VONZELL SOLOMON, AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST AND MAIL CARRIER

FANS OF AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST AND MAIL CARRIER VONZELL SOLOMON CAN SAY "CONGRATULATIONS" VIA USPS.COM

WASHINGTON—Internet savvy fans can extend their kudos to American Idol finalist and Postal Service mail carrier Vonzell Solomon through her exclusive 90210 Post Office Box directly from usps.com. Thanks to a new customized card featured on NetPost CardStore, the Postal Service is making it easy to "connect the connected" through the internet and fans can now send congratulatory wishes to Vonzell with just a click of the mouse.

Last week, a post office box at the Beverly Hills Post Office was opened to make it easy for fans to extend congratulations and support to Vonzell—a Rural Carrier from Fort Myers, Florida. Going a step further, a special card has been designed to make it convenient for fans using the internet to congratulate their idol for her continued success on the show and to offer encouragement during the remaining weeks of the competition.

"The nearly 120,000 men and women of the United States Postal Service who are dedicated to delivering the mail to rural America salute their idol," said Dale A. Holton, President of the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association. "Many of them undoubtedly tune in every week to watch, cheer for and vote for Vonzell. I'm now asking all of my fellow postal employees and their families who support Vonzell to vote and make her America's idol!"

Rural Carriers represent a portion of the 700,000 total employees of the U.S. Postal Service — each are dedicated to providing the best service possible to the American people.

Fans who want to use NetPost CardStore to send Vonzell a card offering their congratulations and words of encouragement just need to log onto www.usps.com/cardstore and complete an easy registration process. The card is located in the Personal Collection under "congratulations," and fans have the option of sending a 5x7 folded greeting card or a 5x7 postcard for the same postage. Simply follow the directions on the site to create the card and choose from a variety of fonts, sizes and colors to convey a special message.

Vonzell's address is:

VONZELL SOLOMON
C/O POSTMASTER
P.O. BOX V
BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210-9998

When entering address information, enter her name in the "primary contact" space and enter "C/O POSTMASTER" beside "Job Title," and enter the PO Box, City, State and ZIP information where prompted.

NetPost CardStore is the Postal Service's quick, easy, convenient service featured online at www.usps.com/cardstore that makes it possible for users to create greeting cards electronically and they are then printed and sent as First-Class Mail. Using NetPost CardStore, users can sit down in front of their computer and design personalized greeting cards complete with a family photo or a specially designed graphic-or they can choose from thousands of designs already there. Sending a greeting card is as easy as clicking a mouse!

STAMPS, USEFUL WORKS OF ART

USEFUL WORKS OF ART. NC State Magazine reports that stamps “might be the most useful — and the most used — works of American art. About 44 billion were printed last year, passing through our mailboxes affixed to the corners of bills and invitations and holiday cards.” NC State College of Design Professor Meredith Davis, who recently served on the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, agreed. “I don’t know another design activity that reaches so many people,” she said.

USPS: INNOVATOR WITH IMPACT.

INNOVATOR WITH IMPACT. The April issue of Folio, a periodical for magazine publishers, features Pricing and Classification VP Stephen Kearney as one of 40 “industry innovators with impact.” Kearney said USPS has increased productivity in recent years, and is working to help magazines do the same. One example is co-palletization, which helps smaller publishers and printers save time and money by shipping periodicals from closer to their final destination. “Eventually, everybody will be co-palletizing or co-mailing,” Kearney said. “We think that’s the wave of the future.”

USPS: BEST IN THE WORLD

BEST IN THE WORLD. The Postal Service is short-listed for awards in five categories of the 2005 World Mail Awards. USPS is among the finalists in Customer Service for change of address services and the Automated Postal Centers, in e-Commerce for Click-N-Ship, in Innovation for Intelligent Mail, in Marketing for the USPS Ambassador Program, and in Security for multimedia initiatives to educate consumers. Winners will be announced tomorrow in Brussels, Belgium. Sponsored by a global consortium of mail industry interests, the awards encourage and celebrate best practices worldwide.

USPS: Mail volume on the rise

Mail volume on the rise

Delivery points increase 400,000

Chief Financial Officer Richard Strasser told the Postal Service Board of Governors today that mail volume in the second quarter showed a gain of 600 million pieces — to 52.1 billion — and a $17 million increase in revenue.

Strasser also said total revenue of $17.3 billion exceeded total expenses of $17.0 billion, producing a net income of $275 million — down from $741 million in Quarter 2 of last year.

“There was a dip in revenue and volume in January and slight increases in February and March,” Strasser explained. “Increased expenses due to cost inflation, additional volumes and deliveries were contained by productivity gains through workhour savings.”

