In a photo taken by the Westerly Sun, A Ford Explorer SUV rolled over after a collision with a mail truck. Mail and broken glass were thrown across the street.

The names of those who were injured have not been released.

via Postal Service Truck, SUV Collide | WPRI.com.

Joel Raymond Polaski, 49, of Thibodaux, now faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 after pleading guilty to possession of stolen mail in federal court in New Orleans, the Department of Justice said.

Polaski was a highway contract route driver employed by Advantage Equipment LLC, a company contracted by the U.S. Postal Service to transport mail.

via Driver stole mail | HoumaToday.com.

Matthew Ryan Buquet was expected to make his initial appearance in federal court in Spokane following his arrest Wednesday afternoon.

The letters were postmarked in Spokane and addressed to the downtown post office and the adjacent federal building. They were intercepted by the Postal Service, and no one was injured.

via FBI: Arrest made in Wash. ricin scare last week | NWCN.com Washington – Oregon – Idaho.

“The Postal Bulletin serves not only as a chronicle of USPS policy and services from one year to the next — it also documents the growth of the Postal Service and the challenges we’ve faced as a service and as a nation,” said USPS Historian Jenny Lynch.

Originally named the Daily Bulletin of Orders Affecting the Postal Service — the Postal Bulletin was created to communicate the internal business of the Post Office Department. What began as a 1-page publication has blossomed to today’s 50-page version, providing information on USPS operations, policies, procedures and forms, as well as, postal product information, stamp and philatelic news and information used to combat fraud.

According to Lynch, the Postal Bulletin also has been an effective tool for employee communications and is a valuable historical resource. “I frequently use the Postal Bulletin when researching USPS history,” she said. “It’s often the first source I turn to when asked about the origin of a postal policy or for details on an old postage stamp.”

The publication was renamed Postal Bulletin in 1919.

The Postal Bulletin has been available online since May 1995. PDF and HTML copies from 2009 to the present are available at about.usps.com/postal bulletin. An archive also is available for issues published 1998 through 2008.

USPS News Link Story – Recording history.

But writer and USPS customer Robert Easterling points out that while email, texting, Twitter, Facebook and other forms of digital and social media have made communication faster and easier than ever, something gets lost in the transmission.

“It loses the personal touch of a written letter,” Easterling recently wrote to PMG Pat Donahoe.

A retired U.S. Army veteran, Easterling recalled writing his first letter as a young boy. “I wrote a letter to one of my favorite aunts,” he said. “She responded to my poorly written letter with a gracious response, and I became an enthusiast of writing and receiving letters.”

Easterling figures he’s written thousands of letters since then. Many have documented key events in his life. “One of my sisters saved some of the letters I wrote while serving in Vietnam,” he said. “Letters…have kept families and friends united over the miles.”

However, each year, fewer letters and greeting cards arrive in Easterling’s mailbox.

“I’m as guilty as the next guy for using email to communicate to friends and relatives,” Easterling said, adding it still can’t beat the personal touch of handwritten mail.

“Buy a few stamps and write someone [you] truly care about,” he said.

In a letter responding to Easterling, the PMG thanked him for his support. Even in this “increasingly digital age,” Donahoe wrote, “The Postal Service remains as vital as it has ever been.”

USPS News Link Story – ‘Lost in transmission’.

The POW-MIA flag and its display at postal facilities honors the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces held as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action. The POW-MIA flag must fly below the U.S. flag. Click here for more information.

The U.S. flag must be flown at half-staff from sunrise — or the hour when it’s raised — until noon. Then, hoist the flag to the peak of the staff, where it either must fly until the time of closing or no later than sunset — unless the flag is lighted.

Facilities closed on Memorial Day but which fly the flag around the clock, every day of the week, should lower the flag to half-staff when the facility closes for the last time prior to the holiday. They should return the flag to full staff when the facility opens on Tuesday.

USPS News Link Story – Flags on Memorial Day.

As our federal debt continues to spiral higher, the current debt ceiling limit of $16.7 trillion isn’t high enough to pay for government spending. The $16.7 trillion debt ceiling went back into effect on May 19 after being suspended earlier this year by Congress.

Earlier this year, Congress voted to suspend the debt ceiling limit until mid-May to avoid the risk of default and focused on sequestration to try and stop the spiraling federal debt. In what we now consider good news, the federal budget deficit will only increase by  $642 billion this year. The deficit last year was $1.1 trillion.

The National Debt and How it Impacts Your Retirement and the G Fund – FedSmith.com.

Now, as USPS folds new technologies into its delivery network, it’s applying this strength in new ways to benefit everyone. “Our goal is to embrace technology and enhance the value of mail and packages for mail owners, mail providers and consumers — from the first to the last mile,” said Chief Information Officer Ellis Burgoyne.

Underlying the Postal Service’s embrace of technology is the Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb), capable of capturing more robust information than previous technologies as mail or packages progress through the mailstream. With the IMb, mailers can eliminate paperwork as their mail or packages enter the network, link tracking information into a constant data stream with scanning, and predict with more certainty when letters and parcels will reach their destinations.

