Hot Rod Stamps To Be Unveiled In York During Street Rods Event

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting York County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The street rods are returning to York in June, and this year’s event will include two new car-themed stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe and Barry Meguiar, host of the TV show “Car Crazy,” will be in York to unveil the Forever stamps at 11 a.m. June 6 as part of the 41st annual Street Rod Nationals East Plus at the York Expo Center.

The stamps feature two views of the classic 1932 Ford Deuce roadster. The car is notable because it marked the first time Ford used an eight-cylinder engine, the flathead V8, said Jerry Kennedy, special events director for the National Street Rod Association. Previous Ford models used a four-cylinder engine.

Read more:  http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_25843732/u-s-postal-service-unveil-hot-rod-stamps

First-Class Stamps To Cost 49 Cents As Of January 26, 2014

USPS service delivery truck in a residential area of San Francisco, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WASHINGTON — Mailing a letter is about to get a little more expensive.

Regulators on Tuesday approved a temporary price hike of 3 cents for a first-class stamp, bringing the charge to 49 cents a letter in an effort to help the Postal Service recover from severe mail decreases brought on by the 2008 economic downturn.

Many consumers won’t feel the price increase immediately. Forever stamps, good for first-class postage whatever the future rate, can be purchased at the lower price until the new rate is effective Jan. 26.

The higher rate will last no more than two years, allowing the Postal Service to recoup $2.8 billion in losses. By a 2-1 vote, the independent Postal Regulatory Commission rejected a request to make the price hike permanent, though inflation over the next 24 months may make it so.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131225/first-class-stamps-to-cost-49-cents-as-of-jan-26

Post Office Reports Loss Of $5 Billion For Year

USPS service delivery truck in a residential area of San Francisco, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. Postal Service said Friday it lost $5 billion over the past year, and postal officials again urged Congress to pass legislation to help the beleaguered agency solve its financial woes.

In a positive sign, the loss was a fraction of the record $15.9 billion the Postal Service reported losing last year. But it was still the agency’s seventh straight annual loss and came despite its first growth in revenue since 2008.

Operating revenue rose 1.2 percent to $66 billion, thanks to growth in the post office’s package delivery business and higher volume in standard mail. That was not enough to offset long-term losses in first class mail – the post office’s most profitable service – where revenues declined by 2.4 percent.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20131115_ap_bec035dfa75648f5a1f03a745ca1eb46.html#OcVHlq2UB7XQFb1U.99

Mail Processing To End At 10 Pennsylvania Postal Service Sites

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United States Postal Service mail processing facilities in Altoona, Erie, Greensburg, Lancaster, New Castle, Reading, Scranton, Washington and Williamsport, as well as the Southeastern operation are slated to close.

Read entire article: http://www.ydr.com/state/ci_20029285

United States Postal Service Slowing Down To Save Money

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So it looks like the Slowskys may have a new company to shill for soon.  Those DSL loving turtles may soon be able to work for the United States Postal Service (USPS).

According to recent revelations from the USPS, you will need to start mailing your letters a day or two earlier in order for them to arrive on time.  This spring, first-class mail will take a day or two longer to reach its destination.  About half of the mail processing centers in the US will be closed to save money.  You can forget mailing a letter and having it delivered the next day.  In addition, stamp prices will rise a penny to .45 cents, starting January 22nd.

Along with the mail processing center closings, 3,700 post office locations are slated to be closed and up to 100,000 USPS employees could be furloughed.  The USPS is billions of dollars in the red!

Eliminating Saturday mail delivery is still under consideration!  You can expect more fees and even slower delivery times for bulk mail and periodicals too!

United States Postal Service Racks Up Another HUGE Loss

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The United States Postal Service just ended their fiscal year on September 30th.  During that time period, the USPS lost $5.1 BILLION.  The only reason this figure was not $10.6 BILLION is because new legislation allowed the USPS to delay a $5.5 billion payment to a retiree health benefit fund.

The USPS needs to cut another $20 billion by 2015 to move back into the black.  On the table are more post office closings, dropping Saturday delivery, taking on non-mail related business and reducing retiree health costs.

The USPS saw their income drop about $1.4 billion dollars over the previous year.

USPS Raising Stamp Prices In January

This just in folks, the United States Postal Service is raising the price of a stamp to .45 cents on January 22nd.  The USPS is expected to lose more than $8 BILLION dollars in 2011.  Can we say run the Post Office like a real business!

United States Postal Service Looking To Close Thousands Of Post Offices

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The United States Postal Service has released its “closure list” but it’s copyrighted and I am not allowed to post it 😦  However, I can report that no post offices in the Greater Pottstown area are on the list.

Fourteen post offices in Philadelphia are on the list and a Wayne location.  Those were the only 19xxx zip codes.

Most of the locations are small offices in Central, Northern or Western Pennsylvania.  There are a few exceptions but mostly more rural areas.

Here is a link to the list but it appears to be in no particular order.  I copy pasted into Excel and sorted by zip code or alphabetically to make it easier!

http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/expandedaccess/states/pennsylvania.htm

The Postal Service SUCKS!

Just found out that the Christmas cards I mailed this week may all come back for extra postage.  Seems the USPS can’t wont run square envelopes through their “machine” and so they want twenty extra cents, on top of the 44 cents they are already charging, to mail a Christmas card that is perfectly square. 

What a load of crap!