US POSTAL IN DEEP TROUBLE - Major Changes Beyond Closing Rural Post Offices

(12/07/2011)

While the proposed closing of rural post offices in West Virginia, including some in Calhoun County, have caused significant concern, the pending bankruptcy of the service is leading to major cut-backs nationwide. U.S. Postal says they are closing more than 250 processing centers, which likely means the loss of 30,000 jobs. The cuts and closures are being made for a $3 billion savings, with the service facing major financial losses because of on-line Internet communications. US Postal is facing imminent default on a $5.5 billion annual payment to the Treasury for future retiree health benefits and expects to have a record loss of $14.1 billion next year. The cuts will likely mean the slower delivery of first-class mail to arrive the day after it has been sent. The cuts could slow everything from check payments to Netflix's DVDs-by-mail, add costs to mail-order prescription drugs and even threaten the existence of newspapers and time-sensitive magazines delivered by postal carriers to suburban and rural communities. Also being proposed is the elimination of Saturday delivery. Locally, at least so far, post offices at Orma and Millstone are on the list for closure. US Postal, without notification, just closed the Mt. Zion post office saying they had a problem renewing a lease for the building.

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