With IMb technology, USPS has improved the speed and efficiency of mail processing; eInduction, for example, verifies business mail has been accepted at the right facility and confirms the correct postage has been paid. Similarly, The Passive Adaptive Scanning System delivers tracking improvements and revenue protection at high-volume delivery units.

Technology also creates efficiencies in last-mile delivery operations. Dynamic routing and real-time delivery scans result in improved deliveries, better response to last-minute pick-up requests, and expansion of service options.

With technology, Burgoyne said dynamic processing and mail visibility will continue to build a robust business intelligence platform to support mail and package growth strategies. “It will help USPS create powerful and new services and products,” he said. “And it will help build stronger and enduring relationships with our customers, whether we’re working with them at the first mile or delivering to them at the last.”

Click here to visit a website with more information on how technology is changing the mail.

USPS News Link Story – First to last mile.

We first told you back in February that theEast Texas Processing and Distribution Center would be closing its doors by June 1.

Mail has gradually been moving out of the center since April, and last Saturday, May 18, the last pieces of mail were processed here in East Texas.

Mail starting with the 756 zip code is now being processed in Shreveport and mail starting with the 757, 758, and 759 zip codes is now being processed in the North Texas center in Coppell.

Postal employees say mail delivery will take longer with USPS – KLTV.com-Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Texas | ETX News.

The grand building with large columns and arches is a city landmark and one of the defining buildings of Berkeley’s downtown. The City Council voted against the sale, and Mayor Tom Bates has helped organize a campaign with other cities to save their  traditional post office buildings.

via State Legislature Opposes Sale of Berkeley Post Office – Government – Berkeley, CA Patch.

This comes after the Postal Service decided to shut down the mail processing facility at Albany’s main post office on South Slappey Boulevard on February 23rd. In all, the Service decided to close fifty mail processing facilities, and moved to accelerate those closures in late march.

via Congressman Bishop joins effort to delay USPS closures – WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports.

Romeo Maniulit Natan, 39, of San Bruno,  stole mail mostly from Devonshire Avenue in San Carlos and gave the credit cards he found inside them to accomplices who made fraudulent purchases, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

via Thieving U.S. postal worker delivered to drug rehab | Mike Aldax | Law and Disorder | San Francisco Examiner.

A federal program that ran from 1934 to 1943 provided work for prominent local artists to create art for government buildings, according to USPS Facilities VP Tom Samra. “We take our role in preserving them very seriously,” he said.

As USPS takes action to reduce costs and generate revenue, one initiative is to sell properties no longer needed due to continued mail volume declines and changing consumer needs. When a property contains a mural, properly locating it is a high priority.

Such was the case in Fairfield, CT. USPS invested $25,000 to restore and move the mural “Times Change and We Change With Them” after the main Post Office was sold last year. The mural now resides in the town’s Independence Hall, on loan to the city under a 25-year agreement with options to extend.

Federal Preservation Officer Dallan Wordekemper, who has negotiated many similar agreements, says they benefit both parties. The Postal Service continues to own and serve as a steward of the artwork, while the community maintains its historic connection.

“It doesn’t make sense to have art from a Post Office in California, for instance, shipped to the Smithsonian, because you’re taking it out of the community it was designed for,” said Wordekemper.

The Postal Service has the largest collection of this genre and in the past had licensed selected mural artwork for reproductions.

USPS News Link Story – Priceless.

“The devastation suffered by the community is almost too much to bear,” said Human Relations Director Sue Carney. “At last count, at least 12 postal employees lost everything. The homes of nine APWU members were destroyed, and dozens more sustained significant damage.” Two hundred thirty-seven postal employees and at least 29 retirees reside in Moore, Carney said. The Moore Post Office was demolished.

Oklahoma Tornado Takes Life of APWU Member.

Myth-conception: Once I retire, I will have to pay more for my Federal Employee Health Benefits, as Uncle Sam’s contribution decreases.

Reality: With the exception of those who receive an extra agency contribution to their FEHB premiums, I will pay no more as a retiree than I do as an employee. I will, however, pay out of after-tax dollars.

Though many people believe that the costs for Federal Employee Health Benefits increase after retirement that is not the case for most employees.  Why is it that many federal employees think that FEHB costs increase?  Probably the fact that in the private sector (for those lucky enough to receive health insurance after retirement), premiums tend to increase, sometimes dramatically.  Even many other public sector plans have costs that increase after retirement.  The FEHB is unusual in that there is no change in the premium amount.

Retirement Myths: FEHB Premium Increases After Retirement – FedSmith.com.

Capt. Tim Chapman of the White County Sheriff’s Office said the carrier, Samuel Sparks, was delivering mail at the time of the wreck. While looking at the mail, he ran off the road then overcorrected, causing the 1969 Jeep to overturn

via Mail carrier injured when vehicle overturns | AccessNorthGa.