The number of delivery addresses continued to increase, up by 400,000 in Quarter 2. That brings the total number of delivery points to 143.2 million — 1.8 million more addresses than a year ago.

EXPRESS MAIL Scores 95% for two years straight

GOING STRONG IN OVERNIGHT DELIVERY

First-Class EXFC score at 95% for two years straight

More than 24 months in a row — and no signs of letting up!

That’s how long USPS employees — working as a solid team — have held the record of 95% or higher for on-time First-Class Mail overnight delivery.

Six USPS districts reached 97% on-time scores during this reporting period, the second quarter of fiscal 2005. They are Big Sky, Spokane, Central Plains, Dakotas, Colorado/Wyoming and Northland.

Customer satisfaction adds another outstanding long-running record for USPS during the period. For 14 continuous quarters, the Postal Service customer satisfaction score has been 93% or higher. This quarter, 12 districts achieved scores of 96% and 97%.

This round of scoring also cites two-day service performance of 90% and three-day air mail at 83%. The scoring, taken independently by an outside company, measures the time it takes a piece of First-Class Mail, once it's deposited into a collection box, to be delivered.

The External First-Class score (EXFC) was announced today during the Postal Service's Board of Governors meeting in Atlanta.

Pronto delivery of Harry Potter book brought to you by USPS, Amazon.com

Pronto delivery of Harry Potter book brought to you by USPS, Amazon.com

The Postal Service has teamed with Amazon.com to bring wizard-like delivery of the latest Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It will be available to the public, Saturday, July 16.

“We’re delighted to have a role in helping young people discover the joy of reading,” said Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer Anita Bizzotto.

“Our employees will be working hard so that hundreds of thousands of excited fans can enjoy the new book on the day it is released,” Bizzotto said.

Pre-orders of this sixth installment in author J.K. Rowling’s epic series were offered at a 40% discount Dec. 15. The book became a best seller within an hour and has held its position for 15 consecutive weeks.

The first day the fifth of Rowling’s books, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, was available to the public in June 2003, the Postal Service delivered more than 400,000 copies to Amazon.com customers. Projections for first-day delivery of this year’s release have already reached 1 million.

USPS AND U.S. ARMY JOIN FORCES.

USPS AND U.S. ARMY JOIN FORCES. Throughout our history, American soldiers have fought battles to protect our basic liberties. To honor those soldiers and their families, the U.S. Army is launching Freedom Team Salute. This program gives all Army soldiers — active duty, reservists and national guardsmen — the opportunity to recognize parents, spouses and employers for their support. As thanks, the Army is mailing Freedom Team Salute packages to 240,000 veterans and supporters. It’s the first wave of a First-Class mailing that runs until Sept. 30.

USPS: 2006 Proposed Priority Mail Rate Increase

On April 8, 2005, the Postal Service™ filed a rate case with the Postal Rate Commission seeking an expedited recommended decision to raise prices 5.4 percent for almost all categories.This filing is unique in that the decision to seek a rate increase is due to the Postal Service’s legal obligation to fund the $3.1 billion escrow requirement imposed by Public Law (PL) 108-18. Should legislation be enacted that eliminates the escrow funding requirement, this rate case will be withdrawn.The proposal calls for an almost uniform 5.4 percent rate and fee increase spread over all classes and subclasses of mail and special services. The postage for a one-ounce piece of First-Class Mail® would go from 37 to 39 cents. No classification-related changes are proposed.If favorably recommended by the Postal Rate Commission, new rates would be implemented no earlier than January 2006.

