tumbled forward — seriously injuring himself as he fell atop the broken ceramic. Chavez rushed to the man’s side and found him bleeding profusely […]