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Daily printout: July 3


Thursday, July 3, 2025

A studio portrait of a main wearing a jacket and tie.
Michael Rakes, Atlantic Area vice president

Atlantic Area has a new vice president

Michael Rakes joined USPS as a letter carrier in 1996

Michael Rakes has been named Atlantic Area’s vice president.

He succeeds Scott Raymond, who retired June 27.

As vice president, Rakes is responsible for 12 districts, 8,600 Post Offices, 128,000 employees and 35.6 million delivery points.

Previously, Rakes served as Massachusetts-Rhode Island District manager; the Providence, RI, Processing and Distribution Center plant manager; and in several postmaster positions.

He began his Postal Service career in 1996 as a letter carrier.

A vintage-style stamp featuring a portrait of Benjamin Franklin in blue ink
A stamp featuring Benjami Franklin based on a 5-cent release from 1847 will be part of the new “Putting a Stamp on the American Experience” prestige booklet.

It’s a day to celebrate America — and USPS

Independence Day reminds us that the histories of the nation and the postal system are linked

Independence Day, the federal holiday that commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, is Friday, July 4.

The day is meaningful for all Americans but has added significance for the Postal Service, whose history is inextricably linked with the nation’s fight for independence.

On July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress established “a line of posts” from Maine to Georgia, understanding how crucial it was to create a network of communications that kept Colonists’ messages from falling into the British Crown’s hands.

Benjamin Franklin was selected as the first postmaster general. Franklin had served the Crown for decades as joint postmaster general of British North America, but was dismissed in 1774 for being deemed too sympathetic to the Colonies.

He was an obvious choice to lead the Colonists’ new organization, and while his tenure was brief — he served only a few months after adding his signature to the Declaration of Independence — his deep understanding of geography and transportation and his innovative approach to business laid the foundation for today’s organization.

To help mark its 250th anniversary, USPS will release a new stamp honoring Franklin. The stamp is based on an 1875 reproduction of a 5-cent stamp from 1847 — one of the first official U.S. postage stamps — and will be included in a new prestige booklet titled “Putting a Stamp on the American Experience.”

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Mail

Red, white and new again

These readers like the idea of re-releasing classic flag stamps

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Brief

WestPac Area, Massachusetts-Rhode Island District on top in scanning

A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.02 percent during the week ending June 27, down 0.41 percent from one week earlier.

The data was collected July 2.

WestPac led the four areas with a rating of 97.3 percent, while Central ranked last with a 96.83 percent rating.

Among the 50 districts, Massachusetts-Rhode Island, part of Atlantic Area, ranked first with a 98.54 percent rating, while Kansas-Missouri, part of Central Area, ranked last with a 94.28 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.

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