INSIDER
USPS employee arrested after killing coworker inside postal facility in Missouri City
Read full article: USPS employee arrested after killing coworker inside postal facility in Missouri CityAuthorities were unable to give out too many details on what happened but did confirm the shooter and the victim were both USPS employees at the regional facility.
Multiple election offices report receiving mailed ballots misdirected from other states
Read full article: Multiple election offices report receiving mailed ballots misdirected from other statesThe Associated Press has found numerous instances of completed mail ballots from around the country being sent to election offices in the wrong state.
Betty White Forever: New stamp will honor the much-beloved 'Golden Girls' actor
Read full article: Betty White Forever: New stamp will honor the much-beloved 'Golden Girls' actorThe United States Postal Service might have found a way to unite a nation bitterly divided after this month’s election: It’s releasing a Betty White stamp.
Houston business owner faces USPS delivery delay for 2nd time in less than 30 days
Read full article: Houston business owner faces USPS delivery delay for 2nd time in less than 30 daysJust weeks after finally receiving a $10,000 check that took over two months to arrive, Bell is now waiting on another crucial payment, this time from the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
‘Mail was coming up missing’: Former Houston USPS carrier indicted in $1 million mail theft, check fraud scheme
Read full article: ‘Mail was coming up missing’: Former Houston USPS carrier indicted in $1 million mail theft, check fraud schemeA former Houston letter carrier has been indicted by a grand jury, accused of stealing millions of dollars in checks that should have been delivered to Harris County mailboxes.
US lawmakers' concerns about mail ballots are fueled by other issues with mail service
Read full article: US lawmakers' concerns about mail ballots are fueled by other issues with mail serviceA contentious congressional hearing has shown that lawmakers are uneasy about the U.S. Postal Service's readiness for a crush of mail ballots for the November election because some of them feel burned by other Postal Service actions.
‘Beyond a joke:’ KPRC 2 viewers still dealing with ongoing postal delays share frustrations
Read full article: ‘Beyond a joke:’ KPRC 2 viewers still dealing with ongoing postal delays share frustrationsFrom lost birthday cards to cashiers’ checks stuck in limbo, the complaints are growing louder as postal service issues persist.
KPRC 2 examines USPS efficiency with real-time package tracking experiment
Read full article: KPRC 2 examines USPS efficiency with real-time package tracking experimentIn May, our Re'Chelle Turner was invited to the USPS Local Processing Center in Missouri City for an inside look at the new equipment and technology to improve mail delivery. However, in recent months, problems have resurfaced.
Houston small business owner faces major setbacks costing thousands of dollars due to ongoing mail delivery delays
Read full article: Houston small business owner faces major setbacks costing thousands of dollars due to ongoing mail delivery delaysZephra Bell, who recently launched her notary public business, shared her frustration over missing mail and inconsistent deliveries in her Southeast Houston neighborhood.
‘The HOA needs to step up’: NW Harris County residents seek help after no mail delivery due to destroyed mailboxes
Read full article: ‘The HOA needs to step up’: NW Harris County residents seek help after no mail delivery due to destroyed mailboxesPeople who live in a northwest Harris County neighborhood say they haven’t had mail delivered to them in nearly a month. They also say their HOA refuses to repair cluster mailboxes that were destroyed when a car crashed into them.
US hiring and wage growth picked up last month in sign of sustained economic health
Read full article: US hiring and wage growth picked up last month in sign of sustained economic healthAmerica’s employers added a strong 272,000 jobs in May, accelerating from April and a sign that companies are still confident enough in the economy to keep hiring despite persistently high interest rates.
USPS South Houston Processing Center in Missouri City upgrades sorting equipment; invites Re’Chelle Turner on a tour
Read full article: USPS South Houston Processing Center in Missouri City upgrades sorting equipment; invites Re’Chelle Turner on a tourOn Thursday, The USPS invited Turner to the South Houston Local Processing Center (LPC) located at 611 Hwy. 90 A in Missouri City, TX 77489 for a tour. She will get a behind-the-scenes view of the new processing facility. It includes new technology such as high-speed sorting equipment.
