Postal Service puts lifeline to communities in jeopardy

Deliveries to Two Downeast Islands off MDI in Jeopardy After Postal Service Crackdown

From the article: "...Islanders pay Hopkins for his deliveries, but he says the postal service contract — worth $80,000 a year — accounted for half his income. And delivering everything together — the mail and other freight items — is the only way to be cost-efficient. He has to pay ferry, fuel, and insurance bills, and hires help to get the mail from Swans’ Island to Frenchboro...."

Article Reference: mpbn.net

Postal worker says dog attack was 'horrendous'

From the article: "...He's trained to use his postal bag as a defense, but in this case it was no help. "It literally just jumped up at me and lunged at me and grabbed my arm. Knocked me backward onto my butt," said De Lashmit. He says the dog backed off for a moment before it came back and grabbed his leg. "That's when I knew it wasn't just going to be a bite. I knew it was an actual attack," said De Lashmit. He kicked at the dog and managed to get to his feet only to have the dog attack again...."

Article Reference: www.kwch.com
America's most dangerous jobs, dog attacks,

60 Years After Theft, Rare 'Inverted Jenny' Stamp Turns Up

Rare 'Inverted Jenny' Stamp Turns Up 60 Years After Theft

From the article: "...There are other known "inverted Jenny" stamps from that sheet of 100, but this newly discovered stamp is from the stolen block of four. "After careful expert examination the rarity was determined to be position 76 in the pane of 100 subjects," the Spink USA auction house said in a press release...."

Article Reference: www.npr.org

35 of Alabama's tiniest rural post offices in towns with names you've never heard

From the article: "...In Alabama, post offices were established in small towns in the early 1800s. The earliest service in a town that still has a post office today was begun in Huntsville in 1811, according to the United States Postal Service...."

Article Reference: www.al.com

First Class Mail stamp price decrease in April

Stamp Prices Set To Drop 2 Cents In April, Putting USPS In Sticky Situation

From the article: "...The U.S. Postal Service is in dire financial straits. If the price of stamps goes down as scheduled in April, it could cost the already hemorrhaging post office $2 billion per year, according to a statement released by USPS. The planned cost reduction from 49 cents to 47..."

Article Reference: www.npr.org

How the Postal Service sold Richmond's Saunders Station PO for a song

From the article: "...(Disposing of properties below their market value is the subject of a scathing report by reporter Peter Byrne, Going Postal: U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein's husband sells post offices to his friends, cheap., which argues that CBRE, the Postal Service's real estate agent, is helping out its friends and clients with deals on postal property. The USPS Office of Inspector General has also done several audits criticizig the USPS-CBRE contract ..."

Article Reference: www.savethepostoffice.com

Police Clear Man Who Left Suspicious Envelopes At Post Office

From the article: "...Hours later, police were able to speak to the man and determined he did not commit a crime..."

Article Reference: miami.cbslocal.com

Suspicious Envelopes Left At USPS Office, Authorities Release Pictures Of Man Responsible

Authorities Release Pix Of Man Who Left Suspicious Envelopes At USPS Office

From the article: "...“I do know that the postal authorities that were dealing with him found his behavior to be suspicious and it did not seem to be a normal transaction going on,” said Postal Inspector Blad Rojo. It turned out both envelopes were addressed to the FBI. “That alerted the staff who then called in the FBI..."

Article Reference: miami.cbslocal.com

Never mix business with pleasure: How a postal lottery pool can cause issues

Lottery office pools gone terribly wrong

From the article: "...The postal worker won $175,000 in an Ohio lottery in 2004. He was taken to court by seven co-workers who claimed he'd cheated them out of winnings using a ticket from the office pool. Kyle was ordered by a judge to split the winnings evenly with the 20 other members of the pool, which comes to about $8,750 each..."

Article Reference: www.clickorlando.com

Historic post office mural lies hidden under paint

From the article: "...according to historians, underneath the beige paint — and maybe more layers than that — is the 12-foot by 6-foot mural painted by Donald Hall Robertson titled “Lumber Region of Mississippi.” A website dedicated to historic preservation in Mississippi, Misspreservation.com, includes an article about the downtown post office’s mural by local historian Mark Davis..."

