Roth TSP: A New Way to Save

The Roth Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) feature has been made available for Postal Service career employees.

Roth TSP allows participants to make after-tax contributions to a TSP account that are tax-free when withdrawn. All earnings on these accounts also are tax-free when withdrawn — as long as IRS requirements are met.

Employees may set up TSP Roth contributions through the PostalEASE Employee Self Service site or phone the Employee Service Line toll-free on 877-477-3273, option 1.

For more information on the Roth TSP, refer to the TSP website, which includes a video and information comparing Roth and traditional TSP contributions.

Employees should speak with a qualified tax or financial advisor to determine how investing in a Roth TSP would affect their specific tax situations.

It's the Cat's Meow: USPS Releases 30 Million Bobcats on Stamps

Clockwise from right, Barbara Breier, Texas State University Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of Texas State Development Foundation; San Marcos, TX, Postmaster Ana Marcos, TX, Postmaster Ana Rodriguez; Boko, the Texas State University mascot and students.

The Postal Service has released 30 million bobcats --- in the form of a new 1-cent Bobcat stamp.

The official First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony was held June 1 at the San Marcos, TX, Post Office. San Marcos also is the hometown of the Texas State University Bobcats.
The Bobcat stamp features a striking image of a bobcat with golden eyes and fur colored in several shades of brown. The stamps can be purchased at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com/shop and by phone at 800-STAMP-24 (800-782-6724).

It's Official: NALC Food Drive Collects 70.5 Million Pounds of Canned Goods

Thanks to the generosity of customers and employees, the 2012 “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive was a resounding success.
The Postal Service, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), Feeding America, the Campbell Soup Company, and other partner organizations — including the National Rural Letter Carriers Association and other USPS employees — worked together and collected more than 70.5 million pounds of food during the nation’s largest single-day food drive.
This year marked the 20th anniversary of the 2012 “Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive” and was the ninth consecutive time donations totaled more than 70 million pounds. Since the program began in 1992, more than 1 billion pounds of food has been collected to help feed America’s hungry.

Remember Flag Day is June 14

      Remember Flag Day is Thursday, June 14.  

For more than 200 years, the American flag has been the symbol of our nation's strength and unity.  It's been a source of pride and inspiration for millions of citizens.  And the American flag has been a prominent icon in our national history. 

Today the flag consists of 13 horizontal stripes, seven red alternating with six white. The stripes represent the original 13 colonies; the stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the flag are symbolic as well:  Red symbolizes Hardiness and Valor, White symbolizes Purity and Innocence, and Blue represents Vigilance, Perseverance, and Justice.

Flag Day is one of six days each year that all postal facilities are required to fly the POW-MIA flag.  The flag and its display at postal installations honors the sacrifices made by members of the U.S. Armed Forces held as Prisoners Of War or listed as Missing In Action. The POW-MIA flag must fly below the U.S. flag.  For additional information, refer to Sections 472–476 of the Administrative Support Manual.

Reeling in the Revenue

Employee leads are generating new revenue in the South Florida District.  
"Our revenue drivers are hard at work, taking employee-generated leads from Customer Connect, Rural Reach, Submit-A-Lead, and Clerk Craft leads and turning them into dollars," said Business Development Specialist Ellen Uptgrow.  She offers congratulations and thanks to all the employees (listed below) who submitted leads that resulted in new revenue.  Uptgrow also extends kudos and congratulations to our revenue drivers  --- Michael Brown, Kimberly Person, Curlita Rogers-Saunders (promoted to Business Solutions Specialist), and Wilfredo (Fred) Romero --- who closed the leads.  
Uptgrow encourages all employees to "keep those leads coming in!"   


