Postal Service Bill Passes Senate With Missouri Amendments

U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt each won passage of amendments to slow the down the process of closing post office branches.

Patch recently reported on efforts by Missouri's U.S. senators aimed at forestalling closures at rural post offices. In St. Louis, the Maplewood Post Office is on the list; customers would lose counter service. Mail would still be delivered and the 63143 zip code would not be eliminated. This week, versions of both amendments made it onto a broader bill aimed at restructuring the United States Postal Service. That broader piece of legislation passed Wednesday by a 62-37 margin, and puts off the potential for ending Saturday delivery for another two years. The bill now goes back to the U.S. House. Sen. Claire McCaskill's (D-MO) amendment, modified from the original version, would essentially place a yearlong moratorium on closing rural post…

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McCaskill and Blunt Line Up Against Post Office Closures

Several St. Louis-area locations, including Maplewood, were identified for further study last summer as the agency attempts to "rightsize" and cope with online alternatives to the postal service.

This week, lawmakers from across the country have introduced measures to prevent the shuttering of various United States Postal Service offices. The postal service is considering closing Maplewood Post Office's counter service. A meeting last September packed Maplewood City Hall. Doug Houser, the unofficial historian of Maplewood, wrote about the importance of the post office in Patch. Both of Missouri's U.S. senators have introduced measures to prevent post office closings. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) introduced a plan that would place a moratorium on closing rural post offices for two years. After that, the Postal Service would have to follow a strict criterion when considering whether to close a facility. “Targeting rural post offices …

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Maplewood Post Office Fate: No Announcement Before May 15

The Maplewood office is under consideration to lose counter service.

It’s been almost five months since St. Louis Postmaster Larry Diegel explained in a meeting at Maplewood City Hall why the Maplewood Post Office might lose counter service. Out of curiosity, Patch called the St. Louis office for an update. Micki Jones, customer relations coordinator for the Gateway District, was helpful. “It’s still under consideration,” she said. “No decisions have been made yet. If it was to close, we can’t do anything before May 15.” The May 15 date was set so the U. S. Postal Service would be at its fullest throughout the presidential primary elections. In December, the post office made an agreement with Congress that no offices would close before that date. The agreement also states that closures or consolidations …

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Video: People in Maplewood Brentwood Share Their New Year's Resolutions

Health, organization and patience are few of the items on local residents' wish lists as they face the new year.

What are your resolutions in the new year? Share them in the comments section!

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Dan Williams

7:20 pm on Sunday, January 1, 2012

thanks Doug you too!!!   more ›

Carnahan Fights to Keep Maplewood Post Office Open

The congressman called the Maplewood branch a "pillar" of community.

U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan is supporting efforts to forestall shutdowns of post offices, including one in Maplewood. As Maplewood-Brentwood Patch previously reported, the Maplewood Post Office on 2800 Marshall Ave. is one of several local branches that could be shut down. The move has grabbed the attention of the Maplewood City Council, as well as local citizens. It also received some focus from Carnahan, a Democrat who represents Maplewood in Congress. Carnahan co-sponsored two pieces of legislation aimed at avoiding shutdowns of post offices. In a statement, Carnahan said he’s heard from dozens of constituents about the Maplewood Post Office potentially closing. He also said “more than a thousand people have submitted postcards asking the …

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Letters to the Editor

MRH Kindergarteners Show Support for Post Office

Students of an MRH class wrote letters to show their support.

The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Mark Ryan, a Maplewood resident and father of a Maplewood Richmond Heights kindergarten student.  While adult members of the Maplewood community would show their support for the Maplewood Post Office on Tuesday, children from the Maplewood Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center expressed their enthusiasm for their post office earlier. Last week, members of Stephanie Sauselle's kindergarten class wrote letters and drew pictures illustrating their support of the local post office. On Tuesday, the class walked from the classroom at the ECC to the Maplewood Post Office, where they delivered in person a plea to keep the post office open. The students were surprisingly aware of the forces …

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Maplewood Residents Respond: Keep Our Post Office

Residents and business owners filled city hall to send their message to the postmaster of St. Louis.

Terry Ryan and her husband, a pastor at a Maplewood church, have one car that they spend $25 a month on gas on. They chose to live in Maplewood because it’s a community they could walk everywhere in. “We walk to work, we walk to school, we walk to the shops, we walk to the post office,” she said. Ryan was one of about 70 people who filled the city council chambers at Maplewood City Hall on Tuesday afternoon at a meeting to tell the St. Louis postmaster that they want all their post office services to remain. In order to save about $165,000, the U.S. Postal Service is considering closing the counter retail portion of the Maplewood Post Office. Part of the process to decide if a branch is to be closed is to hold a public comment meeting. The…

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Postal Service Seeks Maplewood Input

A survey mailed to Maplewood residents asked for input before any potential closure takes place.

In a letter mailed to Maplewood residents last week, St. Louis-area postal manager Russell Thouvenot outlined how the Maplewood Post Office could close its doors. The U.S. Postal Service is considering the closure of the Maplewood branch and four other nearby locations. The Maplewood location is under review because of "declining office workload and the availability of alternate sites nearby," the letter notes. The letter also outlines how customer needs have changed in the digital age. Residents can pay their bills online and communicate with others through emails and text messages, the letter notes. Thouvenot also sought input from residents in the letter. A survey to determine the usage of the Maplewood branch was attached, and it …

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Post Office Campaign Will Occur During Concert on Wednesday

Hudson and the HooDoo Cats will play in the free concert while city officials pass out postcards that read, "Save the Maplewood Post Office."

Wednesday marks the third free concert at Ryan Hummert Memorial Park this summer. At 6 p.m., Hudson and the HooDoo Cats will take the stage. The band calls itself a JumpSwinginRockinBoogieBluesaBilly band, as noted on the website. That means "swingin' shufflin' blues, 50's rock and roll and rockabilly, and medium tempo dance music." While attendees enjoy the sounds of the show, a few city officials will be handing out postcards that read, "Save the Maplewood Post Office." The Maplewood Post Office is under review as a possible closure to save money for the U.S. Postal Service. In an effort to fight the closure, Maplewood officials printed 1,000 postcards to pass out to residents and business owners. The cards will actually function as a …

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Possible Post Office Closing Draws Council Attention

At its meeting Tuesday night, Maplewood City Council passed a resolution to protest the potential closure of the Maplewood Post Office.

Maplewood City Council went on the offensive during Tuesday night's meeting in an effort to help prevent its local post office from closing. City council passed a resolution that will be presented to U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis. The resolution expresses the city's desire to keep the Maplewood branch open and fully operational.  The Maplewood Post Office is one of five local branches under review for possible closure to cut federal costs. This is the second time in two years that the Maplewood branch has been cited for possible closure. City council also discussed mounting a postcard signature campaign against the closure by residents who use the facility at 2800 Marshall Road, and investigating the historical significance of the …

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