Article Reference: www.hattiesburgamerican.com
Historic Post Offices,

USPS underuses Web system for reporting improperly prepared mail

From the article: "...The Electronic Mail Improvement Reporting system, or eMIR, was designed to save costs by assigning USPS workers to contact mailers about reported problems and how to fix them, according to the USPS Inspector General's December audit ..."

Article Reference: www.fiercegovernmentit.com
Electronic Mail Improvement Reporting system (eMIR),

Post Office drops the ball in pickup of soldier care packages

Mix-up leads to USPS delay in pickup of soldier care packages

From the article: "..."We had made special arrangements with the Albert Thomas post office to pick up on Saturday around 1:00 all of the boxes that we had labeled and ready to go," says HOME co-founder Ronnie Duhon..."They were unable to do anything to help us out," he said. 'Can't, don't, not authorized, impossible, those were the words they were using.'"

Article Reference: abc13.com

USPS Talks Preventing Package Theft This Christmas

From the article: "...We’ve seen it reported nationally and here in the Metro, people following delivery trucks and then stealing packages from front porches. The United States Postal Service says the best way to avoid that is to keep up with your package and keep in touch with the post office..."

Article Reference: wjtv.com
Mail theft,

Truths About Privatizing Social Security

From the article: "...People earn the right to participate in Social Security by working and contributing. It was never intended to be an investment program. Unlike private retirement plans, its purpose is to provide guaranteed income to seniors, disabled citizens, survivors, and their families. Privatization would severely undermine the system..."

Article Reference: www.apwu.org
Social Security

APWU protects workers with '50-Mile Limit' on Excessing Rule

50-Mile Limit - Minimizing Excessing Memo Extended

From the article: "... provisions of the Minimizing Excessing MOU will be reactivated and will continue until at least May 20, 2018 with one exception which is covered in the Step 4 Settlement (explained below),” reported President Dimondstein. “Excessing beyond 50 miles is so destructive to our members and devastating to their families, removing this concern for at least the next three years is a positive outcome for all APWU members of all Crafts.”..."

Article Reference: www.apwu.org
50-Mile Limit on excessing (APWU),

Mail, packages stolen from postal vehicles

From the article: "...Thieves broke into postal vehicles and stole packages and mail in a recent string of robberies in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. Police said the thieves broke in while the vehicles were parked and unattended..."

Article Reference: abc7chicago.com
Mail theft, postal crime,

Carper Postal Bill Will Cost Retirees

Will You Be Forced To Pay Into Medicare?

From the article: "...The bill requires postal retirees and their eligible family members to enroll in Medicare Parts B and D in order to continue coverage through the Postal Service Health Benefits Program: A Postal Service Medicare eligible annuitant subject to this section may not continue coverage under the Postal Service Health Benefits Program unless the Postal Service Medicare eligible annuitant enrolls in Medicare part A, Medicare part B, and Medicare part D. If a family member of a Postal Service annuitant who is subject to this section is a Medicare eligible individual, the family member may not be covered under the Postal Service Health Benefits Program as a family member of the Postal Service annuitant unless the family member enrolls in Medicare part A, Medicare part B, and Medicare part D. There is concern in the Federal community that if this bill becomes law, it will be expanded to include all Federal retirees."

Article Reference: www.fedsmith.com

Self Plus One is a new enrollment type that will be offered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program

From the article: "...Starting next year, all FEHB plans will offer Self Only, Self Plus One, and a Self and Family coverage. Postal employees and annuitants will be able to select Self Plus One coverage during the 2015 Open Season, which will run from Nov. 9 to Dec. 14..."

Article Reference: www.apwu.org
Self Plus One (FEHB), Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB),

Postal Service proposing to eliminate three clerk positions at Decatur Post Office

U.S. Postal Service proposing to eliminate three clerk positions at Decatur Post Office

From the article: "...Shelton Thomas, state president of the Postal Workers Union, said eliminating three clerk positions will result in long waits for customers. “We’re hoping they’ll take a re-look at this entire process,” he said Tuesday..."

