Monday, July 6, 2026
USPS sites must comply with regulator checks
Reach out to a regional manager if contacted by a site inspector
The Postal Service is reminding employees to comply with all applicable federal, state and local environmental regulations — and with the regulators who conduct site inspections.
Contact one of the organization’s regional environmental implementation managers if:
• The Environmental Protection Agency or a state or local environmental regulator visits your site to conduct an inspection, walkthrough or review;
• You are informed that such an inspection or visit is planned; or
• Your site receives a notice of violation or similar alert, such as a warning letter, notice of noncompliance or request for documentation issued by the EPA or a state or local government agency.
More information about site inspector visits can be found on Blue.
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
Heroes
He heard a call from out of the cold
This letter carrier helped rescue an abandoned dog
Rochester, NY, Letter Carrier Michael Zimmermann was delivering mail when he heard barking and whimpering coming from a parking lot.
The Postal Service employee found a 4-year-old dog tied to a pole behind a large snowbank, hidden from view.
The temperature was 20 degrees, with a windchill of 8 degrees. The dog was shivering and had frozen drool hanging from his lips.
Zimmermann called an animal control officer who then canvassed the area to see if any nearby residents knew the canine.
The officer posted a notice at the scene in case the owner returned and took the dog to Rochester Animal Services, which placed it with a shelter where it was cared for and put up for adoption.
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
People
Elementary school students receive a postal primer
CA employees inspire a new generation and a retired mail handler marks a baseball milestone
Students at Millard Elementary School in Fremont, CA, recently received instruction on the ABCs of USPS.
Newark, CA, Letter Carrier Suttinee Sajjayakorn and Hataipat Therdsteerasukdi, a retail associate in Hayward, CA, helped the children write letters to loved ones and practice addressing envelopes.
The youngsters also learned how to assemble a small Priority Mail Flat Rate box.
Sajjayakorn and Therdsteerasukdi said the feedback from the students was positive and that helping them understand more about USPS was a rewarding experience.
Take him out to the ball game
Michael Casiano, a retired mail handler, knows a thing or 10,000 about baseball.
During the sixth inning of a doubleheader game between the New York Mets and the Colorado Rockies, Casiano was recognized for attending his 10,000th ball game with a message on the stadium’s video board: “Congrats on MLB game 10K, King Mike Casiano.”
A lifelong resident of New York City, he started attending New York Yankees games with his father in 1963 when he was 10 years old.
In the 1970s, Casiano decided to attend every Mets home game and said his overnight shift as a mail handler allowed him to attend afternoon and evening games.
Over the years, Casiano has become well-known to Mets fans and the online groups Stadium Journeyers and Ballpark Chasers. He’s followed the team to games in Puerto Rico, Japan, England, Australia and Mexico.
“It’s just something I like to do. I love going to baseball games,” he said.
“People” appears regularly in Link. Got news to share? Email us.
News Quiz
You can celebrate America here
What do you know about the USPS website recognizing the 250th?
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end.
1. Which of the following is not featured on the Postal Service’s new website celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States?
a) A book written by USPS Historian Stephen Kochersperger
b) A link to the “Mail with Mr. ZIP” YouTube series for kids
c) Facts about the Postal Service’s contribution to American history
d) Locations of the Post Offices that were operating in 1776 and are still open today
2. What town is depicted in Summer Sunset, the new nondenominated stamp for nonprofit bulk mailings?
a) Chilmark, MA
b) Frostburg, MD
c) Golden Valley, MN
d) Pacific Beach, CA
3. How many stars are featured on the national postmark cancellation celebrating America’s 250th birthday?
a) 10
b) 13
c) 17
d) 50
4. Why are subscription-based mail clubs, or “snail mail clubs,” becoming so popular?
a) Clubs focus on specific areas of interest.
b) People appreciate a pastime that does not involve screens.
c) Subscribers like receiving personal items in their mailboxes.
d) All of the above
5. How does Electronic Technician Chris Karibian use his drawing skills to benefit the Charlotte, NC, Local Processing Center?
a) He decorates the windows with USA-themed “graffiti” in washable paint.
b) He doodles “stamps” to test the postmark of the Advanced Facer Canceler System.
c) He draws pictures of employees on their birthdays.
d) He sells his artwork and donates the proceeds to the facility’s “lunch money” fund.
Answers: 1) a. 2) a. 3) b. 4) d. 5) b.
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered June 28-July 4
USPS announces new stamps and celebrates Independence Day
The Postal Service announced several new stamp releases for 2026, as Link reported last week. These include a stamp recognizing the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, a new semipostal stamp that will help fund research to combat fentanyl abuse and holiday releases for Christmas, Diwali, Hannukah and Kwanzaa.
As America celebrated Independence Day, the Postal Service released its Declaration of Independence stamp and offered a special 1776 postmark for collectors.
Link shared the latest from the spring issue of The Eagle magazine, which looks at the processes accelerating service improvements and previews the upcoming summer issue’s story about how Sudbury, MA, lives up to its patriotic ZIP Code — 01776.
We told you about the postmaster general’s recent testimony to a Senate committee, the summer’s remaining career conferences, the winners of this year’s USPS supplier awards, and an initiative by the United Kingdom’s Royal Mail that is using the World Cup to expose a new generation to the value of mail.
Finally, “Heroes” told the story of Michael Zimmermann, a Rochester, NY, letter carrier who was delivering mail on a frigid day when he heard barking and whimpering coming from a parking lot.
He followed the sound to find a dog tied to a pole behind a large snowbank, hidden from view, with frozen drool hanging from its lips.
The USPS employee called animal control, where the dog was cared for and put up for adoption.
Email us your feedback. Your comments could be included in our “Mail” column.
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What's included
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USPS sites must comply with regulator checks
Reach out to a regional manager if contacted by a site inspector
-
Heroes
He heard a call from out of the cold
This letter carrier helped rescue an abandoned dog
-
People
Elementary school students receive a postal primer
-
News Quiz
You can celebrate America here
What do you know about the USPS website recognizing the 250th?
-
Week in Review
Here’s what Link covered June 28-July 4
USPS announces new stamps and celebrates Independence Day