The Election Hanky-Panky Begins | Five North Dakota Counties Report Absentee Ballots with No Postmarks

Five North Dakota Counties Report Absentee Ballots with No Postmarks

From the article: "Lisa Hart, Burleigh County elections coordinator, said the vast majority of the ballots that were missing postmarks were received between June 12-14. Ballots had to be postmarked by June 10 and received within 13 days of the election for the votes to count. ...Howe said he plans to reach out to the Postal Service to ensure that absentee ballots receive postmarks in November. A request for comment directed to the U.S. Postal Service was not immediately returned Monday. ..."

Article Reference: www.kvrr.com

Horses are the stars of these stamps

Horses are the stars of these stamps

From the article: "The Postal Service will release its Horses stamps on Monday, June 17. ...The stamps feature five individual horses. ...The Forever stamps will be available in panes of 20 at Post Offices and usps.com. The stamps will be dedicated during a ceremony at the National Pony Express Association’s 2024 Re-Ride event in St. Joseph, MO."

Article Reference: usps.com
Horses stamps, Stamp Collecting, National Pony Express Association,

U.S. Postal Service Reducing Package Presort Discounts

U.S. Postal Service Reducing Package Presort Discounts

From the article: "...The presort discount system, created decades ago, turned over large sections of postal operations to private companies, for private profit. The Postal Service gives companies like Pitney Bowes and other large mailers huge postage discounts, or “corporate welfare,” to presort letters and packages before entering them “downstream” in the postal network. These discounts vary based on how much sorting work the presort companies undertake (how much postal worker work they replace). This “last mile” strategy guts postal processing facilities and bypasses postal truck transportation. Today, private companies sort roughly 80 to 90 percent of all letter mail volume before entering the postal network. Likewise, private parcel “consolidators” presort the majority of parcels delivered by the Postal Service, with many being entered directly at the delivery unit, bypassing nearly the entirety of the Postal Service’s transportation and processing networks. The Postal Service has fully endorsed, promoted and accelerated this presort and last-mile strategy for decades – until now...."

Article Reference: apwu.org
Package Presort Discounts

Britain’s 500-year-old Royal Mail is being bought by a Czech billionaire

Britain’s 500-year-old Royal Mail is being bought by a Czech billionaire

From the article: "... London CNN — The owner of Royal Mail has accepted a £3.57 billion ($4.6 billion) takeover bid from Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský, paving the way for the sale of one of Britain’s oldest and most iconic institutions to a foreign owner for the first time. International Distribution Services, which owns the loss-making postal service, said Wednesday that it had accepted a £3.70-per-share ($4.69) takeover offer from Křetínský’s EP Group. The deal has consequences for thousands of workers and has sparked anxiety about the future of a key piece of national infrastructure, which delivers a vital public service. ..."

Article Reference: www.cnn.com

Tallahassee post offices suffer from lack of oversight, poor conditions, audits say

Tallahassee post offices suffer from lack of oversight, poor conditions, audits say

From the article: "At the request of U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, the Office of Inspector General was sent down to conduct comprehensive audits on several local facilities and take a look into the years-long mail delivery issues plaguing Florida's capital...The reports came back finding major problems across each of the facilities: Delayed mail, improper package scanning, problems with carriers filling out time cards, and dilapidated properties, to name a few. ..."

Article Reference: www.tallahassee.com

Birmingham Alabama Area | U.S. Postal Service temporarily shuts down Bluff Park post office

U.S. Postal Service temporarily shuts down Bluff Park post office

From the article: "...A press release from the Postal Service didn’t elaborate on the “safety concern,” but the post office for years has been dealing with a pervasive mold problem in that building at 762 Shades Mountain Plaza. “The U.S. Postal Service’s priority is the safety and well-being of its employees and customers,” the press release said. The shutdown was due to “an abundance of caution. “Postal officials are working to resolve this safety issue and will be providing an update to customers once a thorough assessment has been completed,” the Postal Service said. ..."

Article Reference: hooversun.com
Health Issues Caused By Mold, Mold, Safety,

USPS to let new stamps fly on Flag Day

USPS to let new stamps fly on Flag Day

From the article: "...U.S. Flags, the Postal Service’s latest set of stamps celebrating the Stars and Stripes, will be released on Friday, June 14 — Flag Day. The four designs depict Old Glory majestically waving..."

Article Reference: news.usps.com
Flag Day

Postal Service will begin upgrading the operating system on ACE desktop and laptop computers in August

Postal Service will begin upgrading the operating system on ACE desktop and laptop computers in August

ACE computers to get Windows 11 in August

From the article: "...The installation will take two to four hours. The upgrade will not affect any files stored on the ACE workstations. More information is available in the May 28 CIO Notice of Information...."