• Drive defensively — expect the unexpected.
• Maintain a safe distance of one car length for every 10 mph between you and the car in front of you.
• Be courteous, use turn signals and obey all laws.
• Keep your options open — have a “what to do if I’m cut off” strategy.
• Turn off mobile devices when driving — no cell phones or texting.

How do they do it?

“Safe driving is no accident,” said U.S. Postal Service Safety and Health Director Linda DeCarlo. “The safety of our employees is our top priority, and we are proud our comprehensive safe driver training program is second to none.”

According to the National Safety Council, more than 9,300 Postal Service employees have achieved a distinction most people never approach in their lifetimes — driving more than a million, accident-free miles. No other business comes close.

The nation’s 31,000 plus Post Offices are linked by nearly 214,000 vehicles — the world’s largest civilian fleet. More than 300,000 letter carriers and truck drivers log more than 1.2 billion miles annually when delivering to America’s 151.5 million addresses.

Since 2005, 9,385 Postal Service professionals have each driven more than a million miles without a single accident. Reaching this pinnacle requires a safe attitude that entails driving 1 million miles or 30 years without a preventable incident.

USPS offers safe driving tips for the holiday weekend.

That accident happened just after 3 a.m. when a semi truck contracted with the United States Postal Service struck a barrier and flipped, causing the truck to burst into flames. Diesel fuel leaked from the truck and emergency crews were called in to clean up.

Twelve containers of first class and priority mail destined for Greensboro/Raleigh, N.C. were inside the trailer, according to an USPS news release, and most of the mail was destroyed.

Mail destroyed in semi fire on I-64 exit ramp | WHAS11.com Louisville.

visit the Postal Employees Relief Fund to donate to those affected in the Oklahoma tornado.

Retail services are not available at either location, and due to inaccessibility in the devastated areas, delivery will be very limited. Drop shipments for Moore OK Post Office Branch and Santa Fe Station should be taken to the Oklahoma City Processing and Distribution Center, located at 4025 W Reno, Oklahoma City, OK 73125.

Alternate service locations are expected to be announced Wednesday morning, May 22, 2013. Please check back for further updates.

Mail Service Updates.

There are ongoing debates regarding what role the Postal Service could and should play in meeting modern communications needs. These discussions often include Postal Service management, the postal regulator, postal employees and customers, members of Congress, and other stakeholders. Largely absent from the debate, however, has been the voice of the American public — the very people that the Postal Service exists to serve.

USPS Office of Inspector General.

“We believe it would be imprudent of the United States Postal Service (USPS) to close or eliminate processing of mail, at any facility, ahead of schedule,” the May 20 letter [PDF] says.

The letter was written in response to management’s decision to close or consolidate 71 mail processing facilities this year that were scheduled for possible consolidation in 2014.

Maintaining operations at the mail processing centers would allow Congress to take action on postal reform legislation, the letter said. “It is critically important the Postal Service not preempt Congressional action by unilaterally moving forward with elimination of overnight delivery, allowing for major shutdowns across the country of mail processing facilities,” the letter said.

47 Members of Congress Tell PMG: Stop Accelerating Consolidation of Mail Processing.

NALC | The National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO.

Going Postal: Gopost hits New York.

In the House, the legislation has gained has 146 co-sponsors since it was introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-4) on Feb. 13.

On the other side of the Capitol, Sens. Ben Cardin (MD), Bob Casey (PA), Barbara Mikulski (MD), Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) have signed on, joining the 20 senators who had co-sponsored the legislation by late April. That Senate version of the bill was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) also on Feb. 13.

Congressional Support Growing for Postal Service Protection Act.

“We made significant progress in increasing revenues and cutting costs for all the areas where we have the legal and commercial flexibility to act,” says Corbett.

Corbett notes that the Postal Service outperformed its two largest competitors, growing revenue in the overall shipping and package business by 6.9 percent. USPS also raised revenue for Every Door Direct Mail by 80 percent and advertising and standard mail by almost three percent.

Revenue increased over the prior period in fiscal year 2012, the first such increase the Postal Service has experienced in five years.

Efficiency measures, such as consolidating plants, helped cut expenses by $200 million. Inflation offset the gains in efficiency and helped contribute to a net income loss of $3.1 billion on revenue of $34 billion.

Corbett says more progress is necessary. “We need to execute our 5-year business plan, get legislation passed and continue to deliver at the highest standards to improve our financial position,” he says.

Corbett closes the video by thanking employees for their hard work and encouraging them to become familiar with the plan.

USPS News Link Story – Significant progress.

NAPUS.

via Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital – YouTube.

According to the factual resume accompanying his plea agreement, from August 2011 until last September Gary Wayne Thomas worked as a distribution window clerk at the Ennis Post Office. Among his duties: helping customers, making sure the incoming raw mail got to the right outgoing places and sorting everything left in the lobby. But, he admitted to federal prosecutors, some of that mail didn’t reach its intended destination.

North Texas postal worker facing serious prison time after admitting to stealing $75 in gift cards | Crime Blog.