Article Reference: www.decaturdaily.com
"Decatur, Alabama", Alabama,

Postal manager accused of selling cocaine off-duty, authorities say

Postal manager accused of selling cocaine, authorities say

From the article: "...Records show Papageorge, 47, is a Charlotte postal manager and makes more than $90,000 a year. Ervin said Papageorge was not getting drugs through mail. "All the business he was conducting as far as the cocaine was coming from his residence. We never got any information about him doing or dealing cocaine while he was at his work," said Ervin. ..."

Article Reference: www.wsoctv.com
Postal manager, postal crime, Postal drugs,

USPS and Union Go to Mediation as Postal Service Refuses Fair and Reasonable Wage Increases as well as...

Contract Mediation Gets Underway

From the article: "...“Across the country, today’s young workers are being consigned to second- and third-class jobs,” he said. “The Postal Service’s contract proposals would perpetuate the downward spiral, with lower wages and fewer benefits for future career employees, including today’s PSEs. “And under management’s plan, career workers would lose cost-of-living raises and be forced to worry about layoffs, plant closings and higher healthcare costs,” he added..."

Article Reference: www.apwu.org

Hundreds of SAT test lost in the mail, leaving students in bind

From the article: "...Parents say hundreds of SAT tests taken by Virginia students at a high school were lost in the mail, leaving students in a bind...."

Article Reference: www.cbsnews.com

Former postal management employee convicted of theft

Former postal supervisor convicted of theft

From the article: "...The jury heard from a registry clerk who reported she had received on at least one occasion a registry sack that had a hole in in it near the top. A delivery driver also testified about taking bags that appeared to have been cut open..."

Article Reference: www.yourhoustonnews.com

U.S. Postal Service debuts Civil War stamps in Galena – April 17

special pictorial postmark

From the article: "...Attention Civil War buffs! The Galena Post Office will be dedicating the new Civil War 1865 Forever Stamps at the Galena & U.S. Grant Museum. In addition, officials also plan to dedicate a special pictorial postmark designed by the museum...."

Article Reference: kwqc.com
Stamp Collecting, Stamps, Civil War Stamps, Collectible Stamps,

Postal People

15 Minutes with Paul Stineman

From the article: "... Then the post office job opened up and I applied and I got that and I was there 24 years. ... When I went in there was approximately 250 people in town and when I left there was over 600. So we'd seen good growth in those 20-some years. ..."

Article Reference: muscatinejournal.com

Is the Postal Service Shortchanging Priority Mail Shippers?

Is USPS Shortchanging Priority Mail Shippers?

From the article: "... A website called Save the Post Office posted an article yesterday about the USPS, how it treats workers, and its deals with Amazon.com. And it raises an interesting issue about whether the Postal Service is giving priority to Amazon packages over its own Priority Mail customers. ..."

Article Reference: www.ecommercebytes.com
Priority Mail, Universal Service, destruction of the postal service,

Postal Service change leads to delays in Fayetteville area Netflix service

Postal Service change leads to delays in video disc mailings

From the article: "... "First and foremost," she said in an email, "the Fayetteville Processing and Distribution Center has not closed, so I regret the customer was given incorrect information. I will, however, say that the employee who told him that was likely referring to the change in Service Standard that was first announced in 2012, at the same time as the announcement of the decision to consolidate Fayetteville." ..."

Article Reference: www.fayobserver.com
Fayetteville Processing and Distribution Center, Netflix, Service Standard Change (First Class Mail),

Postal Service is doing great! Posted a $1.325 billion profit in Controllable Operating Income

Things are looking up: The Postal Service's financial report for January 2015

From the article: "...the Postal Service posted a $1.325 billion profit in Controllable Operating Income. That’s compared to a $912 million profit for the same period last year (SPYL). ..."

Article Reference: www.savethepostoffice.com
Controllable Operating Income

Congress can keep Postal Service more than a name (Commentary)

From the article: "...USPS service standard changes due to its “Network Rationalization Plan” have been in effect since phase 1 started on July 1st 2012, now phase 2 has started on Jan. 5th of this year. These changes are a result of the previous postmaster general’s efforts to close mail processing centers, reduce hours at post offices, eliminate a day of mail delivery, and take away door-to-door delivery. The idea is that reducing services will help USPS’s financial problems, when instead this will more likely drive people away from using first class mail. ..."