Article Reference: news.usps.com
USPS ACE computers to get Windows 11 in August 2024, Windows 11,

NPMHU MOU | New Annual Leave Carryover for Leave Year 2024 and Annual Leave Exchange Option for Leave Year 2025

NPMHU MOU | New Annual Leave Carryover for Leave Year 2024 and Annual Leave Exchange Option for Leave Year 2025

From the article: "...two new Memoranda of Understanding that expands annual leave benefits for the 2024 leave year. The first MOU allows for additional Annual Leave Carryover for the 2025 Leave Year. In the 2022 National Agreement, the MOU on Annual Leave Carryover allows regular work force employees to carryover 440 hours of accumulated annual leave. The new MOU on Annual Leave Carryover for Leave Year 2025 expands that limit and allows regular work force employees to carryover 520 hours of accumulated leave from leave year 2024 to leave year 2025...."

Article Reference: National Postal Mail Handlers Union
National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU),

Chesapeake man sentenced for role in robberies of USPS mail carriers

Chesapeake man sentenced for role in robberies of USPS mail carriers

From the article: "...Court documents reveal that 22-year-old O’Sirus Charles Landres Ford was involved in the social media group “Three Keys” which conspired to steal arrow keys from USPS mail carriers. Arrow keys are used by mail carriers to unlock blue collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers and apartment mailbox panels. According to officials, Ford was specifically warned by fellow group members while discussing how to commit the robberies to “proceed carefully,” as the crime is considered federal and carries a more severe penalty. ..."

Article Reference: www.wavy.com
Arrow keys, Robbery,

Rhode Island man sentenced to prison for role in drug trafficking conspiracy involving kidnapping of U.S. Postal Worker

Rhode Island man sentenced to prison for role in drug trafficking conspiracy involving kidnapping of U.S. Postal Worker

From the article: "...PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who previously admitted to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, which involved a plot to kidnap a U.S Postal Service employee while members of the conspiracy searched for missing cocaine that had been shipped from Puerto Rico, was sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary Cunha. 36-year-old Irving Medina pleaded guilty..."

Article Reference: fallriverreporter.com

Jury can hear ex-Brooklyn postal worker's boasts about criminal past in shooting threat case

Jury can hear ex-Brooklyn postal worker's boasts about criminal past in shooting threat case

From the article: "...Former United States Postal Service mail carrier Quadri Garnes, a registered sex offender from Brooklyn who served time for a 1994 attempted rape conviction, faces federal charges after he exploded over the phone Sept. 29, 2022, at two state Labor Department workers, threatening to shoot up a post office and kill several people. ..."

Article Reference: www.nydailynews.com

Dale Strong calls for North Alabama (Huntsville) Postal Service distribution facility

Dale Strong calls for North Alabama Postal Service distribution facility

From the article: "The congressman has formally requested that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) invest in a new Processing and Distribution Facility (PD&F) in Huntsville. ...Huntsville, once home to its own distribution facility, saw its operations consolidated to Birmingham in 2011, a fact Strong noted in his letter to the USPS chief. ...According to Strong, the root cause of mail delivery issues stems from the Birmingham distribution facility lacking the capacity to efficiently serve North Alabama residents. “Most Postal Service issues reported to my office involve the timeliness of priority mail and package processing in the Birmingham P&DF,” Strong wrote. “Post Office clerks from various locations in my district have communicated to constituents that these delays are solely due to mail being lost or stalled in Birmingham because the facility is lacking the operational capacity to process the current volume of mail.” In making his case for North Alabama to USPS, Strong noted that since the 2010 census, the population of Huntsville and Madison County has grown by 36% and 23%, respectively."

Article Reference: yellowhammernews.com
Huntsville Processing and Distribution Facility (Huntsville P&DF),Birmingham Mail Processing Facility,delay of mail, Largest City in Alabama (Huntsville),

Do you know the differences between Election Mail, Ballot Mail and Political Mail?

Do you know the differences between Election Mail, Ballot Mail and Political Mail?

From the article: "...The Postal Service wants to remind employees about the differences between Election Mail, Ballot Mail and Political Mail, and the role each will play in the 2024 election process. Election Mail is any item mailed to or from authorized election officials..."

Article Reference: usps.com

Congresswoman Spanberger Presses USPS Postmaster General to Address Service Issues After Hearing From More Than 1800

Spanberger Presses USPS Postmaster General to Address Service Issues After Hearing From More Than 1800

From the article: "Since Relaunching Her USPS Survey Last Month Following Audit of the Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center, the Congresswoman Has Received..."

Article Reference: house.gov

GSA Per Diem Rate Now Covers Daily Cost at NCED Eatery Effective March 15, 2024.

