Loveville, MD, Retail Associate Nydia Noriega
“Customers get excited and clap and cheer when the [special postmark] goes down. We’re all about love in Loveville.” […]
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Posts by tom_simpson
Elizabeth Lanners, Hudson, WI
Today’s hero is featured in a full-length article. […]
Heroes’ corner
Hudson, WI, Rural Carrier Elizabeth Lanners was delivering mail recently when she saw smoke pouring from two nearby buildings. After Lanners called 911, the fire department was dispatched to put out the blaze. Because of Lanners’ quick actions, the damage was limited and no one was injured. […]
Quit bugging
It’s important to recognize the signs of malicious software — including computer viruses, Trojans and worms — when operating Postal Service computers and devices. These infections, also known as malware, can cause widespread damage to the USPS network and compromise Postal Service information. Here are common signs of malware infections: Files or data suddenly become […]
Pen to paper
A Pennsylvania Post Office is on a mission to promote traditional letter writing. Wysox Postmaster Penny Horton has noticed some customers don’t know how to write a letters, so she and Retail Associate Penny Brown are taking it upon themselves to change things. “People still need to be able to compose a letter,” Horton told […]
Making the grade
The Postal Service’s retirement team is the best-rated in the federal government, new research shows. The team has a 96 percent accuracy rate in evaluating, processing and finalizing retirement applications, according to a recent audit by the Office of Personnel Management. The government-wide average is 89.7 percent. The Postal Service’s high score means that retiring […]
Sales surge
Online sales will grow between 6-9 percent this year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicted last week. The rise is expected to drive more increases in the shipping sector. For example, the Postal Service’s package volumes have grown about 30 percent during the past five years. Consumers are shopping more because they have more money to spend, according to […]
In remembrance
President Obama has ordered flags flown at half-staff to honor Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died Feb. 13. Flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset on the day of interment. This date has not been announced. To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak for an instant and then lower it […]
Form 1095-C video available
Got questions about IRS Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage? A new informational video is now available in the Form 1095-C toolkit, which is located on the Accounting site. […]
Greensboro, NC, Retail Associate Tina Waller
“I believe in being courteous to each and every customer. I strive to treat them equally and with the utmost respect.” […]
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Debra Hill, South Florence, SC
South Florence, SC, Retail Associate Debra Hill became suspicious when a woman wanted to send a large amount of cash by Priority Mail Express. Hill alerted Postal Inspectors, who met with the woman and prevented her from losing $45,000. […]
Margaret Bottasso, Voluntown, CT
A customer was very taken with the new Quilled Paper Heart stamp. She said it’s the prettiest stamp ever. […]
Heart art
The “mind-blowing artwork” on the Postal Service’s new Quilled Paper Heart stamp was praised by the Washington Post this week. The Post encouraged readers to look closely at the stamp, which showcases the ancient art of quilling — rolling and shaping narrow strips of paper, laying them on their edges, and gluing them in place […]
Sending love
Valentine’s Day enthusiasts will spend an average $17.81 on greeting cards this year, up 16 percent from 2015, according to new projections by the National Retail Federation (NRF). Although some cards will be given in person, many will be delivered through the Postal Service. Industry research shows Valentine’s Day is the second most popular holiday for […]
Step by step
Delivering mail on foot from Palm Beach, FL, to Miami isn’t easy — especially if you aren’t wearing shoes. But in the late 1800s, a group of carriers known as “barefoot mailmen” did just that. More than 600 Boy Scouts traveled that route recently during an annual hike to honor the carriers who braved the […]
Blue is green
Got empty toner and inkjet cartridges? If so, don’t toss them. Recycle them instead through the USPS BlueEarth Federal Recycling Program, which allows you to recycle all types of used toner and inkjet cartridges, except Ricoh Toner tubes. To begin recycling, log onto USPS BlueEarth and select “Get Started Today.” Next, choose “United States Postal Service” […]
Stamp your feet
No postal-related songs were nominated for Grammys this year, so if you want to hear music about the mail before the Feb. 15 ceremony, you’ll have to select tunes from the past. Fortunately, you have plenty of options. Several songs have highlighted the Postal Service’s important role in delivering letters from the heart. Fats Waller […]
James Marsden, Columbia, MO,
Today’s hero is featured in a full-length article. […]
Washington, DC, National Postal Museum Assistant Curator Daniel Piazza
“If you want [Year of the Monkey] stamps, you’re really going to have to hurry, because they’re selling very well in the Post Offices.” […]
Read More… from Washington, DC, National Postal Museum Assistant Curator Daniel Piazza
Ruth Pressler, State College, PA
“Unlucky draw” shows how con men target older people. Through my work at the Post Office, I’ve been able to advise customers on these matters. […]
What’s an FDC?
A first day cover (FDC) is an envelope with a newly issued postage stamp and a cancellation showing the date the postage stamp was sold. […]
Cyber smart
More than 100 countries across the world will promote cybersecurity Feb. 9, which is Safer Internet Day. To keep Postal Service information resources secure, the Cyber Safe at USPS team suggests these tips: Be certain you recognize the email address or the name of the sender before opening an email. Review the greeting when deciding […]
First words
A charitable program that uses the Postal Service to deliver free books to children is expanding, part of a broader effort to boost literacy rates across the United States. The Books From Birth initiative was announced last week in Washington, DC. Parents in the city who sign up will receive one free book each month that […]
Color of love
The Postal Service’s resident cartoonist wants to help customers and employees celebrate Valentine’s Day. Sycamore, OH, Postmaster Earl Musick, a freelance cartoonist whose holiday-themed coloring pages are a USPS Christmas tradition, has created an image for Feb. 14. The new page features a child handing a valentine to a smiling letter carrier. Musick’s drawings are […]
Heroes’ corner
Columbia, MO, Bulk Mail Technician James Marsden was driving to work recently when he spotted a woman sitting in tall grass on the side of the road. She was waving her arms, trying to get his attention. Marsden stopped and approached the woman, who had been injured in a car accident. Her husband was pinned inside […]
Get well
If you began the new year resolving to get healthy, good news: USPS wants to help. The Postal Service recently introduced a “holistic wellness” program to help employees focus on their wellbeing year-round. The effort, which Chief Human Resources Officer Jeff Williamson discussed in a recent video, encourages employees to get the most out of […]
We value your business
Strive to make all interactions with customers positive. A small-business customer shared this feedback: “Service with a smile and being pleasant and friendly make customers want to come back.” […]
Brian Dory, Thiensville, WI
“Unlucky draw” reminds me of a customer who asked if I could intercept a Priority Mail Express envelope containing $8,000. She sent the money because she was told she won a sweepstakes. I’m happy to say it was intercepted and returned to the customer. […]
Business owner Megan Alchowiak
“It’s exciting to have paper quilling featured on a [postage] stamp because it gives more people a chance to see this type of art and learn more about the craft.” […]
Debra Goeden, Mogadore, OH
Mogadore, OH, Rural Carrier Debra Goeden was delivering mail recently when she saw a woman lying in a breezeway. The injured woman had fallen almost an hour earlier. The woman declined medical attention, so Goeden helped her home. A neighbor arrived to care for her. […]