Thursday, September 10, 2026
This Lowrider stamp star shines at the Smithsonian
‘El Rey’ is part of an exhibition on the Mexican-American vehicle culture
An ongoing exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, features an iconic vehicle depicted on the Postal Service’s Lowriders stamps.
The bilingual exhibit, “Corazón y vida: Lowriding Culture,” contains photographs, displays and artifacts from the 80-year history of Mexican Americans throughout the Southwest showcasing their heritage, artistic skills and craftmanship by transforming ordinary cars into extraordinary works of art.
The Postal Service featured five well-known cars on its Lowriders stamps, which were dedicated March 13 in San Diego. One of them, a 1963 Chevrolet Impala known as “El Rey,” is on display at the museum.
Three generations of the De Alba family built “El Rey” over six years. Named after a song made famous in part by Mexican singer Vicente Fernández, the car features air-brushed and painted murals, a digital dashboard, custom candy-red paint and etched chrome details.
“I put every ounce of my knowledge into that vehicle,” lowrider builder Albert De Alba Sr. said in a documentary made by the Los Angeles-based Petersen Automotive Museum.
A second lowrider displayed in the exhibit, “Gypsy Rose,” was featured in the 1970s television show “Chico and the Man,” and in the 1979 film “Boulevard Nights.”
“Gypsy Rose” was built by Jesse Valadez Sr., Gilbert Valadez, Walt Prey and Don Heckman. The car was placed on the National Historic Vehicle Register in 2017.
Nicole Mattson and Felecia Martinez, who live in Española, NM — the city that bills itself as the “Lowrider Capital of the World” — recently visited the exhibit at the National Museum of American History.
“The lowrider culture just speaks out for us. It reflects our heritage, and it shows the respect and the artistry that the builders put into their cars,” Martinez said.
“Corazón y vida: Lowriding Culture” also includes a traveling exhibit that runs through July 2029.
The Lowriders stamps are on sale at Post Offices and usps.com.
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If you get a suspicious email or request, report it
These activities are often a prelude to a cyberattack on USPS
The Postal Service is reminding employees and contractors to immediately report suspicious computer activity.
Employees and contractors are often the first to notice when a cybersecurity incident is happening when they receive a suspicious email or unexpected multifactor authentication request.
If you notice something suspicious, here’s what to do:
• Don’t click on links, open attachments, respond to suspicious messages or continue entering information on that page or site.
• Don’t do anything that could interfere with a cybersecurity investigation.
• Report the suspicious activity immediately.
• Provide relevant details, such as when you first noticed the activity, to USPS cybersecurity professionals to aid them in their investigation.
Suspicious activity can sometimes appear to be a minor or isolated event. Reporting these incidents quickly allows the organization to work to contain potential threats to USPS information, systems and operations.
The Report to CyberSafe Blue page has instructions for reporting cyber incidents.
PCCs now have a role for postmasters
Postal customer councils, also known as PCCs, have been restructured to include a postal vice chair position to provide postmasters and equivalent positions opportunities to serve on their local PCC.
“Their participation will help ensure retail and delivery operations are well represented while advancing the PCC mission of building strong customer relationships and promoting Postal Service products and services,” read a memo announcing the change.
There are more than 90 PCCs across the nation and they work to foster a closer working relationship between the Postal Service and commercial mailers and shippers.
Central Area, Maine-New Hampshire-Vermont District lead in scanning
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.06 percent during the week ending Sept. 4, down 0.59 percent from one week earlier.
The data was collected Sept. 9.
Central led the four areas with a rating of 97.34 percent, while WestPac ranked last with a 96.92 percent rating.
Among the 50 districts, Maine-New Hampshire-Vermont, part of Atlantic Area, ranked first with a 98.41 percent rating, while California 4, part of WestPac Area, ranked last with a 92.3 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.