Season's greetings keep post office busy.Byline: Jeff Wright Jeff Wright can refer to:
It's people like Bill Evans
William John Evans (better known as Bill Evans) (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was one of the most famous and influential American jazz pianists of 20th-century. who made Monday the craziest day of the year for U.S. Postal Service The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) processes and delivers mail to individuals and businesses within the United States. The service seeks to improve its performance through the development of efficient mail-handling systems and operates its own planning and engineering programs. workers. A retired teacher from Junction City Junction City, city (1990 pop. 20,604), seat of Geary co., NE Kans., at the confluence of the Republican and Smoky Hill rivers; inc. 1859. The rail, trade, and processing center of an agricultural and dairy area, it grew as the supply point for nearby Fort Riley, , Evans spent about 30 minutes at Springfield's Gateway post office, waiting in line to mail a Christmas package to his son in California. He was joined by his 3-year-old grandson, Drew Todahl, who resolutely res·o·lute adj. Firm or determined; unwavering. [Middle English, dissolved, dissolute, from Latin resol pushed the package a few inches forward everytime the line moved. Evans claimed to be an early shopper - in past years. "I try to beat all this rush," he said, "but we just got so busy." This year's strategy was different: Evans said he and his wife spent the entire weekend buying, wrapping and mailing gifts. The one mailed out Monday was their last. Unfortunately for postal workers, plenty of others had the same idea. Nationally, more than 850 million cards, letters and packages were expected to enter the mail stream Monday vs. an average daily volume of about 670 million pieces. Closer to home, the Gateway processing and distribution center, which handles all of Lane County's mail, was bracing for 600,000 letters and parcels, compared to a typical Monday volume of 250,000. This Wednesday, meanwhile, is expected to be the heaviest delivery day, as millions of packages and cards wend Wend Any member of a group of Slavic tribes that by the 5th century AD had settled in the area between the Oder and Elbe rivers in what is now eastern Germany. They occupied the eastern borders of the domain of the Franks and other Germanic peoples. their way through the system, said Kelly Walsh, a customer service supervisor in Eugene. Walsh's advice to people with packages: Be patient, expect some kind of wait and, if possible, come to the post office in the middle of the day and the middle of the week when lines are typically shorter. Gift buyers who can't stand the idea of standing in line do have an alternative: The Postal Service postal service, arrangements made by a government for the transmission of letters, packages, and periodicals, and for related services. Early courier systems for government use were organized in the Persian Empire under Cyrus, in the Roman Empire, and in medieval last year introduced a "Click-N-Ship" online service that allows people to buy postage for mailing packages at home. Customers can print out postage-paid shipping labels, then, depending on a package's weight, give it to their letter carrier, drop it in a blue Postal Service collection box or place it on a post office's loading dock - without having to wait in any line. Since its introduction in spring 2002, the Click-N-Ship service has taken off, Walsh said. The volume of labels printed with and without postage in the past month is more than double last year's count, with the 10 millionth label printed in November. At the Gateway post office, Evans said he didn't know about the online service - but wished he had. "I would've done it," he said. But others standing in line weren't so sure. "I'd rather go this way because then I know it gets shipped," said Bob Renfro of Springfield, mailing a gift to a nephew in Georgia. Still others have mastered the Zen of waiting in line. Mickie Broy of Springfield, sporting Christmas tree Christmas tree Evergreen tree, usually decorated with lights and ornaments, to celebrate the Christmas season. The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands as symbols of eternal life was common among the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews. earrings and a positive attitude, carried a half-dozen packages to the end of the line, which she declared "not that bad, actually." "It looks like it will take less than an hour," she said. "It's not like the time I got behind the guy with a cart full of tubes." RECOMMENDED MAILING DATES Mailing Date A specific date set for the mailing of certain material to security holders such as interim reports, proxy material and dividend checks. Within the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. : Use Priority Mail until Dec. 22, then use Express Mail. Express Mail delivery on Christmas Day available in many locations, including Eugene International: Use Global Express Mail until Dec. 17; use Global Express Guaranteed until Dec. 22 Military: Customers mailing to troops overseas can use Express Mail Military Service until Dec. 19 Other options: Commercial providers such as UPS, FedEx PRE-PAID POSTAGE FOR PACKAGES Postal Service offers online mailing service: Web site: www.usps.com, click on "Send mail and packages," then "Print labels and postage now," then "Register Now" More information: Call (800) ASK-USPS. For questions about Express Mail or Priority Mail, call (800) 222-1811. To buy stamps, call (800) STAMP-24 or go online at www.usps.com/shop. MAIL PACKAGING TIPS Select a box strong enough to protect contents Cushion the contents Make sure only addresses on package are delivery and return addresses Enclose card listing contents along with sender's and recipient's addresses Remove batteries from toys, wrap and place them next to toys If mailing framed pictures, disassemble dis·as·sem·ble v. dis·as·sem·bled, dis·as·sem·bling, dis·as·sem·bles v.tr. To take apart: disassemble a toaster. v.intr. 1. and wrap frame and glass separately Be sure to include ZIP code zip code System of postal-zone codes (zip stands for “zone improvement plan”) introduced in the U.S. in 1963 to improve mail delivery and exploit electronic reading and sorting capabilities. ; if you don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. it, don't guess; go to www.usps.com to find correct code - U.S. Postal Service CAPTION(S): Drew Todahl, 3, holds down a package while waiting in line with his grandfather, Bill Evans, at the Gateway post office in Springfield on Monday. Postal officials expected the regional processing center at Gateway to handle 600,000 letters and parcels, more than twice the typical Monday volume. |
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