Augusta area carriers honored for safe million driving miles

Augusta GA Postmaster Paul Steele (center in first photo) recently presented Million Mile Awards to carriers Steven Delenio and Thomas Brewster from the Forest Hills Post Office and carriers Ernie Hammonds and Mark Swain from the Martinez GA Post Office (second photo).

The Million Mile Club is the National Safety Council’s highest safety honor among professional drivers and recognizes drivers who have driven more than one million miles or more than 30 years without a preventable accident.

The United States Postal Service and the National Safety Council have teamed up to promote and ensure the safety and health of the USPS workforce nationwide.

As a long-standing member of the National Safety Council, the United States Postal Service has established an agreement with the Council that entitles all facilities to take advantage of member benefits in an effort to prevent unintentional injury and illness.

Eligible postal employee participants of the Safe Driver Award Program include those who have a normal daily assignment that involves the driving of a motor vehicle for official business use, and who have not had their driving privilege revoked or suspended.

New Postmasters are named in Georgia

Post Office Operations Manager Angela Collier recently announced four new Postmasters to positions in Georgia.

The new Midland, GA Postmaster is Cindy Lowrey. Cindy formerly worked in the Albany Post Office and was the Postmaster of Bronwood, GA. She also served as an Acting Supervisor Customer Service in Americus, GA and Officer-In-Charge in Dawson, GA.

The new Monticello, GA Postmaster Greg Gordon. Greg is a former Supervisor Customer Service  in Warner Robins, GA. He most recently was the Officer-In-Charge  of Forsyth, GA which has achieved 20+ 100% in Retail Customer Experience measurements.

Martha Simmons is the new Postmaster of Warm Springs, GA. Martha was previously the Postmaster Relief for Pine Mountain Valley. She has held Officer-In-Charge assignments in Pine Mountain Valley, Junction City and Warm Springs.   

The new Bonaire Postmaster is Fritz Artis. Fritz was previously the Postmaster of Gray, GA.

Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamp unveiled

USPS recently unveiled this year’s Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp June 28. The new stamp features the image of a common goldeneye duck.

Over the years, these stamps have raised millions of dollars for wetlands conservation. The first Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation stamp was issued in 1934.

Since then, stamp sales have raised more than $851 million which has been used to preserve 5.3 million acres of wetlands.

Popular with hunters and wildlife enthusiasts, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in association with USPS, each year issues the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, also referred to as the Federal Duck Stamp.

Hunters 16 years of age or older must purchase the stamp to hunt migratory waterfowl. The stamp also provides admission to National Wildlife Refuges for bird watchers and other visitors.

Proceeds from the stamp support the conservation of America’s wetlands. A Junior Duck Stamp is available to support conservation education programs.

Expedited passport services can speed travel documents to customers

Customers who need new passports sooner than the usual 4-6 weeks needed for normal processing can submit expedited passport applications to USPS Passport Acceptance Facilities around the country.

First-time passports, passport renewals, additional visa pages, and data corrections all qualify for expedited service. Applicants must pay an additional $60 fee and allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

Applicants with urgent travel plans also may apply directly at one of the U.S. Department of State’s 26 passport agencies and centers across the country. Refer to the Department of State’s website for agency-specific information on what is required for an appointment.

Applicants must call the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 877-487-2778 to make an appointment.

Individuals who need passport information should first visit the Department of State’s official website for information on passport requirements, online applications, fees and processing times. This information also is available by calling the NPIC at 877-487-2778 or TDD/TTY at 888-874-7793.

Mail Service Updates site now USPS Service Alerts

Mail Service Updates on usps.com now has a new look and a new name — USPS Service Alerts.

The name change reflects current industry practices by more accurately reflecting the near real-time information USPS communicates to its customers about postal facility service disruptions due to weather-related and other natural disasters or events. The Web page has been organized to provide consumers and business mailers more complete, timely information.

Following disasters and events that affect the mail, such as recent tornadoes in Oklahoma, customers and employees have regularly turned to the Mail Service Updates page for service information.

“Feedback from residential customers and business mailers following natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy prompted us to take a close look at Mail Service Updates,” said Consumer Advocate Krista Finazzo. “We wanted to find ways to more effectively communicate with our customers during service interruptions.”

Other improvements include a new section for residential customers who now can learn whether their mail is being delivered or if their Post Offices are open.

The upgraded page also will provide commercial mailers with more detailed information on the operating status of mail processing facilities and delivery units, allowing them to better plan drop shipments and other operational activities.

U.S. Postal Service Reduces Consumable Waste Recycling programs save millions in landfill fees

World Environment Day, a program sponsored by the United Nations, is the most widely celebrated global day for environmental awareness. This year’s theme — sustainable consumption — focuses on reducing waste and sustaining resources.

USPS reduces its waste by diverting tons of consumables from landfills each year. Through recycling programs and initiatives, the Postal Service last year recycled more than 186,000 tons of mixed paper, 35,000 tons of cardboard, 6,000 tons of plastic and 21,000 tons of other consumables, according to the Annual Sustainability Report.

Along with reducing waste, these programs also save money. By reducing landfill use, the Postal Service saved more than $25 million in fees and generated $23.8 million in recycling revenue in 2012.

The Postal Service has won numerous environmental honors, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WasteWise Partner of the Year award in 2010 and 2011, and most recently 10 Federal Green Challenge Awards nationwide.

For more information about the Postal Service’s sustainability initiatives, including the Go Green Forever stamps, visit usps.com/green and the Postal Store.

USPS named top government agency for multicultural business opportunities

USPS has been recognized as the top government agency for providing business opportunities to women- and minority-owned companies.

More than 1.3 million diversity business owners participated in an online election sponsored by DiversityBusiness.com to determine the top 25 organizations.

The owners were asked 10 questions about diversity business in the marketplace.

Their answers were based on factors such as volume, consistency and quality business opportunities granted to diverse companies.

Stakeholder Outreach and Sustainability team leader Janice Williams-Hopkins said USPS is honored to be named the top government agency for multicultural business opportunities. “This award exemplifies the Postal Service’s commitment to build and maintain mutually beneficial business relationships with multicultural suppliers,” she said.

Click here to view DiversityBusiness.com’s list of top organizations for multicultural business opportunities.

Don’t be fooled by spam messages

Spam email and phishing, the practice of using fake but realistic-looking websites to fool victims into revealing personal information, can pose threats to USPS and its employees and customers.

Here are some tips to handle these electronic threats:

•    Trust your instincts. If an email seems suspicious, delete it without opening it.
•    Delete spam or phishing messages without opening them.
•    Don’t forward these messages.
•    Be careful when subscribing to mailing lists on the Internet.
•    Don’t reply to spam or phishing emails, even if it’s to request being removed from the originator’s distribution list. Replying can result in more messages.
•    Don’t click on the unsubscribe URL in an email if you didn’t subscribe to the originator’s distribution list. This lets the sender know your email address is valid.
•    Never click on a “pop-up“ window.