POSTAL NEWS

...from various sources.

3.28.2024

Green Initiatives | Germany's postal service ceases domestic mail flights in effort to reduce CO2 emissions

"...Deutsche Post will no longer use aircraft to carry letters within Germany after more than six decades of doing so. The move aims to cut costs and reduce CO2 emissions — but it will also mean slower delivery. ...The last planes carrying letters for delivery within Germany took off on Thursday as German postal service Deutsche Post discontinues its domestic mail flights after more than 62 years."   
Source: www.dw.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.26.2024

San Francisco and Oakland had most postal robberies in California in 2023, data shows

"... Data recently released to ABC7 News shows that San Francisco and Oakland had the greatest number of postal robberies in all of California in 2023. ..."   
Source: abc7news.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.25.2024

USPS creates new organization, called Infrastructure and Operations Support

"The Postal Service has a new organization to support USPS network transformation initiatives.

Under the Delivering for America plan, the Postal Service is building a network that consists of regional processing and distribution centers, local processing centers, sorting and delivery centers, and integrated logistics infrastructure.

The new organization, called Infrastructure and Operations Support ..."   
Source: news.usps.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.24.2024

Atlanta Waives Water Bill Late Fees Amid Poor U.S. Postal Service Performance

"... Residents have been at the mercy of a beleaguered postal system, experiencing lapses in services ranging from vanished ballots to absent checks, the woes of which have been prominent enough to spur an investigation by Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff...."   
Source: hoodline.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.22.2024

Postal Service Investing In Chattanooga Facility, But Mail Processing To Be In Nashville

"...As part of a $40 billion investment strategy to upgrade and improve the Postal processing, transportation, and delivery networks, the United States Postal Service announced its plan to modernize mail operations at its Chattanooga Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC).

Officials said, "The announcement comes following a thorough business review and solicitation of public feedback on the facility’s future. In addition to determining the facility will remain open and modernized as a Local Processing Center ..."   
Source: www.chattanoogan.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.16.2024

Postmaster General DeJoy Statement on 30-day Sentence for Armed Robbery of San Francisco USPS Letter Carrier

"Postmaster General Louis DeJoy released the following statement regarding a recent 30-day sentence for a criminal involved in the armed robbery of a Postal Service letter carrier in San Francisco:

“It is simply unacceptable that a criminal was sentenced to a mere 30-days for threatening a letter carrier at gunpoint and stealing his personal possessions, as well as both the public's mail and packages. This sends a concerning message..."   
Source: usps.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.15.2024

Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program Offers Very Limited Information on Plans

Here are the carriers in the Postal Service health insurance program

"the new Postal Service Health Benefits Program in the fall, the Office of Personnel Management debuted a list of insurance companies who applied to offer coverage for 1.9 million employees, retirees and dependants next year. A total of 32 plans received conditional approval to participate in the program, which will cover about 20% of beneficiaries currently enrolled in the governmentwide Federal Employees Health Benefit program. ...Feds who don’t make an election won’t lose coverage; they’ll just be automatically added to the cheapest, nationwide, non-high deductible plan."   
Source: www.federaltimes.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.11.2024

Official USPS Store | Create Your Personalized Stamped Envelopes and Cards

Official USPS Store | Create Your Personalized Stamped Envelopes and Cards
"Perfect for sending out invoices, notices, reminders, and other business mail, Personalized Stamped Envelopes and Cards are pre-printed with your return address and postage. And in most cases they’re printed and ready to ship in 7-10 business days. ...Step 1: Choose an envelope size or a card Pick an envelope size. Even add a transparent address window"   
Source: store.usps.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.05.2024

San Diego USPS Employee Convicted of Assault for Stabbing Supervisor in Head

"...Prosecutors say Edwin Cuadrado Jr. attacked the victim on Aug. 25 in the parking lot of a USPS mail processing and distribution facility on Rancho Carmel Drive.

