Kathleen Barraza, Fresno, CA
I loved the “She delivers” list. I’m proud to be a female maintenance mechanic in Fresno, CA. It’s my calling. […]
tom_simpson
Posts by tom_simpson
Need to know
Holiday news. Employees and customers looking for holiday information can find it all in one place: the online USPS Holiday Newsroom. Visitors to the site will find the Postal Service’s holiday news releases, Link stories and suggested mail-by dates. Other resources include holiday fact sheets, videos, stamps, postmarks and Operation Santa and Letters from Santa […]
Heartbreaking disease
The Postal Service released a semipostal stamp Nov. 30 to fund research to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, a leading cause of death in the United States. More than 5.3 million Americans age 65 or older are estimated to have Alzheimer’s, which destroys the minds of those affected and challenges family members and […]
Dancing machine
John Lawless loves to sing and dance, and now the world knows it. The Central Islip, NY, business mail technician was recently captured on video at a Janet Jackson concert showcasing his Michael Jackson-inspired moves. Lawless danced to Michael’s “Remember the Time,” which a DJ played to warm up the crowd before Janet began her […]
Bobby Krier, Taft, CA; Beverly Yowell, Hollywood, MD
Postal Service employees delivering mail in California and Maryland recently came to the aid of customers who were hurt in falls. Taft, CA, Letter Carrier Bobby Krier heard a woman calling out for help, and he discovered that she was lying on the floor inside her residence, unable to get up. Krier called 911 and […]
Read More… from Bobby Krier, Taft, CA; Beverly Yowell, Hollywood, MD
Vickey Oxendine, Inverness, FL
The “Catalog comeback” story reminded me of the first year that I carried mail. Yes, Sears catalogs are big. And yes, they can be hard to handle. But all in all, their return is a very good thing. […]
Ready to deliver
The Postal Service is ready to deliver customers’ purchases during two of the biggest shopping days of the year: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Retailers use Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, to mark the kickoff of door-buster sales, while Cyber Monday, the first post-Thanksgiving workday for many people, is typically a major online shopping […]
Informed expansion
Eligible PO Box customers can now digitally preview their incoming mail through Informed Delivery. The free feature, which USPS introduced nationally this year, allows users to interact with incoming mail and manage packages on a secure online dashboard. Informed Delivery was previously available only to consumers at eligible residential addresses. USPS recently sent emails to […]
Holiday ethics
’Tis the season in which employees often participate in holiday activities while on the job, including giving and receiving gifts. Although federal ethics standards apply all year long, the USPS Ethics Office wants employees to remember that complying with these rules is especially important during the holidays. The Ethics Office has prepared a presentation on […]
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. How much estimated annualized revenue has Customer Connect generated since 2003? a) $1.6 billion b) $2.3 billion c) $2.5 billion d) $6.7 billion 2. Fill in the blank: The […]
Jean Sequeira, Portland, ME
Thanks to USPS for announcing the Alzheimer’s semipostal stamp to highlight this insidious disease. […]
Nicholas Lewis, Carbondale, PA; Robert Sweeney, Sacramento, CA
Postal Service employees in Pennsylvania and California recently responded to emergencies they encountered while delivering mail. Carbondale, PA, Letter Carrier Nicholas Lewis heard a customer calling out for help, and he soon discovered that the man had fallen and hit his head on a portable heater. Lewis called 911 for the customer, who was bleeding, […]
Read More… from Nicholas Lewis, Carbondale, PA; Robert Sweeney, Sacramento, CA
Holiday hours
USPS has announced its holiday schedule for Post Offices and blue collection boxes: • Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Post Offices nationwide will be closed Sunday, Dec. 24, and Sunday, Dec. 31, as normal. Blue collection boxes are not serviced on Sundays and will not be serviced Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve this […]
Following footsteps
When Josh Hayden became a letter carrier in Owensboro, KY, three years ago, he set out to do the same thing his grandfather once did — deliver mail and make a difference. “He was real proud to work for the Postal Service,” Hayden said of the late Julian Hayden, a letter carrier who spent his […]
Need to know
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.67 percent during the week ending Nov. 10, down from one week earlier. Dakotas (99.11 percent) topped the districts, while Western (98.11 percent) led the areas. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail. It also helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
What’s the plan?
