You might not see your friendly neighborhood mail carrier much longer on the weekends.
In a move not exactly unexpected, the USPS has formally requested permission to cease Saturday deliveries except for Express Mail.
In a report submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission, postal officials say “there is no longer enough mail to sustain six days of delivery.” Add to that expected savings of $3 billion per year, and it’s hard to imagine the change not being approved.
There is, of course, still the possibility that Congress could mandate the USPS continue delivering mail on Saturday, but whether or not that will happen is anyone’s guess.
What do you think—do you support the plans to trim mail delivery to five days a week, or would you rather keep getting deliveries on the weekend?
As we near the end of the first quarter of 2010, I want to thank Suzanne M. for her recent donation to help support Philosateleia. It will help cover Web hosting fees, so thank you very much!
I know things are tight for a lot of folks right now, which makes donations like Suzanne’s mean that much more.
Don’t forget, you can also show your support for Philosateleia by linking to the site, or by becoming a fan of The Philosateleian on Facebook.
If you rent a post office box from the USPS, you may soon be paying more for it.
Officials announced late last week that they’re asking the Postal Regulatory Commission to approve a proposal that could include PO box rate hikes at nearly 50 post offices around the country.
Postal service officials say the boxes at those offices are not “market dominant,” but instead face competition from similar private services in the same neighborhoods.
The changes would immediately impact only a tiny fraction of box holders nationwide, but if the move is successful the USPS could request approval for broader adjustments as it tries to reduce a projected $7 billion loss in 2010. It’s unclear when the PRC will rule on the request.
How much do you currently pay for your PO box? Will you keep that service if the price goes up?
Although Klug will not be the only stamp collector on the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, her appointment does provide a bit of balance to a committee whose membership appears to include more graphic designers and college professors. It’s unclear how many of those individuals may be collectors themselves.
While Klug is only one voice on the committee, it will be interesting to see what impact she might have on the group’s recommendations for commemorative stamp topics. What do you think—will she be able to impact which people and subjects appear on U.S. stamps? Should she try, or are you satisfied with the current range of topics that are commemorated?
I recently discovered a local post stamp that I think other landscape collectors might find interesting.
This non-denominated label produced by Local Post Collectors Society Secretary-Treasurer Bob F. for Taos Local Post features a mountain scene. Bob, who was kind enough to send me a few copies of the stamp for my collection, says the photo used for the stamp’s design was taken somewhere between Santa Fe and Taos, N.M.
Sangre de Cristo Mountains
The exact location depicted is unknown, but based on Bob’s description I suspect the peaks are probably in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which make up the southern end of the Rocky Mountains.
Can you identify the exact peak or peaks pictured?
