DES MOINES, Iowa —
A postal clerk from Indianola has been sentenced to a year in prison after pleading guilty to embezzling more than $240,000.
Full story: Postal clerk from Indianola gets year in prison – chicagotribune.com.
The column by Scripps Howard “White House reporter” Ann McFeatters (no, I’ve never heard of her before, either) starts ominously: “That birthday card from Grandma with the $20 bill tucked inside could be a thing of the past, thanks to your government.”
And what evil agency is going to stop Grandma? You guessed it:
“It seems that the U.S. Postal Service raises the cost of a postage stamp every few weeks.”
Now I realize that as we age time seems to go by faster and faster, but is Ms. McFeatters so old that a year and a half seems like a few weeks? The USPS last raised first class postage rates in May of 2009. The proposed two cent increase would go into effect in January 2011, 19 months later. I can’t really think of too many services that go that long between price adjustments.
Ms. McFeatters can, though! She says “Competitors such as FedEx and UPS seem to be able to stay in business quite profitably without constantly raising rates. Why can’t the huge Postal Service?”
Ann apparently doesn’t actually use either FedEx or UPS, or she might be aware of the fact that both companies raise their rates every year, in January. You might think that McFeatters would have checked her facts, but apparently Scripps Howard doesn’t feel the need for columns to be factual. After all, if she had bothered to actually verify what she was writing, she wouldn’t have had much of a column left!
The ignorance of postal and private rate history almost distracts you from the underlying premise of the column- that poor Grandmas across the country who can afford to send out $20 bills as gifts will somehow be unable to come up with 2 cents more to do so. I may be going out on a limb here, but let me just toss out a thought: maybe send a check for $19.98?
Fortunately, the readers of poor Anne’s column have been helpfully pointing out her errors- here are some samples:
We have the right to freedom of speak in America but please ….. do your research before you print such nonsense. The total impact per person with a 2 cent increase is less than 5 dollars per year. How much has everything else gone up?
If a few cents will keep someone from sending a greeting card or gift cross country, I would have to question the sincerity of the sentiment anyway….Please, by any reckoning the Postal Service is a bargain. I can’t believe howmany people say the have stopped sending holiday cards because it is too expensive…Right, it is the least expensive way to tangibly say, “I’m thinking of you at this time” around. Get real!
Ms. McFeatters obviously does not reseach before she writes. 50 cent stamps someday? Of course. Eventually they will be a dollar. Please name me an item of something that has went down in price. Our local newspaper was 25 cents 10 years ago…today it is 75 cents. Milk, bread, gasoline…pick anything…all have increased. Postage increases have been well below the rate of inflation since 1970. An increase every few weeks? The last was 15 months ago. Please check FedEx and UPS, as they have raised their rates more often. Yes, look at their profits. USPS is not allowed to make a profit. Please, go online and visit UPS, FedEx, USPS…research how much it costs to mail something overnight, 2 days, whatever…do your research
Just so you know Fedex and UPS are raising rates in January just like every year. Did you research at all.
via Watch: The 50-cent postage stamp can’t be far off | ScrippsNews.
The Odessa American reports that Myung Ashley, 53, has been sentenced to four years probation on her conviction for mail theft. The paper reports that Ashley “took two Academy Sports gift cards from a Christmas card addressed to a Monahans resident and a third gift card from a greeting card addressed to a Midland resident. Investigators linked Ashley to the gift cards after they were used at the Academy Sports in Midland.” Ashley had faced up to ten years in prison.
In 2006 Ashley filed an EEO complaint alleging sexual harrassment as well as discrimination based on her age, sex and race. The alleged discrimination took place when she was a general expediter at the Midland plant, and had resulted in a suspension for one of the harassers. The Administrative Judge hearing the case found that the allegations were not severe enough to take further any further action. Ashley appealed the decision to the EEOC, which dismissed her complaint in December 2009.
WASHINGTON, July 29 — Rep. Sandford D. Bishop Jr., D-Ga. (2nd CD), issued the following news release:
Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-2) today sent a letter to the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Representative Edolphus “Ed” Towns (NY-10), regarding the U.S. Postal Service operations transfer from the Columbus Customer Service Mail Processing Center to the Macon Processing and Distribution Center. In the letter, dated July 28, 2010, Congressman Bishop stated a series of concerns about the transfer and its negative effects on the Columbus area.
“Attempts by the Postal Service to improve productivity and increase efficiency have resulted in new procedures which have severely impacted postal service in the Columbus area,” wrote Congressman Bishop. “Especially impacted is mail originating from Columbus, Georgia and destined for Columbus, Georgia.”
