Thursday, October 10, 2024
There’s whimsy in the winter air
These new stamps celebrate snowflakes
The Postal Service will release its Winter Whimsy stamps on Thursday, Oct. 10.
The block of four stamps celebrates the magic of the winter season with white, lacy, symmetrical graphic forms inspired by snowflakes.
The digitally rendered designs are reminiscent of paper snowflakes — the popular seasonal craft of cutting folded paper to create delicate, symmetrical designs — and include unique artwork in white against a background of a single rich color.
Greg Breeding, an art director for the Postal Service, worked with illustrator Bailey Sullivan to create the images.
The Forever stamps will be available in booklets of 20 at Post Offices and usps.com.
Columbus Day is Oct. 14
The annual observance has been a federal holiday since 1971
Columbus Day, a holiday that celebrates Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas, is Monday, Oct. 14.
The first Columbus Day celebration took place in 1792 in New York City. A century later, President Benjamin Harrison declared Columbus Day as a one-time national celebration to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s voyage.
In 1934, Congress passed a resolution calling on the president to issue a proclamation each year marking Oct. 12 as Columbus Day.
Since 1971, Columbus Day has been an official federal holiday observed on the second Monday of October.
Many Italian Americans observe the holiday as a celebration of their heritage — not just Columbus himself. The day also holds significance for those of Hispanic ancestry because Oct. 12 is celebrated throughout Latin America as Día de la Raza.
However, Native Americans and others have advocated for an Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a replacement for Columbus Day.
Columbus has also been the subject of several stamps through the years, including the first set of commemorative stamps — issued in 1893 — honoring his exposition.
The Library of Congress website has more information on Columbus Day.
October 17, 2024
Datebook
PSHB virtual seminar
USPS employees and annuitants may participate in an upcoming virtual seminar on the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program.
The session will be held Thursday, Oct. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern and from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern.
PSHB — which takes effect in 2025 — is a new, separate program within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and will be administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
USPS employees, annuitants, and eligible family members are required to enroll in this new program.
The MyHR website’s PSHB page has more information, including the Zoom links and passcodes to participate. To find the page, enter “Postal Service Health Benefits” in the MyHR search bar.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks.
Employees can also receive updates by texting “PSHBP” to 39369.
Atlantic Area, IA-NE-SD District lead in scanning
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.06 percent during the week ending Oct. 4, down 0.5 percent from one week earlier.
The data was collected Oct. 9.
Atlantic led the four areas with a rating of 97.47 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.29 percent rating.
Among the 50 districts, Iowa-Nebraska-South Dakota, part of Central Area, ranked first with a 98.38 percent rating, while California 5, part of Western Area, ranked last with an 91.54 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.