Escrow Rate Case FAQs

Priority Mail
Current								Proposed
Weight (lbs)	Local, Zones 1, 2 & 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6	Zone 7	Zone 8		Weight (lbs)	Local, Zones 1, 2 & 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6	Zone 7	Zone 8
1	$3.85	$3.85	$3.85	$3.85	$3.85	$3.85		1	$4.05	$4.05	$4.05	$4.05	$4.05	$4.05
2	3.95	4.55	4.90	5.05	5.40	5.75		2	4.20	4.80	5.15	5.30	5.70	6.05
3	4.75	6.05	6.85	7.15	7.85	8.55		3	5.00	6.40	7.20	7.55	8.25	9.00
4	5.30	7.05	8.05	8.50	9.45	10.35		4	5.60	7.45	8.50	8.95	9.95	10.90
5	5.85	8.00	9.30	9.85	11.00	12.15		5	6.15	8.45	9.80	10.40	11.60	12.80
6	6.30	8.85	9.90	10.05	11.30	12.30		6	6.65	9.35	10.45	10.60	11.90	12.95
7	6.80	9.80	10.65	11.00	12.55	14.05		7	7.15	10.35	11.25	11.60	13.25	14.80
8	7.35	10.75	11.45	11.95	13.80	15.75		8	7.75	11.35	12.05	12.60	14.55	16.60
9	7.90	11.70	12.20	12.90	15.05	17.50		9	8.35	12.35	12.85	13.60	15.85	18.45
10	8.40	12.60	13.00	14.00	16.30	19.20		10	8.85	13.30	13.70	14.75	17.20	20.25
11	8.95	13.35	13.75	15.15	17.55	20.90		11	9.45	14.05	14.50	15.95	18.50	22.05
12	9.50	14.05	14.50	16.30	18.80	22.65		12	10.00	14.80	15.30	17.20	19.80	23.85
13	10.00	14.75	15.30	17.50	20.05	24.35		13	10.55	15.55	16.15	18.45	21.15	25.65
14	10.55	15.45	16.05	18.60	21.25	26.05		14	11.10	16.30	16.90	19.60	22.40	27.45
15	11.05	16.20	16.85	19.75	22.50	27.80		15	11.65	17.05	17.75	20.80	23.70	29.30
16	11.60	16.90	17.60	20.85	23.75	29.50		16	12.25	17.80	18.55	22.00	25.05	31.10
17	12.15	17.60	18.35	22.05	25.00	31.20		17	12.80	18.55	19.35	23.25	26.35	32.90
18	12.65	18.30	19.30	23.15	26.25	32.95		18	13.35	19.30	20.35	24.40	27.65	34.75
19	13.20	19.00	20.20	24.30	27.50	34.65		19	13.90	20.05	21.30	25.60	29.00	36.50
20	13.75	19.75	21.15	25.35	28.75	36.40		20	14.50	20.80	22.30	26.70	30.30	38.35
21	14.25	20.45	22.05	26.55	30.00	38.10		21	15.00	21.55	23.25	28.00	31.60	40.15
22	14.80	21.15	22.95	27.65	31.20	39.80		22	15.60	22.30	24.20	29.15	32.90	41.95
23	15.30	21.85	23.90	28.80	32.45	41.55		23	16.15	23.05	25.20	30.35	34.20	43.80
24	15.85	22.55	24.85	29.90	33.70	43.25		24	16.70	23.75	26.20	31.50	35.50	45.60
25	16.40	23.30	25.75	31.10	34.95	44.95		25	17.30	24.55	27.15	32.80	36.85	47.40
26	16.90	24.00	26.60	32.25	36.20	46.70		26	17.80	25.30	28.05	34.00	38.15	49.20
27	17.45	24.70	27.55	33.35	37.45	48.40		27	18.40	26.05	29.05	35.15	39.45	51.00
28	18.00	25.40	28.50	34.50	38.70	50.15		28	18.95	26.75	30.05	36.35	40.80	52.85
29	18.50	26.15	29.45	35.60	39.95	51.85		29	19.50	27.55	31.05	37.50	42.10	54.65
30	19.05	26.85	30.35	36.80	41.20	53.55		30	20.10	28.30	32.00	38.80	43.40	56.45
31	19.55	27.55	31.20	37.85	42.40	55.30		31	20.60	29.05	32.90	39.90	44.70	58.30
32	20.10	28.25	32.15	39.00	43.65	57.00		32	21.20	29.80	33.90	41.10	46.00	60.10
33	20.65	28.95	33.10	40.10	44.90	58.70		33	21.75	30.50	34.90	42.25	47.30	61.85
34	21.15	29.70	34.00	41.25	46.15	60.45		34	22.30	31.30	35.85	43.50	48.65	63.70
35	21.70	30.40	34.95	42.40	47.40	62.15		35	22.85	32.05	36.85	44.70	49.95	65.50
36	22.25	31.10	35.85	43.55	48.65	63.85		36	23.45	32.80	37.80	45.90	51.30	67.30
37	22.75	31.95	36.80	44.65	49.90	65.60		37	24.00	33.70	38.80	47.05	52.60	69.15
38	23.30	32.65	37.70	45.85	51.15	67.30		38	24.55	34.40	39.75	48.35	53.90	70.95
39	23.75	33.50	38.65	47.00	52.40	69.05		39	25.05	35.30	40.75	49.55	55.25	72.80
40	24.25	34.30	39.60	48.10	53.60	70.75		40	25.55	36.15	41.75	50.70	56.50	74.55
41	24.70	35.00	40.45	49.25	54.85	72.45		41	26.05	36.90	42.65	51.90	57.80	76.35
42	25.20	35.85	41.35	50.30	56.15	74.20		42	26.55	37.80	43.60	53.00	59.20	78.20