Changes noticed in Clear Lake neighborhood after KPRC 2 Investigates report on mailbox thefts
Read full article: Changes noticed in Clear Lake neighborhood after KPRC 2 Investigates report on mailbox theftsThis is how it’s supposed to work, United States Postal Service carriers opening your mail boxes with what’s called a arrow key and then delivering your mail.
Man accused of 3D printing universal mailbox keys indicted in Harris County
Read full article: Man accused of 3D printing universal mailbox keys indicted in Harris CountyA Texas man accused of making 3D printed copies of counterfeit universal mail keys, known as arrow keys, has been indicted by a Harris County grand jury.
‘It’s a big deal’: HOA’s persistence pays off as damaged cluster mailbox gets replaced
Read full article: ‘It’s a big deal’: HOA’s persistence pays off as damaged cluster mailbox gets replacedFor nearly a year, some homeowners at the Windsong neighborhood in West Harris County had to drive roughly a mile to the post office to pick up their mail. The cluster mailbox they used was damaged and postal workers wouldn’t deliver their mail worried someone could steal it.
‘I am not comfortable:’ Rep. Al Green on mail-in ballots and USPS delay issues
Read full article: ‘I am not comfortable:’ Rep. Al Green on mail-in ballots and USPS delay issuesFor weeks now - we’ve been following these problems. The United States Postal Service says this is because they are working to modernize their mailing system. U.S. Representative Al Green talked with KPRC 2′s Amy Davis about how the hold-up could impact voters.
Post Office experiment; tracking package from San Antonio returning to Houston
Read full article: Post Office experiment; tracking package from San Antonio returning to HoustonKPRC 2 has a brand new experiment underway. Our colleagues at KSAT in San Antonio unboxed our package and they mailed it back to KPRC. Follow the return trip here.
Postal Service, once chided for slow adoption of EVs, announces plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions
Read full article: Postal Service, once chided for slow adoption of EVs, announces plan to cut greenhouse gas emissionsThe U.S. Postal Service says a mix of environmental initiatives and cost-cutting business practices are going to reduce its planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030.
Mail issues? Here’s a way to track incoming deliveries for free
Read full article: Mail issues? Here’s a way to track incoming deliveries for freeWith problems regarding mail thefts all over the news recently, there is a way you can track your incoming deliveries for free that could cut down on some of the issues.
Battling smishing: USPS warns of deceptive text scams, provides tips for digital defense
Read full article: Battling smishing: USPS warns of deceptive text scams, provides tips for digital defenseStay informed and secure: The United States Postal Inspection Service offers strategies to thwart smishing attempts and protect your personal information
Houston small-business owner not letting USPS mail delays stop her from delivering products to the Grammys
Read full article: Houston small-business owner not letting USPS mail delays stop her from delivering products to the GrammysAs the KPRC 2 team continues working to get answers regarding the United States Postal Service debacle, another Houston area small business owner told us that the mail delays have cost her thousands of dollars and the opportunity of a lifetime.
Missing mail and package delays continue to cause problems for people in the Houston area
Read full article: Missing mail and package delays continue to cause problems for people in the Houston areaWe are still working to get answers from the United States Postal Service about missing mail and package delays from a north Houston-area processing center.
US Rep. Al Green says congressional offices should not become a complaint department for USPS
Read full article: US Rep. Al Green says congressional offices should not become a complaint department for USPSIt’s a problem all too familiar to residents who are waiting to receive mail from the United States Postal Service’s Missouri City Processing Center.
USPS bringing in 30 employees to help fix mail delivery backlog by this week
Read full article: USPS bringing in 30 employees to help fix mail delivery backlog by this weekUnited States Rep. Al Green said on Tuesday that USPS told him they have brought about 30 employees to help address the mail delivery delay issues in Missouri City.