Congressman Bishop expressed his concern that the new system will force mail to be postmarked in Macon, 96 miles away, before it can be sent back to Columbus to be delivered, adding up to three days to delivery schedules. In addition, the transfer was approved May 26, 2010 and the process was to be completed by the first of this month.
“According to conversations with mail employees at the Columbus mail facility, there have been significantly more delays with mail, even though the Postal Service study suggested there would be an improvement in service,” wrote Congressman Bishop.
While a study of mail delivery systems in the Columbus area was conducted, it did not include Fort Benning, which is scheduled, under the BRAC process, to greatly increase in size. This increase in population, combined with the 96+ miles of mail travel distance will only further mail delivery delays.
“It appears that the Macon facility, which now has idle equipment, cannot deliver mail to Columbus in a timely fashion,” added Congressman Bishop.
In less than a year, residents could find their home mailboxes empty on Saturdays.
Due to declining mail volume and revenue, the U.S. Postal Service has proposed eliminating a day of delivering home mail, most likely Saturday, the lowest mail volume day of the week, said Al DeSarro, the Postal Service’s Western Slope spokesman.
Full story: Craig Daily Press / Craig Postal Service employees have mixed reaction to Saturday proposal.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — James Flett of Rolla pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for theft and embezzlement money and property from the U.S. Postal Service between June and August 2009. Flett was a clerk at the post office in Rolla for 20 years.
Washington, DC—Today Congressman Chaffetz introduced HR 5919. This bill would grant USPS Postmaster General the authority to implement up to twelve “postal holidays” per year in order to reduce USPS operating costs. The Postmaster General would select days in which delivered mail volume is historically lower than normal. By reducing the number of delivery days, USPS will be able to achieve savings by reducing work hours.
“USPS is experiencing severe financial pressures due to competition from the Internet, reduced demand due to the recession, and large unfunded liabilities for retiree healthcare,” said Chaffetz. “While my bill will help to reform its dire financial situation, there is no silver bullet that will solve the Postal Service’s financial problems. Postal holidays are one of many steps needed to reform the Postal System. I am also supporting efforts to consolidate postal facilities by replicating the successful BRAC process that was used to close surplus military facilities.”
* In past three years, USPS has lost $12 billion and is expected to lose about $7 billion this year.
* At the end of FY 2009, USPS was $10 billion in debt and is expected to reach its maximum debt limit of $15 billion in 2011.
* USPS Postmaster General John Potter has stated that USPS could lose $238 billion over the next ten years unless significant reforms are implemented.
* The USPS retiree health benefit plan was $52 billion underfunded at the end of fiscal year 2009.
Arbitrator Das denied the union’s grievance challenging the Postal Service’s two-tour initiative. Das accepted the Postal Service’s argument that “Article 3 of the National Agreement grants the Postal Service the authority to unilaterally adopt and implement the … initiatives at issue, without further bargaining with the Union.” He cited language in Article 3 that states the Postal Service “‘shall have the exclusive right’ to ‘assign … employees,’ to ‘maintain the efficiency of the operations entrusted to it’ and to ‘determine the methods, means, and personnel by which such operations are to be conducted.’” Das also cited a 1977 national award in which Arbitrator Garrett stated that the Postal Service isn’t obligated “to engage in ‘collective bargaining’ as to whether or how it should exercise its authority under Article III of the National Agreement.” In addition, he referred to a 1973 national award in which Arbitrator Gamser stated that the right to change tour complements “appear[s] [to be] specifically reserved to Management under Article III of the Agreement as well as dictated in enabling legislation, Section 1001 of the Postal Reorganization Act.” USPS #Q06C-4Q-C 09051867; 7/27/2010
From the National League of Postmasters:
We are in receipt of a July 28, 2010, letter from Postal HQ stating effective immediately, all hiring, promotions and placement of non-bargaining employees at Headquarters, Areas and Districts are suspended until further notice. Selections received by COB 07/30/2010, will be processed by HR Shared Services but the postings have been placed on hold. We are communicating with Headquarters for more information, updates will be provided as they become available.
Click To Read Letter
AUSTIN (KXAN) – A mail carrier told police she was attacked by a man in East Austin as she tried to deliver the mail.
She said that last month, she was on duty in the 1200 block of E. 11th when a man approached her, hollered profanities, and hit in the face with his hand.
The attach happened around 1 p.m., she said.
Full story: Mail carrier attacked on duty | KXAN.com.