43	25.65	36.60	42.30	51.50	57.40	75.90		43	27.05	38.60	44.60	54.30	60.50	80.00
44	26.15	37.40	43.25	52.60	58.70	77.60		44	27.55	39.40	45.60	55.45	61.85	81.80
45	26.60	38.20	44.15	53.75	59.95	79.35		45	28.05	40.25	46.55	56.65	63.20	83.65
46	27.10	39.00	45.05	54.85	61.20	81.05		46	28.55	41.10	47.50	57.80	64.50	85.45
47	27.55	39.75	46.00	56.05	62.50	82.75		47	29.05	41.90	48.50	59.10	65.90	87.20
48	28.05	40.60	46.95	57.20	63.75	84.50		48	29.55	42.80	49.50	60.30	67.20	89.05
49	28.50	41.35	47.80	58.30	65.05	86.20		49	30.05	43.60	50.40	61.45	68.55	90.85
50	28.95	42.15	48.75	59.45	66.30	87.95		50	30.50	44.45	51.40	62.65	69.90	92.70
51	29.45	42.95	49.65	60.55	67.55	89.65		51	31.05	45.25	52.35	63.80	71.20	94.50
52	29.90	43.75	50.60	61.75	68.80	91.35		52	31.50	46.10	53.35	65.10	72.50	96.30
53	30.40	44.50	51.50	62.85	70.05	93.10		53	32.05	46.90	54.30	66.25	73.85	98.15
54	30.85	45.25	52.45	63.95	71.30	94.80		54	32.50	47.70	55.30	67.40	75.15	99.90
55	31.35	46.10	53.40	65.05	72.50	96.50		55	33.05	48.60	56.30	68.55	76.40	101.70
56	31.80	46.85	54.25	66.25	73.75	98.25		56	33.50	49.40	57.20	69.85	77.75	103.55
57	32.30	47.65	55.15	67.35	75.00	99.95		57	34.05	50.20	58.15	71.00	79.05	105.35
58	32.75	48.45	56.10	68.50	76.25	101.65		58	34.50	51.05	59.15	72.20	80.35	107.15
59	33.25	49.25	57.05	69.60	77.50	103.40		59	35.05	51.90	60.15	73.35	81.70	109.00
60	33.70	50.00	58.00	70.80	78.75	105.10		60	35.50	52.70	61.15	74.60	83.00	110.80
61	34.20	50.85	58.85	71.95	80.00	106.85		61	36.05	53.60	62.05	75.85	84.30	112.60
62	34.65	51.55	59.80	73.05	81.25	108.55		62	36.50	54.35	63.05	77.00	85.65	114.40
63	35.15	52.40	60.75	74.20	82.50	110.25		63	37.05	55.25	64.05	78.20	86.95	116.20
64	35.60	53.20	61.70	75.35	83.70	112.00		64	37.50	56.05	65.05	79.40	88.20	118.05
65	36.10	53.90	62.50	76.45	84.95	113.70		65	38.05	56.80	65.90	80.60	89.55	119.85
66	36.55	54.75	63.45	77.55	86.20	115.40		66	38.50	57.70	66.90	81.75	90.85	121.65
67	37.05	55.60	64.40	78.70	87.45	117.15		67	39.05	58.60	67.90	82.95	92.15	123.50
68	37.50	56.30	65.35	79.80	88.70	118.85		68	39.50	59.35	68.90	84.10	93.50	125.25
69	38.00	57.10	66.25	81.00	89.95	120.55		69	40.05	60.20	69.85	85.35	94.80	127.05
70	38.45	57.95	67.15	82.10	91.20	122.30		70	40.55	61.10	70.80	86.55	96.10	128.90
Notes:								Notes:
1. Parcels that weigh less than 15 pounds but measure more than 84 inches in combined length and girth are charged the applicable rate for a 15-pound parcel.								1. Parcels that weigh less than 15 pounds but measure more than 84 inches in combined length and girth are charged the applicable rate for a 15-pound parcel.
2. The 1-pound rate is charged for matter sent in a flat-rate envelope provided by the USPS, regardless of the actual weight of the piece.								2. The 1-pound rate is charged for matter sent in a flat-rate envelope provided by the USPS, regardless of the actual weight of the piece.
3. Postage for the flat-rate box is $7.70								3. Postage for the flat-rate box is $8.10

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Aspen Postal Workers Say Mail Deliberately Delayed

Aspen Postal Workers Say Mail Deliberately Delayed
(Colorado) "Local residents are facing extra delays to their mail; staff morale is at an all-time low at the Aspen post office; and some letters are being left in piles on the floor instead of being placed in their correct post office boxes, two postal workers claimed Thursday." Al DeSarro, spokesman for the Postal Service's western region, said it is unlikely mail is allowed to pile up in this manner."(4/29) http://www.aspendailynews.com/articles.cfm?id=2