CUSTOMER CONNECT

BOCA RIO BRANCH

Daniel E. Solly                                      $ 3,458

CITY PLACE BRANCH

John J. Booth                                        $    521

COCONUT GROVE BRANCH

Carmelo Soto                                        $ 3,947

CORAL SPRINGS BRANCH

Terri A. Paulson                                     $40,950

DEERFIELD BEACH ANNEX

Janet K. Waddick                                   $ 1,352

DELRAY BEACH CARRIER ANNEX

Gary S. Giles, Jr.                                   $  9,087

DOWNTOWN BOYNTON BEACH

Joann Arroyo                                         $  2,922

FORT LAUDERDALE MOCA

Dionne Cruz                                          $     871

LAKE WORTH PO

Carlos A. Vazquez                                 $14,186

Michelle S. Navarrete                             $  5,398

LUCERNE AVE STATION

Ignacia Rodriguez                                  $32,750

Christy L. Trimbath                                $  4,624

Alfrieda Latson                                      $     465

MARATHON PO

Tamela M. Daniels                                 $  1,326

MARGATE BRANCH

Becky E. Kaczmarik                              $26,000

MIAMI BEACH PO

Cecilia M. Borgmeyer                             $  2,130

Jekeva D. Bell                                        $  1,420

MILAM DAIRY BRANCH

Enrique F. Alfonso                                 $23,127

Ubaldo Perez                                        $  9,560

NORTH RIDGE ANNEX

Julia A. Miller                                        $24,014

Claudine J. Allison                                 $  1,704

Alexander Ballesteros                            $     252

OAKLAND PARK BRANCH

Luigi Abbondanzio                                 $37,311 

Bruce G. Disarle                                    $ 3,718

OKEECHOBEE PO

Sharon Hollycross                                  $ 4,992

OPA LOCKA PO

Joey McGill                                           $  6,975

ORANGE AVE STATION

Michele C. Cole                                     $11,076

PALM BEACH PO

Susan Reinheimer                                  $ 2,610

PALM BEACH GARDENS BRANCH

Cameron L. Weese                                $ 5,460

PALMETTO PARK ANNEX

Roger M. Rosenberg                              $10,920

PEMBROKE PINES BRANCH

Hinch M. Gilliam                                    $  3,524

PLANTATION BRANCH

Joseph Mazzeo                                     $  4,350

PORT SAINT LUCIE BRANCH

Penni L. Bauer                                       $21,840

TAMARAC BRANCH

Ronald E. Michaud                                 $10,224

TROPICAL REEF POSTAL STORE

Michelle F. Ford                                     $  1,740

RURAL REACH

GREENACRES PO

Elvia Zavaleta                                         $  3,089

ORANGE AVE STATION

David I. Ramirez                                     $  3,658

Tina L. Funk                                          $  1,704

PALM CITY ANNEX

Maureen R. Roode                                 $  4,615

SUBMIT-A-LEAD

BUENA VISTA STATION

William Rodriguez                                  $31,541

HOLLYWOOD MO

Sheila Drozd                                          $  3,557

MIRAMAR BRANCH

Deidre Beal                                           $14,790

SOUTH FLORIDA- RETAIL

Juliana Larrosa                                      $66,206

CLERK CRAFT

HOLLYWOOD MO

Bunny Bosse                                         $ 1,200

LANTANA PO

Eilene Zuber                                          $  5,460

What's in a (TS/Hurricane) Name?

Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie, William

Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms had been named from lists originated by the National Hurricane Center. They are now maintained and updated through a strict procedure by an international committee of the Word Meteorological Organization.  

The six lists above are used in rotation and recycled every six years, i.e., the 2012 list will be used again in 2018. The only time that there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate for reasons of sensitivity. If that occurs, then at an annual meeting by the WMO committee (called primarily to discuss many other issues) the offending name is stricken from the list and another name is selected to replace it. Several names have been retired since the lists were created. 

If a storm forms in the off-season, it will take the next name in the list based on the current calendar date. For example, if a tropical cyclone formed on December 28, it would take the name from the previous season's list of names. If a storm formed in February, it would be named from the subsequent season's list of names.

In the event that more than twenty-one named tropical cyclones occur in the Atlantic basin in a season, additional storms will take names from the Greek alphabet.  

Source:  National Hurricane Center

Talented Trio Can Name That Tune

Safety Specialist John “Rick” Zeigler and APWU Business Agent Wanda Harris (aka Wanda "Get Down" Brown from her days as a 99 JAMZ disc jockey) make up two thirds of Sophisticated Entertainment.  Russell Bailey, a former NY disc jockey, completes the trio who spin tunes from the early days of rap and Motown.

Each Friday night, this talented threesome hosts a happy hour at the Hollywood's Legends Cafe at 2029 Harrison Street.  They donate 50 percent of the proceeds in scholarships to deserving students or to non-profit organizations that serve a host of youth needs.  And this Friday, June 8, the Miami Northwestern Bulls Alumni Association will benefit.

Sometimes Sophisticated Entertainment attracts a small crowd, but other times, the floor is packed.

“We are doing something that matters in our community,” Zeigler said. “Everyone enjoys having some fun after a tough week at work. And we spin the tunes that old school folks grew up on and still love.”