GSA Per Diem Rate Now Covers Daily Cost at NCED Eatery Effective March 15, 2024.

From the article: "...The General Services Administration Per Diem Rate of $59 Now Covers Daily Cost of Meals at National Center for Employee Development’s “3 Squares Eatery,” Effective March 15, 2024. ..."

Article Reference: apwu.org
National Center for Employee Development (NCED), GSA, Per Diem Rate,

Reward offered for information in Killeen USPS robbery

Reward offered for information in Killeen USPS robbery

From the article: "...The United States Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $150,000..."

Article Reference: www.fox44news.com

Former Rochester mail carrier pleads guilty to theft of mail

Former Rochester mail carrier pleads guilty to theft of mail

From the article: "ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Marlene Cruz, 40, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to theft of mail matter by officer or employee..."

Article Reference: www.justice.gov
theft of mail matter by officer or employee

Audit: Postal Service contract truckers had their kids riding along

Audit: Postal Service contract truckers had their kids riding along

From the article: "...Carriers and owner-operators hired by the U.S. Postal Service to handle the agency’s highway freight have been red-flagged by auditors for safety and security violations, including having unauthorized family members riding along in their trucks. The audit, conducted from February through September 2023 by the Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), was designed to assess the Postal Service’s transportation workplace safety and driver security by looking at eight Processing and Distribution Centers (P&DCs) nationwide. ...The OIG focused on both highway contract routes (HCRs) and Postal Vehicle Service (PVS) drivers. HCRs are long-haul routes contracted to private trucking companies to carry mail ..."

Article Reference: www.freightwaves.com
Unsecured Trailers, Mail Theft, Sanctity of Mail Violations, Poor Vetting of Mail Processing Transportation Managers,

‘Man, I’m done.’ MS Coast man reacts after AL postal inspectors intercept drug shipments

‘Man, I’m done.’ MS Coast man reacts after AL postal inspectors intercept drug shipments

From the article: "The VIKEN handheld X-ray scanner will allow officers to scan cars, buildings to help them find money, drugs and even explosives that are hidden. MBN and HIDTA hope this will help combat drug trafficking and keep drugs out of Mississippi. The meth had been mailed from Las Vegas and placed inside two metal cans wrapped in some black plastic, the records say. A further search of post office records showed Ray had received other deliveries in the past from the same Las Vegas address. The Alabama postal inspector worked with agents from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Drug Enforcement Administration to set up the delivery of a portion of the meth to Ray’s home. Once the delivery was made, the drug agents went to the home and confronted Ray. ..."

Article Reference: www.sunherald.com

Is mail being stolen inside a major Houston USPS facility?

Is mail being stolen inside a major Houston USPS facility?

From the article: "...Grayden said on Jan. 24, she mailed a quarterly check to the IRS to pay for her taxes. She even paid extra to send it via certified mail because she thought that would be the safest way to make sure someone at the IRS signed off on receiving the check. Then, on Feb. 15, Grayden said she saw a pending payment in her bank account for an amount she didn't recognize. When she looked at an image of the check on her bank's website, she realized the check number matched the one she sent to the IRS, but the amount on it was changed to $9,000. ..."

Article Reference: abc13.com

Alabama postal worker sold USPS key, leading to mail stolen from collection boxes

Alabama postal worker sold USPS key, leading to mail stolen from collection boxes

From the article: "Alabama Postal worker sells USPS key, then hundreds of pieces of mail are stolen, feds say. ...she sold a USPS key for $2,500 — resulting in hundreds of pieces of mail stolen in Alabama. While a mail carrier at a post office in Prichard, the woman stole a USPS “arrow” key and sold it to a “co-conspirator” in exchange for cash in October 2022, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama. This co-conspirator used the key, which opens all the blue USPS collection boxers in a specific region, to steal mail, prosecutors said..."

Article Reference: www.miamiherald.com

Son’s items are now lost in a postal bin in Alabama | USPS lost package with family Bible, personal documents

Alabama | USPS lost package with family Bible, personal documents

From the article: "...BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Dozens of people have been facing issues with delayed delivery of their mail and packages. Marquita Smith shared that she paid extra for faster shipping with the United States Postal Service, but unfortunately, her son’s items are now lost in a postal bin in Alabama.

WBRC contacted the US Postal Service with Marquita Smith’s tracking number and they reported that there was no scan available. ..."

Article Reference: www.wbrc.com

ll Joaquin, 48, of South Berwick, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Portland to theft of mail by a postal carrier.

Former Maine postal carrier admits stealing cash, gift cards from the mail

From the article: "...According to court records, between January and May 2023, Joaquin opened and stole the contents of greeting cards from his postal route. ..."

Article Reference: www.wmtw.com