US Rep. Al Green requests USPS establish customer service team to help people with package delays in Missouri City
Read full article: US Rep. Al Green requests USPS establish customer service team to help people with package delays in Missouri CityUnited States Rep. Al Green (D-Houston) wrote a letter to USPS to ask them to establish a customer service team to help those who have experienced their packages being delayed at the Missouri City mail facility.
USPS says package delays in Missouri City are happening because agency is making changes to mail distribution centers
Read full article: USPS says package delays in Missouri City are happening because agency is making changes to mail distribution centersThe United States Postal Service released a statement saying that the package delays at the Missouri City sorting facility are happening because the agency is making changes to its distribution centers in the Houston area.
USPS touts crackdown on postal crime, carrier robberies, with hundreds of arrests
Read full article: USPS touts crackdown on postal crime, carrier robberies, with hundreds of arrestsThe U.S. Postal Service says law enforcement officials have charged more than 600 people with postal crimes since launching a crackdown in May.
USPS worker accused of racking up merchandise with credit cards allegedly stolen from residents along her delivery route
Read full article: USPS worker accused of racking up merchandise with credit cards allegedly stolen from residents along her delivery routeA United States Postal Service worker is facing several charges after admitting to stealing credit card information from at least 37 victims during her delivery routes in 2021, according to court documents.
North Texas postal service employee dies while working, temperatures felt like 115 degrees Fahrenheit
Read full article: North Texas postal service employee dies while working, temperatures felt like 115 degrees FahrenheitA United States Postal Service employee died while working his route in Dallas on Tuesday during scorching weather, according to NBC 5.
‘Return To Sender’: Copperfield homeowners stuck in feud between USPS and HOA over mailbox damaged in car accident
Read full article: ‘Return To Sender’: Copperfield homeowners stuck in feud between USPS and HOA over mailbox damaged in car accidentHomeowners in a Copperfield neighborhood said they’re caught in the middle of a dispute with their homeowner’s association and the United States Postal Service over who is responsible for replacing their damaged cluster mailbox.
‘Cherish your loved ones’ | Mother of 2 killed in west Houston post office crash identified
Read full article: ‘Cherish your loved ones’ | Mother of 2 killed in west Houston post office crash identifiedA 58-year-old mother of two going to the post office to mail a package to one of her daughters at college was killed Wednesday when a driver slammed into the United States Postal Service building in the 2900 block of Rogerdale Road.
Woman killed after being struck by driver who accidentally hit gas pedal, crashed into USPS building in southwest Houston, police say
Read full article: Woman killed after being struck by driver who accidentally hit gas pedal, crashed into USPS building in southwest Houston, police sayA woman is dead after a driver accidentally crashed into United States Postal Service office in southwest Houston Wednesday afternoon, according to the Houston Police Department.
New USPS election division will oversee mail-in ballots
Read full article: New USPS election division will oversee mail-in ballotsThe United States Postal Service is creating a permanent division to handle election mail issues as part of an effort to ensure swift and secure delivery of midterm election ballots.
Over 120 pieces of stolen mail, master key to U.S. Postal mailboxes found during traffic stop in NE Harris County, deputies say
Read full article: Over 120 pieces of stolen mail, master key to U.S. Postal mailboxes found during traffic stop in NE Harris County, deputies sayMore than 120 pieces of stolen mail and a U.S. Postal Office master key along with several drugs were found during a traffic stop in northeast Harris County, according to deputies with Constable Mark Herman’s Office.
Surveillance video captures Houston-area USPS letter carrier allegedly dumping voter registration cards
Read full article: Surveillance video captures Houston-area USPS letter carrier allegedly dumping voter registration cardsUPDATE: An email received Sunday, Feb. 6 contained the following response from USPS Senior Public Relations Representative, Martha Johnson:
EPA: New mail-delivery fleet needs more electric vehicles
Read full article: EPA: New mail-delivery fleet needs more electric vehiclesThe Environmental Protection Agency says a U.S. Postal Service plan to replace its huge fleet of mail-delivery trucks has too few electric vehicles and falls short of President Joe Biden's goals to slow global warming.
