It's an Out-of-this-World Experience!

An out-of-this-world experience is coming to the African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARL&CC), 2650 Sistrunk Blvd, Fort Lauderdale. 

During the grand opening of Discover Space: A Cosmic Journey traveling exhibit on Monday, July 25, Fort Lauderdale Postmaster David Guiney will dedicate an enlargement of the 16 "Views of Our Planets" stamps to library officials. Meet Guiney, community officials and other special guests at 6 p.m. in the seminar room.

Eleven-year-old planet enthusiast Sophia Maritato is traveling from Pittsburgh, PA, to participate in the dedication ceremony. Her painting of the solar system will be displayed in the exhibit.

The American Library Association awarded this exhibit to the AARL&CC. The exhibit covers topics such as the formation of planetary systems, asteroids and comets, Mars exploration, and solar storms and their impacts on Earth. The AARL&CC is one of eight sites nationwide to host the exhibit, on display locally through October 14.

Employees who attend this free event are reminded that it is an off-the-clock activity.

  

Flags at Half-Staff for Baton Rouge

President Obama has ordered flags flown at half-staff to honor victims of the July 17 attack in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 
Flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset July 22.
To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak for an instant and then lower it to the half-staff position. The flag should be raised to the peak again before it’s lowered for the day.
The Postal Service’s guidelines on U.S. flag display and maintenance have additional information

Flags at Half-Staff Through July 19

President Obama has ordered flags flown at half-staff to honor victims of the July 14 truck attack in Nice, France.
Flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset July 19.
To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak for an instant and then lower it to the half-staff position. The flag should be raised to the peak again before it’s lowered for the day.
The Postal Service’s guidelines on U.S. flag display and maintenance have additional information.

Help the USPS Deliver Democracy

The Postal Service is proud of the important role the U.S. Mail plays in the election process ,and we are committed to providing voters with First-Class service.  With more than 25 million return ballots expected to be mailed this fall, the U.S. Postal Service is ready to handle the additional volume and is encouraging all voters to mail early this election season.

From now until the November elections, we can expect to see absentee ballots in the mail. Employees must be aware that absentee ballots materials are handled differently than other unpaid or short-paid mail pieces.  Here are some important points:

ü  Absentee ballots addressed to an election office, with or without sufficient postage, must be delivered.

 

ü  Absentee ballots must not be detained or held for postage payment.

 

ü  Do not delay delivery of balloting materials.

 

ü  Although we attempt to collect all postage due, absentee ballots must be delivered even if the receiving election office refuses to pay.

 

ü  Military and overseas absentee ballots bearing indicia “US Postage Paid 39 USC 3406” are not short-paid and no additional postage is needed.

It’s everyone’s duty to be on the lookout for these mailpieces. If you see ballots marked or sorted for return, bring it to the attention of management. Any mailpiece with the Official Election Mail logo should not have a hand stamp for “Return to Sender” OR a Postage Due amount OR a yellow sticker.  If you see election mail with any of these markings, bring it to a supervisor or manager. Please do your part to ensure all absentee balloting materials in the mail are handled promptly. With your help, the Postal Service will be able to retain this valuable mail volume.

A Blast from the Past: Missile Mail

Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield, fourth from left, postal officials and U.S. Navy personnel watch the loading of missile mail into the Navy submarine USS Barbero.

You know mail has been delivered by automobile, airplane and the Pony Express, but did you know it’s also been sent via missiles?

On June 8, 1959, 3,000 letters were launched by a U.S. Navy submarine in a nuclear-capable turbojet cruise missile. The letters landed at a naval station in Mayport, FL, after a 20-minute flight.

The launch was “an obvious and self-admitted stunt,” the Popular Mechanics site noted in a recent retrospective. All 3,000 letters were written by then-PMG Arthur Summerfield, who was an enthusiastic proponent of delivering mail via missiles.

“Before man reaches the moon, mail will be delivered within hours from New York to California, to England, to India or to Australia by guided missiles,” Summerfield said.

History proved otherwise, but this experiment is seen today as an example of the Post Office Department’s pioneering spirit.

“The slight improvement missiles might have offered just wasn’t worth the inflated cost, and the first official missile mail would also be the last. But boy was it ever a delivery to remember,” Popular Mechanics noted.

Source: LINK

OIG Poster: Integrity Begins with You

Postal Service workplaces will soon receive a new poster that encourages employees to report fraud, crimes and other forms of misconduct.

Poster 204 is distributed by the Office of Inspector General (OIG), an independent agency that conducts investigations and audits postal programs.

The poster is part of the OIG’s efforts to ensure efficiency and integrity within USPS. The poster states, “Integrity begins with you.”

A hotline (888-877-7644) and site to report wrongdoing are also listed.

The OIG is asking postal facilities to display it prominently. Additional copies can be obtained at no cost to facilities from the Topeka Asset Management Center.

Recognizing MPOO 1 & 7 Employees

Perfect Retail Customer Experience (RCE) Transactions
Felesha Johnson, Oceanview Station, Miami Beach
Jesus Sardinas, Miami Beach Main Office

Retirements

Ernest Elie, Letter Carrier, Oceanview Station, Miami Beach
Anne Henrion, Letter Carrier, Stuart Post Office
Paul Letourneau, Rural Carrier, Greenacres Branch, Lake Worth
Marshall Long, Letter Carrier, Orange Avenue Station, Fort Pierce
Timothy Miller, Laborer Custodial, Delray West Branch, Delray Beach

Pending July Retirements

Patrick Kam, Rural Carrier, Greenacres Branch, Lake Worth
Helen Petriskie, Letter Carrier, Orange Avenue Station, Fort Pierce