A San Diego federal jury returned its verdict on Friday afternoon, finding Cuadrado guilty of assault on a federal employee. ..."   
Source: timesofsandiego.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.02.2024

Lax oversight of trucking contractors plagues Postal Service

"... The audit, released on Friday by the Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), was requested by Congress last year following a Wall Street Journal investigation into safety violations and fatal crashes involving long-distance carriers that haul mail for the agency. The Postal Service does not track accidents and fatalities involving its trucking contractors, the OIG audit revealed, ..."   
Source: finance.yahoo.com

Visit Our Homepage

3.01.2024

AI is Dangerous and Google’s ‘Woke’ Image Generator Proves 'Built-In' Anti-White Political Bias of AI

Article Title: Google’s ‘Woke’ Image Generator Shows the Limitations of AI

"“anti-white bias.” Numerous users reported that the system was producing images of people of diverse ethnicities and genders even when it was historically inaccurate ... When prompted to create an image of Vikings, Gemini showed exclusively Black people in traditional Viking garb. A “founding fathers” request returned Indigenous people in colonial outfits; another result depicted George Washington as Black. When asked to produce an image of a pope, the system showed only people of ethnicities other than white. In some cases, Gemini said it could not produce any image at all of historical figures like Abraham Lincoln, Julius Caesar, and Galileo. ..."   
Source: www.wired.com

Visit Our Homepage

USPS AI integration in public service

"...“It’s modernizing the entire service across the board, whether it’s hiring practices ..."   
Source: fedscoop.com

More Reading: Google’s ‘Woke’ Image Generator Shows the Limitations of AI; www.wired.com

Visit Our Homepage

2.25.2024

How FedEx could win by losing its Postal Service business

"... FedEx would benefit from the partial, or complete, loss of its huge contract with the U.S. Postal Service because it would force the parcel delivery giant to downsize a bloated and expensive air transport network, which could help revive profitability, said Brandon Oglenski, who covers the company for Barclays Bank...."   
Source: www.freightwaves.com

Visit Our Homepage

UPS leases large space in Rock Hill's Legacy Park West for facility to open later this year

"... Shipping giant UPS Inc. (NYSE: UPS) has leased most of a recently completed industrial building in Rock Hill. UPS confirmed to the Charlotte Business Journal this week that it signed on for approximately 175,000 square feet at 1533 Galleria Blvd. The 231,000-square-foot industrial building was developed by Indus Realty Trust at the Legacy Park West development in Rock Hill. UPS did not disclose how many employees would work at the facility, but acknowledged it would open by year end. ..."   
Source: www.bizjournals.com

Visit Our Homepage

Portland UPS facility shutting down, resulting in layoffs for 300+ workers

"... PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The upcoming closure of a UPS facility in Portland will leave more than 300 current employees without jobs in April, the company announced in a recent letter.

The Portland Day Sort location near Portland’s Swan Island will permanently close on April 19 due to what the company cites as a “volume loss in our network.”..."   
Source: www.koin.com

Visit Our Homepage

2.22.2024

USPS to Buy Six Canoo EVs

Canoo
"The Postal Service will take delivery of six right-hand drive versions of Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle 190 in Q1 2024. ... This electrification effort is part of the USPS’s $40 billion investment strategy..."   
Source: www.brakeandfrontend.com

Visit Our Homepage

2.21.2024

The Postal Service Health Benefits program, prescription coverage and Open Season 2025

"The federal health care enrollment period is months away, but you can start preparing now. ..."   
Source: www.govexec.com

Visit Our Homepage

2.15.2024

History | Discover the history of the postal service's vehicular fleet, the largest in the world.

"... In December 1899, an automobile mail wagon was tested for the first time. It was manufactured by the Winton Company of Cleveland, Ohio. The test was conducted with snow both on the ground and falling. Even in those conditions, the new vehicle covered 22 miles of paved and unpaved streets in just under two and one-half hours, stopping at 126 mailboxes along the route. The average time for a horse and wagon over the same route was six hours.

Officials cheered the dramatic increase in collection speed and soon postmasters across the country were testing motorized vehicles. Collection times were cut at least in half in most trials. This was exciting news for the time-conscious Post Office ..."   
Source: postalmuseum.si.edu

Visit Our Homepage

2.12.2024

Blue Collection Box Theft | Police seeking pair who reportedly stole mailbox from Nolensville post office

"... In the video from across the street, authorities said you can see what appears to be short bursts of light. That’s where one of the suspects reportedly used an impact wrench to twist four-inch bolts, securing the postal box, out of the ground. ..."   
Source: www.wkrn.com

Visit Our Homepage

2.11.2024

The Nation’s First Commemorative Stamps | National Postal Museum

"...In keeping with the exposition’s celebratory theme, the U.S. Post Office Department issued the nation’s first commemorative stamps, the “Columbians” (New South Wales issued the world’s first commemoratives in 1888). The American Bank Note Company printed the stamps, which comprised the last new series before the Bureau of Engraving and Printing assumed stamp production in 1894. ...Images of the Stamps"   
Source: postalmuseum.si.edu