Slower mail, fewer office hours part of Postal Service plans
Read full article: Slower mail, fewer office hours part of Postal Service plansUnited States Postal Service Postmaster General Louis DeJoy speaks during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on "Legislative Proposals to Put the Postal Service on Sustainable Financial Footing" on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in Washington. United States Postal Service Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is left. Postal Service over persistent delivery delays under DeJoy, a major GOP donor who took over the agency last summer. He announced the plans at a webinar with other postal service officials. And those concerns remain.”DeJoy, a former supply-chain CEO who took over the Postal Service last June, has been mired in controversy since taking over the agency.
Biden nominates 3 to postal board as delays persist
Read full article: Biden nominates 3 to postal board as delays persistUnited States Postal Service Postmaster General Louis DeJoy looks on during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on "Legislative Proposals to Put the Postal Service on Sustainable Financial Footing" on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, in Washington. (Graeme Jennings/Pool via AP)President Joe Biden on Wednesday nominated three postal experts to the governing board of the U.S. Postal Service, a move that could alter the course of an agency grappling with delivery delays and rumored cuts under its embattled Republican leader. A spokesman for the Postal Service said it "will welcome all qualified members to the Board of Governors." AdDeJoy and the board are finalizing a 10-year plan to revitalize the Postal Service, an independent agency with roots to the 18th century.
Kids in need are sending Christmas letters. You can help fulfill their wishes through Operation Santa.
Read full article: Kids in need are sending Christmas letters. You can help fulfill their wishes through Operation Santa.’Tis the season to give, and we have a feeling this might be one of the best ways yet to do exactly that.
Postal service ordered again to search for mail-in ballots
Read full article: Postal service ordered again to search for mail-in ballotsHOUSTON – As the counting continues in several states a judge has issued another order to the United States Postal Service to locate any other mail-in ballots that have yet to be delivered. The order is focusing on states that have extended vote delivery deadlines including North Carolina and Pennsylvania. “That means he can find the postal service in contempt. It means he can call them out.”The postal service says in order to expedite the process ballots were scanned when they arrived but not when they were sent out of facilities making it appear as if they hadn’t been delivered. “But beyond that, I think the integrity and the reputation of the United States Postal Service is at stake.”Wice says he can’t guarantee the judge’s orders will make a difference but he believes they can make a difference, which is why the orders were issued.
Lost mail? What we found when we put the Houston area mail service to the test
Read full article: Lost mail? What we found when we put the Houston area mail service to the testHOUSTON – With concerns about mail delivery issues ahead of the election, our KPRC Investigates team put the United States Postal Service in Houston to the test. Mail service put to the testTo find out how common problems are we set up our own test. We sent letters to Southwest Houston, Kingwood, Missouri City, Tomball, West Houston, North Houston, The Woodlands, Cypress, Galveston, Liberty County, and Montgomery County. While no one at the postal service would talk to us about delivery issues, we did some digging and found out some interesting information about mail delivery timing. If you are having issues with your mail delivery, you should report it to the United States Postal Service.
Post office defends on claims that cuts threaten election
Read full article: Post office defends on claims that cuts threaten electionFILE - In this May 6, 2020, photo, United States Postal Service carrier Henrietta Dixon gets into her truck to deliver mail in Philadelphia. Postal Service that they say threaten the upcoming presidential election(AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)PHILADELPHIA – Lawyers for the U.S. Postal Service argued in court Thursday against accusations that service cuts are slowing down the mail and threatening the integrity of the presidential election. Lawyers for the Postal Service say headquarters never ordered a slowdown or overtime ban. They said the cuts also threaten the integrity of the upcoming election, given the expected widespread use of mail-in ballots across the country.