Four types of health plans are available during this year’s open season, the annual period when Postal Service employees can make changes to their coverage. The plan types are: Health maintenance organizations (HMOs), which provide care from plan physicians and hospitals located in particular geographic or service areas Preferred provider organizations (PPOs), which offer fee-for-service […]
Phyllis Fort, Gainesville, FL
“Goodwill driving” was a very heartwarming and inspirational story. It reminded us how one person can make a difference in a community. […]
Richard Horn III, Buffalo, NY; Christopher Cotter, Gridley, CA
Postal Service employees in New York and California recently responded to emergencies they encountered while delivering mail. Buffalo, NY, Letter Carrier Richard Horn III had just dropped off a parcel when he saw an unfamiliar man grab it and flee. Horn alerted police and safely monitored the suspect’s location until officers arrived, arrested the man […]
Read More… from Richard Horn III, Buffalo, NY; Christopher Cotter, Gridley, CA
Need to know
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.72 percent during the week ending Nov. 3, up from one week earlier. Dakotas (99.19 percent) topped the districts, while Western (98.18 percent) led the areas. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail. It also helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
War hero
Loyd Leatherman took his job as a Navy sailor seriously during World War II — but just as important was his job delivering the mail. Leatherman, now 90, was one of about 56,000 postal personnel who served in the U.S. armed forces during the war. From 1944-1946, his home was the USS Oglethorpe, a massive […]
With honors
Scott Zoll is doing his part to honor the nation’s military veterans. The Boonville, IN, retail associate is a regular participant in Honor Flight of Southern Indiana, one of several Honor Flight organizations across the nation that bring veterans to Washington, DC, to visit memorials to their service. The trips are often brief but include […]
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. Fill in the blank: Danovan Wright, a Jacksonville, FL, customer services supervisor, recently came to the aid of a co-worker who suffered a (blank). a) Fall b) Heart attack […]
Roberta Keirn, Lyndonville, NY
The “Hurricane Irma Recovery” video is a beautiful example of what we do best. It makes me so proud. […]
Amanda Schneider, Monmouth, IL; Crystal Coutu, Tollhouse, CA
Postal Service workers in Illinois and California recently responded to emergencies they encountered while making deliveries. Monmouth, IL, Letter Carrier Amanda Schneider checked on a customer whose mail was accumulating. When she knocked on the woman’s door, the customer cried out for help. Schneider called 911, and emergency responders soon discovered that the woman had […]
Read More… from Amanda Schneider, Monmouth, IL; Crystal Coutu, Tollhouse, CA
Holidays online
Major increases in online shopping are expected to drive the surge in USPS holiday package deliveries this year. The Postal Service predicts it will deliver 850 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, up more than 10 percent from last year. The numbers don’t surprise retail analysts, who say more shoppers will skip trips […]
Need to know
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.62 percent during the week ending Oct. 27, up from one week earlier. Dakotas (99.2 percent) topped the districts, while Western (98.09 percent) led the areas. To see the latest results, go to the Enterprise Analytics site and select “Scanning” on the left hand side, and then “DES […]
Tactical technician
Before Todd Farnham was an electronics technician with the Postal Service, he was acquiring the skills to succeed in the Marine Corps. After his four-year enlistment ended in 1984, Farnham transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve and got a job with USPS — becoming part of the organization’s long tradition of hiring veterans. The skills […]
Jody Lantzy, Harrisburg, PA
Way to go, Joe Romano! Kudos to you for rescuing the kitty trapped in the car engine, and I’m so glad Donna Stires and her family gave him a good home. I love animal stories with happy endings. […]
Quiana Whitehead, Picayune, MS
Carrier Technician Quiana Whitehead was delivering mail recently in a Picayune, MS, neighborhood when she heard a woman screaming from a nearby yard. “Call an ambulance! My baby isn’t breathing!” Whitehead rushed over and soon discovered that the woman’s daughter was inside their home, choking. The Postal Service employee called 911 and started performing the […]
Ready to Where
Several districts are adding a local program that allows letter carriers to quickly investigate and resolve parcel delivery complaints from residential customers. The Where is My Package? program began last year in Baltimore District, where the initiative has helped reduce parcel complaints by about 20 percent. The program has been replicated in a dozen districts, […]