Visit Our Homepage

2.03.2024

Texas | Houston No. 1 in stolen checks resold on dark web, research shows

"... Langham said that's when his company installed a camera specifically to watch their mailbox. But, he said that didn't stop the thieves, who he believes had a master key to the mailbox because they were able to open the entire cluster of mailboxes. "Where did you get the master key," Langham said. "Did you steal it? Did someone give it to you and then turn around and say, 'I lost my key, that key fits all of the mailboxes.'"...Houston is a hot spot for criminals stealing mail and selling stolen checks on the dark web or online messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram."   
Source: abc13.co

Visit Our Homepage

1.31.2024

Ex-UPS worker dressed in uniform kills 3 in front of 2 kids during home invasion

"A former UPS worker dressed in uniform... Alonzo Pierre Mingo allegedly showed up at the Jungwirths’ door on Friday wearing a UPS uniform — his former employer ..."   
Source: nypost.com

Visit Our Homepage

1.30.2024

UPS to cut 12,000 jobs worldwide following poor 2023 performance. Here's what to know

"... issues including continual decreases in package volume and several business operation adjustments that altered shifts and, in some cases, led to layoffs.

To cut costs in an already challenging 2024, UPS announced Tuesday it will reduce its worldwide workforce by 12,000 positions this year, leading to roughly $1 billion in savings for the company...."   
Source: www.courier-journal.com

Visit Our Homepage

1.29.2024

Crime Infested Minneapolis | Postal workers rally in Minneapolis over increasing violence

Postal workers rally in Minneapolis over increasing violence

"...A rally on Sunday sought to deliver a simple message in the face of increasing violence against postal delivery workers. The National Association of Letter Carriers held the "Enough is Enough" rally outside the Main Post Office in Minneapolis to bring attention to and demand an end to the assaults and robberies of letter carriers. ..."   
Source: www.cbsnews.com

Visit Our Homepage

1.19.2024

US Postal Service suspends mail deliveries in Pasadena neighborhood after shots fired at mailman

""I did ask how long this is going to be, and she said it could be a week. It could be a month. It could be longer. We don't know," Rick Pena, who lives in the neighborhood, said. Pena is looking forward to getting back his mail delivery service. ..."   
Source: abc13.com

Visit Our Homepage

1.13.2024

Webinar | ‘USPS Retirement Health Benefits

"...Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar that will address benefits available after retirement. The session, “USPS Retirement Health Benefits: Medicare, Dental and Vision,” will be held Wednesday, Jan. 17, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. ..."   
Source: news.usps.com

Visit Our Homepage

1.12.2024

Unknown explosive device destroys mailboxes in Teller County, Colorado

"... The Teller County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Thursday night explosion that destroyed a mailbox south of Florissant. ..."   
Source: www.koaa.com

Visit Our Homepage

1.11.2024

Stamp Collecting | Completing a matched set of Snow Globes stamps and postmarks

"...the four new holiday sprayed-on postmarks being used throughout the United States. The designs mostly corresponded with the 2023 Snow Globes forever stamps (Scott 5816-5819) issued Sept. 19, 2023. Those stamps show a snowman, Santa Claus, a deer and a tree. The four new postmarks show snow globes with a snowman, Santa, a tree and a row of three buildings. ..."   
Source: www.linns.com

Visit Our Homepage

1.09.2024

The USPS employee news website has a new look

"... the Postal Service’s employee news website gets a fresh look and feel. We’re adding some new features, such as “Datebook” — a look at forthcoming USPS events — and streamlining other titles (“Heroes’ Corner” is now “Heroes,” for example). We’re also organizing our columns and stories so they’re easier to find and improving our search function. ..."   
Source: news.usps.com

Visit Our Homepage

12.28.2023

Mystery of the mailed, missing shrimp

"... The thread in r/duluth from username "fermentedflaneur" says that a friend sent them some live cherry shrimp, but sent them to the wrong address, an address that doesn't exist (730 E Toledo St Duluth MN 55805). Despite that, the shrimp were reported as delivered in the USPS tracking tool. The Reddit user says they called the local post office and the national customer service number and submitted a ticket to contact them if the package was found. ..."   
Source:

Visit Our Homepage

12.27.2023

Birmingham: has your mail delivery been slow? You’re not alone

"... “Some Hoover neighborhoods are having trouble with mail delivery,” said Lazy Acres subdivision resident Tom Noon in an email to the Lede. “…I have sent mail and complained to the Hoover Post Office, but no response..."   
Source: www.al.com