For rural Texans, the Postal Service is a lifeline, but some say it’s been in decay for years
Read full article: For rural Texans, the Postal Service is a lifeline, but some say it’s been in decay for yearsIn rural areas where broadband internet connection is scarce, residents rely on the Postal Service to send checks, pay bills, get Social Security benefits and receive prescription medication. Places that had bad service probably still have bad service.”Across rural Texas, business owners, community leaders and farmers told The Texas Tribune that the quality of USPS service varies from post office to post office. We have no issues with the Postal Service, they are prompt and they do good service,” Plagens said. “We depend on our Postal Service, and we get taken care of by them,” Roberson said. “The Postal Service is grossly understaffed, especially in the rural areas that I represent,” Williams said.
States ask judge to reverse changes at US Postal Service
Read full article: States ask judge to reverse changes at US Postal ServiceFILE - In this April 2, 2020 file photo, a United States Postal Service worker makes a delivery with gloves and a mask in Warren, Mich. A group of states suing over service cuts at the U.S. Postal Service is asking a federal judge to immediately undo some of them, saying the integrity of the upcoming election is at stake. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya,File)SEATTLE – A group of states suing over service cuts at the U.S. Postal Service is asking a federal judge to immediately undo some of them, saying the integrity of the upcoming election is at stake. Michigan spent $2 million earlier this year on envelopes that met election mail standards — only to learn that the Postal Service wouldn't treat them as First Class mail.
Texas congressional leaders seek legislation to protect USPS
Read full article: Texas congressional leaders seek legislation to protect USPSHOUSTON The U.S. Postmaster General announced Tuesday he will halt operational changes at the United States Postal Service until after the 2020 election. Some Texas congressional members called for legislation to prevent the postmaster from doing another about-face. Embattled Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced Tuesday that hell wait until after the November election to make operational changes at the USPS. DeJoy said retail hours wont change, mail processing equipment and collection boxes will stay where they are and overtime for employees will be restored. Two other Democratic congressional members also held press conferences Tuesday where they called the operational changes on the USPS an attack orchestrated by the nations highest office.
Worried about whether your vote will count? Here’s how to submit a ballot without using the mail
Read full article: Worried about whether your vote will count? Here’s how to submit a ballot without using the mailRestrictions and types of early voting vary by state, but 40 states and the District of Columbia do offer some form of early voting. Turning in ballots at a local election office or polling locationJust about every state allows voters to bring ballots in person to turn them in at local election offices. If you’re not close to a local election office to turn in a ballot, some states allow ballots to be turned in to alternate locations or the polling locations. New Hampshire and Vermont allow voters to return ballots to a polling place. Drop boxesThese are special containers that allow voters to drop off absentee or mail-in ballots in sealed envelopes.
Harris County clerk encourages vote by mail, despite USPS slowdown
Read full article: Harris County clerk encourages vote by mail, despite USPS slowdownHOUSTON As lawmakers in Washington battle over the fate and funding of the United States Postal Service, Harris Countys head election official is trying to reassure voters their local post office is up to the challenge of handling mail-in ballots this fall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called her members back into session from August recess to vote this weekend on a $25 billion boost to the USPS. Pelosi said cuts made by the Trump administration to the Postal Service, including the removal of sorting machines and mailboxes, are intentionally designed to negatively impact the use of vote-by-mail in November and disenfranchise voters. Hollins said due to the coronavirus pandemic he is expecting unprecedented use of mail-in ballots. Plans are already underway to move Harris Countys election headquarters to NRG Arena, which will also be used as a voting center for in-person and drive-thru voting.
Former USPS leader from Texas says Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is destroying the confidence of the postal service
Read full article: Former USPS leader from Texas says Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is destroying the confidence of the postal servicePostal Service trucks at an Austin office. Postal Service said Tuesday that while she applauds Postmaster General Louis DeJoys latest commitment to delay proposed changes to mail services, she is still worried about the impact on mail-in voting this November. In 2009, she guided the postal service through the Great Recession as the board's chair. The USPS board of governors is comparable to a board of directors of a publicly held corporation, according to the USPS website. Presidential-appointed governors serve terms of seven years and only as many as five governors may be members of one political party.
