Thursday, July 16, 2026
Mr. ZIP celebrates the nation’s 250th
The YouTube series’ main character and his friends travel to 1776
A new episode of “Mail with Mr. ZIP” — the animated series on YouTube that aims to increase awareness of the Postal Service among young audiences — spotlights the nation’s 250th birthday.
In this episode, Mr. ZIP and his friends time travel to July 4, 1776, where they witness Benjamin Franklin — a Founding Father and the nation’s first postmaster general — sign the Declaration of Independence.
Afterward, Franklin hands letters to Mr. ZIP to deliver to U.S. historical figures. Mr. ZIP discovers the letters are invitations to a party celebrating the nation’s independence.
Viewers are also introduced to the term “semiquincentennial.”
The “Mail with Mr. ZIP” channel has more than 85,000 subscribers.
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On the Job
From ranch to branch
This Wyoming postmaster covers lots of ground
My name is Lorraine French and I’m the postmaster for Meeteetse, a small town in Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin.
My husband and I moved here from Montana 46 years ago to raise Black Angus cattle. We later had two children — that’s why I joined USPS.
I’ve been with the Postal Service for 33 years, starting out as a letter carrier in Powell. I became postmaster of Meeteetse 14 years ago and supervise one part-time flexible clerk and two highway contract routes.
Our ranch is 43 miles northeast of Meeteetse, and my commute ascends 2,500 feet in elevation. I see elk, deer, antelope and the occasional moose on the way — and I’m often the only soul on the road.
Between my work at the Post Office and on our ranch, I know everyone in the area. One customer refers to me as the “information lady” as I’m usually able to answer her questions whether she’s looking for a package, a housekeeper or a handyman.
Sometimes the two worlds meet, like when there’s a cattle drive on the street in front of my office!
We get tourists asking for directions, and I’ve had people hoping to locate a certain person. I can’t give out customer information, but I can relay a phone number.
I have introduced neighbors and reunited people. I also call, text and email my customers to let them know when their packages arrive. My record for packages was 46 for one gentleman.
I spend my off hours with our cows, and still drive a truck during harvest season, but I’m not in the physical shape I used to be.
It makes me appreciate what the rest of my family does — my husband, daughter and son work on the ranch — and they have learned to appreciate the hot meal I make for them when I come home.
Sometimes it feels good to drive away from all that ranch work because I really love my job as postmaster. I never know what the day will bring!
“On the Job,” a column on individual employees and their contributions to the Postal Service, appears regularly in Link.
Central Area, South Carolina District lead in scanning
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.08 percent during the week ending July 10, down 0.45 percent from one week earlier.
The data was collected July 15.
Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.47 percent, while WestPac ranked last with a 96.66 percent rating.
Among the 50 districts, South Carolina, part of Southern Area, ranked first with a 98.52 percent rating, while California 4, part of WestPac Area, ranked last with a 92.42 percent rating.
Scanning data allows customers to track their mail and packages, which helps USPS deliver excellent service, boost loyalty and drive revenue.
To see the latest data, go to the Informed Visibility website and select “Customer Experience,” followed by “DES 2 Scan Performance.” Postal Service employees must request Informed Visibility access through eAccess.