"...A recent study explored how spectroscopy can be applied to stamp collecting, also known as philately. A couple of researchers from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba in Argentina proposed a new approach that they claim can improve the authentication of postal stamps. This study, which was published in the journal Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy, investigates the effectiveness of using energy-dispersive inelastic X-ray scattering (EDIXS) to differentiate between types of inks used in cancellation marks..."
"...A Champaign County United States Postal Services worker accused of stealing more than $35,000 in money orders has pleaded guilty and was sentenced this week.
According to court documents, from May 2023 to March 2024, Brandi L. Harmon “did knowingly embezzle, steal” blank money order forms from the Postal Service in Champaign County. ..."
"...Beaumont residents who live in the Pear Orchard community in the city's south end of town say they are having persistent problems with their USPS mail deliveries.
Some say there have been times when mail runs late for several days, it's delivered to the wrong address, and packages are not handled with care. ..."
"...Biggest design change in 175 years includes a digitally activated drawer for sending parcels ...The new postboxes will feature a scanning mechanism powered by the solar panel ...Customers scan a barcode on the Royal Mail app to open the drawer, which is designed for parcels too large to fit through the traditional slot."
"...The steep decline in letter volumes has been driven largely by digitalisation, and PostNord announced in March that it will cease letter services at the end of the year.
It will bring to an end four centuries of letter deliveries by the state-owned operation.
A third of its workforce is being let go..."
"...services will continue for letters, documents and gift items up to USD 100 ...As per the Executive Order, transport carriers delivering shipments through the international postal network, or other “qualified parties” approved by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), are required to collect and remit duties on postal shipments.
“While CBP issued certain guidelines on August 15, several critical processes relating to the designation of “qualified parties” and mechanisms for duty collection and remittance remain undefined. Consequently, US-bound air carriers have expressed their inability to accept postal consignments after August 25, citing lack of operational and technical readiness,” a statement from the ministry said...."
"...During WWII, the ever-changing locations of servicemembers caused mail to become delayed, which seriously affected the morale of troops during the war. The backlog of mail was estimated to take six months to process. The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, nicknamed the “Six Triple Eight” was a predominately African American battalion of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) which consisted of 855 women, both enlisted and officers, and their motto was “No mail, low morale.” In May of 1945, the Six Triple Eight arrived in Birmingham, England to warehouses filled with millions of pieces of mail intended for troops, and civilian personnel serving in the war. The women of Six Triple Eight processed all the mail in just three months.
“I am honored to be recognized for the work that the women did to get the mail to the troops all over the world,” said Major Fannie Griffin-McClendon (ret). ..."
"...photos of what mail delivery looked like 100 years ago...If you think postal delivery people riding around on scooters is a new thing, we’re here to surprise you: Mail delivery 100 years ago included delivery by scooter! ...Did you know that women have been working as mail carriers since the turn of the 20th century? ..."
"...The Postal Service is marking USPS Ethics Awareness Week by reminding employees that they can have second jobs, but there are certain types of employment that are not permitted.
Employees cannot engage in any outside work that conflicts with or affects their postal duties.
Ethics regulations also prohibit employees from: ...
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"...The Postal Service has provided a tentative date to the APWU for the pay increases due under the National Agreement. As outlined in the July/August issue of The American Postal Worker magazine, the period from the start of the National Agreement to when the pay rates are reflected in paychecks is called the “stopgap” period. The stopgap period is the time from the date the first pay increase was to be effective until it is reflected in the employee’s pay.
The tentative date for the stopgap programming of the pay and COLA increases due the APWU under the terms of the 2024-2027 National Agreement has been set. The pay increases will be reflected beginning in pay period 19-2025 (begins August 23, 2025) and will show in pay checks dated September 12, 2025. The $811 COLA will be effective pay period 20-2025 (begins September 6, 2025) and will show in pay checks dated September 26, 2025. These are tentative dates. If something changes, the Postal Service will notify the APWU and Industrial Relations will notify the field.
To be clear, this is not the retroactive pay. It is only when the new pay rates will start to be paid. ..."
"...Ernst has called the EV initiative a “boondoggle” and “a textbook example of waste,” citing delays, high costs and concerns over cold-weather performance.
“You always evaluate the programs, see if they are working. But the rate at which the company that’s providing those vehicles is able to produce them, they are so far behind schedule, they will never be able to fulfill that contract,” Ernst said during a recent appearance at the Iowa State Fair, referring to Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Defense.
“For now,” she added, “gas-powered vehicles — use some ethanol in them — I think is wonderful.”
Corn-based ethanol is a boon to Iowa’s farmers, but the effort to reverse course has other Republican support. ...
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"Initial testing of the powder indicates it was boric acid, officials said. ..."In the majority of my experience, most of these incidents turn out to be nothing. However, this matter is not going to be taken lightly," said Christoper Raia, the FBI assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York field office, who noted that "sending threatening letters of this nature, whether real or a hoax, is a crime." Initial testing of the powder indicates it was boric acid, which is commonly used in pesticides and other chemicals and is harmful if eaten, officials told WABC...."
"Republican U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner saying it went "beyond mere incompetence" and calling for firings. ...According to the audit, the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center had more than 2.5 million delayed pieces of mail between June 3-4, "the largest delayed mail volume since our field operations reviews began in 2021."
The audit of the distribution centers revealed deficiencies in all of the areas it reviewed that effect operations efficiency, including delayed mail, package scanning, arrow keys, carrier separations and transfers, property conditions and package separations. It also found security issues at both centers. ...
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"...There are rules about where you can go and who can go with you..."
"...Earlier this summer, the cost of a Forever stamp rose five cents, marking the largest price increase the U.S. has seen on first-class mail.
You may want to stock up now, especially with additional price hikes already on the horizon.
The latest increase, which took effect on July 13, marked a 7.4 percent bump on first-class mail stamps alone. At 78 cents a piece, it may not feel like very long until they reach $1.
The July price hike is the seventh since 2021 — there were two rate increases in 2023 and 2024. Since 2014, stamps have gone up nearly 30 cents each. ..."
"Total operating revenue was $18.8 billion, essentially flat...Total volume was 25.8 billion pieces, down 2.8 percent...operating expenses were $22 billion for the quarter, an increase of 2.9 percent ...Net loss for the quarter totaled $3.1 billion, compared with a net loss of $2.5 billion for the same quarter last year."