Pelosi to call House back into session to vote on USPS bill
Read full article: Pelosi to call House back into session to vote on USPS billWASHINGTON Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she is calling the House back into session over the crisis at the U.S. In a time of a pandemic, the Postal Service is Election Central," Pelosi wrote Sunday in a letter to colleagues, who had been expected to be out of session until September. The House Oversight and Reform Committee said it wants to hear from DeJoy and from the chair of the Postal Service board of governors, Robert Mike Duncan. With heightened scrutiny of its operations, the Postal Service is now requesting a temporary preelection rate increase, from mid-October through Christmas, although not for first-class letters. "Given the recent customer concerns the Postal Service will postpone removing boxes for a period of 90 days while we evaluate our customers concerns,'' Postal Service spokeswoman Kimberly Frum said.
Democrats, local election leaders fear Donald Trump's attacks on mail-in voting foreshadow voter suppression
Read full article: Democrats, local election leaders fear Donald Trump's attacks on mail-in voting foreshadow voter suppressionAs President Donald Trump rails against the idea of expanding mail-in voting, resists new funding for the U.S. That continued a pattern of Trump steadfastly fighting the expansion of mail-in voting, saying without evidence that it leads to voter fraud. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton have vigorously fought efforts to expand mail-in voting this year. But even without an expansion of mail-in voting, millions of Texans qualify because of their age, location or disability. "That means they cant have universal mail-in voting; they just cant have it."
Post Office warns states across US about mail voting
Read full article: Post Office warns states across US about mail votingVoters and lawmakers in several states are also complaining that some curbside mail collection boxes are being removed. Postal Service is sufficiently prepared to fulfill.Meanwhile, the removal of Postal Service collection mail boxes triggered concerns and anger in Oregon and Montana. All three members of Montanas congressional delegation two of whom are Republican raised concerns about the removal of mail boxes in letters sent to Postmaster DeJoy. Postal Service spokesperson Ernie Swanson said the Oregon removals were due to declining mail volume and that duplicate mail boxes were taken from places that had more than one. The Postal Service said four mail boxes were removed in Portland this week.
On this 50th anniversary for the USPS, mail a letter to a friend
Read full article: On this 50th anniversary for the USPS, mail a letter to a friendFifty years ago, the former Post Office Department changed over and became the United States Postal Service. Postal Service, as we know it now, has only been around since 1970? Energized by the Civil Rights Movement, postal workers in New York went on strike, and the movement eventually swelled across the country. Previously, letters were taken to a Post Office, where employees would note the postage due (or paid) in the upper right corner. Postal Service stands financially, perhaps we do have to consider, what if the mail goes away someday?
USPS employee tests positive for coronavirus in Washington
Read full article: USPS employee tests positive for coronavirus in WashingtonA United States Postal Service employee has tested positive for the coronavirus in Washington, according to K5 News. Bringing the number of presumed positives cases to eight in the state as of March 1, K5 News reports. According to USPS, the latest case is a woman who works at a package soring facility in Federal Way, Washington. USPS said the woman would have some contact with other employees in the work environment, but no contact with the packages that are sent directly to customers. The woman is recovering at home while the USPS facility is closed for cleaning, K5 News reports.
We’re Clutch City: USPS recognizes Houston, Harris County official says
Read full article: We’re Clutch City: USPS recognizes Houston, Harris County official saysHOUSTON – Does the United States Postal Service really recognize Houston as Clutch City? “No joke, the US Postal Service officially recognizes 77002, zip code of the Toyota Center, as Clutch City, TX," Hidalgo wrote. “Luckily, our office shares that zip.”The Toyota Center is home to the Houston Rockets as we all know. We also searched zip code 77027, the zip code for the team’s previous home The Summit, now Lakewood Church, and Clutch City did not show up. It seems that by the team relocating to the Toyota Center the new zip code took on the Clutch City name.