Article Reference: journaltimes.com

Two postal workers robbed at a United States Postal Service Mail Processing Facility in Boca Raton

Two postal workers robbed in Boca Raton

From the article: "...Two postal workers say they were robbed early Wednesday morning at a United States Postal Service processing center at 2800 N. Military Trail....."

Article Reference: www.wptv.com

First-Class Mail Standards Slowed By USPS, Just Wait Until 82 More Processing Plants Close

House Dem seeks to save overnight delivery

From the article: "...given that the USPS is in the process of shuttering 82 mail processing centers. The Postal Service lowered delivery standards for letters and first-class mail earlier this year ..."

Article Reference: thehill.com
First-Class Mail Standard, Mail Processing Plant Closures 2015,

Mail delays detrimental, Tucson business leaders say

From the article: "...Tucson business leaders said they are experiencing significant delays in mail delivery since the U.S. Postal Service changed its service standards Jan. 5. ..."

Article Reference: tucson.com

Statement by Mark Dimondstein President, American Postal Workers Union, on New Postmaster General Megan Brennan

From the article: "...Sadly, the previous Postmaster General chose a path of that undermined the USPS – closing post offices, slashing hours of operations, virtually eliminating overnight delivery of first-class mail, and outsourcing key functions to unqualified private companies...."

Article Reference: www.apwu.org

More complaints about Postal Service: misplaced packages, poorly serviced routes and late deliveries

Nyack residents say post office has been mailing it in

From the article: "...chronicle dozens of complaints over misplaced packages, poorly serviced routes and late deliveries. A few residents claim to be so fed up they drive to the post office in West Nyack or at the Palisades Center mall. "There are many issues," Carlin said. ..."

Article Reference: www.lohud.com

UPS Puts Customer Service Over Profits

Seasonal Expenses Dent UPS Results

From the article: "...United Parcel Service Inc. said higher-than-expected seasonal expenses dragged down its earnings in the fourth quarter as the shipping giant took steps to avoid a repeat of the holiday shipping snafus that plagued its network in 2013. ..."

Article Reference: www.wsj.com

'We’re becoming slaves' Postal workers speak out against plant closures and speed-up

From the article: "...reporters spoke to postal workers at a post office in Davis, California. “We’re becoming slaves,” said Sharon, a letter carrier. “This used to be a good job, but they’re trying to claw us back to working at the minimum wage, while taking away our already meager pensions and benefits. With these most recent cutbacks that are supposed to start within days, they’re barely telling us anything. Everyone is interested and wants to know more, but they’ve barely said anything about it.”..."

Article Reference: www.wsws.org

Letter Carrier Delivers on the River (with video)

Mail by Boat: Calif. Carrier Delivers on the River

From the article: "...Rick Stelzriede, 61, of Tracy is the only postal carrier with a river route in California, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Still, he downplays his unusual role...."

Article Reference: www.nbcsandiego.com

‘Substantial Amount’ Of Mail Damaged In USPS Truck Fire While En Route From San Francisco To Los Angeles

From the article: "...mail was damaged during a vehicle fire involving a United States Postal Service tractor-trailer Sunday morning, according to a USPS spokesman...."

Article Reference: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/12/07/substantial-amount-of-mail-damaged-in-usps-truck-fire-while-en-route-from-san-francisco-to-los-angeles/
Fire

Postal worker unions helping Walmart employees fight for better pay

Coming to a Walmart Near You: The Fight for Better Pay

From the article: "...APWU has vowed to join Black Friday protests at Walmart stores around the country if the company refuses to give their workers full-time jobs with decent wages. “We’re urging union members to join in,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. The Walton family, which owns Wal-Mart, controls a fortune equal to the wealth of the bottom 42 percent of Americans combined, but they are notorious for paying their employees low wages. Walmart workers are fighting for $15 per hour pay and the right to form a union...."

Article Reference: www.apwu.org
Walmart, Wal-Mart, WMT Stock,

Megan J. Brennan appointed as next Postmaster General

Postal Service Board of Governors Selects Megan Brennan as 74th Postmaster General and CEO of the United States Postal Service

From the article: "...U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors today announced the appointment of Megan J. Brennan, the current chief operating officer of the Postal Service, as the 74th Postmaster General and CEO...."

Article Reference: globenewswire.com