Postal Service to stop Saturday mail deliveries

Uncertain how plan will affect local staff

A United States Postal Service delivery truck returning to the Fulton Post Office waits to turn onto Market Street from 6th Street Wednesday afternoon. The USPS announced Wednesday that it would cease Saturday deliveries in an attempt to reduce its budget deficit.
A United States Postal Service delivery truck returning to the Fulton Post Office waits to turn onto Market Street from 6th Street Wednesday afternoon. The USPS announced Wednesday that it would cease Saturday deliveries in an attempt to reduce its budget deficit.

Local postal service officers are not sure how the United States Postal Service announcement on Wednesday of ending Saturday delivery in August will affect their staff.

U.S. Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe announced Wednesday nationwide delivery of mail on Saturdays will end during the week of Aug. 5 of this year. That would mean the last Saturday delivery would be on Aug. 3.

Package deliveries, which are more profitable for the postal service, will continue on Saturdays. Package deliveries by the Postal Service since 2010 have increased 14 percent. Post offices that are now open on Saturdays will remain open. Saturday mail deliveries to numbered post office boxes inside post offices will continue to be serviced on Saturdays.

Donahoe said the delivery change has been announced six months in advance to give time for individuals and businesses to adjust to the change.

Fulton Postmaster Roger Bounds said it is premature now to discuss how the elimination of Saturday mail deliveries will affect postal service staff members.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.