DOJ Press release:

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TROY L. NEAL, 59, of Meakin Drive, Windsor, was sentenced today by United States Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford to six months of probation for stealing cash and gift cards from the U.S. Mail. Judge Martinez also ordered NEAL to pay a fine in the amount of $250. On June 9, 2008, NEAL pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of the mail.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, between January 2006 and August 2007, NEAL, while employed as a mail handler at the Hartford Post Office, opened mail and withdrew the contents including cash and gift cards totaling approximately $400.

NEAL, had been employed by the United States Postal Service for approximately 15 years prior to the offense. He has since resigned from the Post Office.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul H. McConnell.

Capital One yesterday filed an emergency motion with the Postal Regulatory Commission in its ongoing battle with the US Postal Service over its request for a Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA) similar to the one granted to Bank of America.

Capital One says it filed its motion after it learned that a USPS employee it seeks to question in the case is retiring this Friday. The bank accuses the USPS of subterfuge and acting in bad faith in the case. The USPS filed a response denying the charges.

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 20 — The U.S. Department of Justice’s U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Louisiana issued the following press release:

SANDRA F. FRANCOIS, age 46, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier to a one-count of Bill of Information charging conversion of a U. S. Postal Money Order, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten today.

According to the Factual Basis, on December 5, 2007, FRANCOIS, who at the time was a Paulina Post Office employee, took a U. S. Postal Money Order in the amount of $800 and cashed it for her own personal use. The defendant faces a possible maximum penalty of one (1) year of imprisonment, a fine of not more than $100,000.00 and one (1) year of supervised release. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2008.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera.

Mark of the Eagle episode 1 is available here

The following was posted in a NAPS discussion group by a member (not by the official NAPSHQ account), so it may or may not be accurate:

From: napshq
Sent: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:14 am
Subject: Responses from USPS HQ

Executive Board Members:

On Wednesday, August 20, 2008, the following questions (shown in bold) were sent to USPS Headquarters relative to the freeze that has been placed on EAS positions. This morning (August 21st) we received the following responses (shown in italics):

Questions:

Does the current freeze include positions that have already been posted, closed and/or interviews have been conducted and/or selections have already been made or positions have been awarded but not yet filled?

Response: The immediate freeze that was placed on all field non-bargaining unit positions should not affect positions that are currently in the pipeline.

What circumstances would have to occur that would cause the Postal Area Vice President to authorize a position to be filled?

Response: There may be situations that the position need is critical and the decision to fill a position will be made at the Area level.

What is the status of filling positions at Postal Headquarters and headquarters related functions?

Response: There has been a freeze on Headquarters hiring since the beginning of the calendar year with exceptions that have been made on a case-by-case basis.

What impact will this freeze have on ASP classes that are currently in training?

Response: There should be no impact to any ASSP classes that are now underway. Graduates of ASP classes will be placed in operational assignement as they normally have been.

What impact will this freeze have on ASP classes that are scheduled to start in the next 90 days?

Response: The decision on future ASP classes is under the jurisdiction of the USPS Area Vice President

NAPS is highly recommending that all national officers communicate with all RIF impacted members to advise them to contact their District Manager of Human Resources to discuss their inclusion in the RIF avoidance process and to make sure that opportunities for positions are still made available to RIF impacted members.

As other information becomes available, you will be advised.

NAPS Headquarters

WBAL TV Baltimore

US Postal Service Chief operating Officer Pat Donahoe sent the following letter to the Area Vice Presidents on Monday:

SUBJECT: Field Non-Bargaining Job Postings

The July financial results were as follows: Volume was 5.4 percent under plan, revenue was 3.5 percent under plan, and expenses were 2.8 percent under plan, resulting in a net loss of $216 million. Year-to-date, volume is 3.5 percent under plan, revenue is 3.5 percent under plan, and expenses are 1.4 percent under plan, resulting in a net year-to-date loss of $1.4 billion.

The net income loss and decreasing workload require a thorough review of all administrative positions. Headquarters is working with Area representatives to determine the appropriate field administrative staffing. As a result, effective immediately, all field non-bargaining position postings are frozen. Any exceptions must be approved by the Area Vice President.