Visit Our Homepage

12.21.2023

In just one month, Postal Service to raise price of Forever first-class stamps to 68 cents

"You don't have forever to get Forever stamps at their current 66-cent price. ...Other services will see an increase, too, including"   
Source: www.northjersey.com

Visit Our Homepage

12.17.2023

Postal service employee headed to prison for what he stole from package, officials say

"... Denarkis Deon Houston, 31, of Charlotte, was ordered to serve 15 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. ...According to information contained in court filings, Houston worked as a mail-handling equipment operator at a USPS processing and distribution center in Charlotte. "   
Source: www.wyff4.com

Visit Our Homepage

12.04.2023

Don’t use this ink when mailing packages, post office recommends

"...When it comes to ink, you need to make good decisions there, too. Avoid red pen or ink that smears easily, USPS recommends and, when possible, type and print your labels. And, if you’re mailing a check, experts recommend using a gel pen to help protect it from “washing,”

Check-washing scams involve changing the payee names and often the dollar amounts on checks and fraudulently depositing them. Occasionally, the checks are stolen from mailboxes ..."   
Source: www.al.com

Visit Our Homepage

Knoxville, Tennessee postal facility the latest impacted by nationwide restructuring program

"...No questions were answered at a public United States Postal Service mail processing facility review (MPFR) meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee on Thursday, which was held to share the preliminary findings of a facility review that began in October and take public comment on them. The audience of about 50 USPS workers was already well aware of the findings which had been published two weeks prior to the meeting. ..."   
Source: www.wsws.org

Visit Our Homepage

Postal worker stole 70 phones at central Pa. sorting facility

"...Lamar Darius Wilson, stole 70 cell phones while working at several U.S. Postal Service sorting centers. ...Because the specifications of the iPhone 13 were known, police were able to find where it was sold and link Wilson to the sorting facility...Wilson stole an estimated $36,120 worth of phones, and remains at large as of Friday night."   
Source: www.pennlive.com

Visit Our Homepage

Postal town hall canceled after USPS declined to participate

" As a public service, the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office offered to sponsor a “Postal Town Hall” so that representatives from the U.S. Postal Service would have the opportunity to answer questions from residents throughout the city who have had a variety of issues with mail delivery and mail theft. Unfortunately, despite multiple conversations with, and assurances from, U.S.P.S inspectors and supervisors, the US Postal Service has declined our invitation to participate in a Town Hall meeting to provide answers to the residents they are supposed to serve, especially during this holiday mailing season. The Postal Service is the sole agency able to answer questions regarding their non-delivery of mail. In light of their decision not to participate, we have reluctantly decided to cancel the Town Hall at this time. We urge the USPS reconsider their decision and to hold a public forum to discuss the issues related to non-delivery of mail, mail fraud, and mail theft.

The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our partners, the Richmond Police Department and the Office of Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-4), to assist residents who are negatively affected by the Postal Service’s lack of performance and communication, but ultimately the U.S Postal Service is the only organization that can adequately answer your questions and resolve your mail delivery problems.

Please avoid using the blue mailboxes that are in the public and outside of post office buildings. They are being vandalized and your mail is not safe if you deposit it in the blue boxes.

Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney's Office ..."   
Source: www.nbc12.com

Visit Our Homepage

12.02.2023

Alabama | Birmingham musician charged for role as co-conspirator in stolen checks scheme

"...According to a nine-count indictment, Daylin R. Banks ... allegedly used a Telegram channel called “Glass House Records” to sell stolen or fraudulent checks between August 2022 and July 2023. According to court records, Banks obtained stolen checks from the U.S.P.S. and marketed a portion of them on the channel. Additionally, he worked with Odiot and others to alter, duplicate or forge other stolen checks and deposit them into accounts controlled by the group."   
Source: www.cbs42.com

Visit Our Homepage

11.17.2023

United States Postal Service (USPS) may be raising its rates again

"... United States Postal Service (USPS) may be raising its rates on some of its shipping services, but holiday shoppers will be spared the extra cost this season. The higher rates, if approved, won't go into effect until early next year.

It will cost more to ship packages through USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express shipping categories, starting January 21, 2024, assuming the proposal is accepted by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), according to a statement from the USPS. ..."   
Source: www.newsweek.com

Visit Our Homepage