The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is prepared to pull services at the first sign of trouble. Back in March, the agency halted delivery and postal operations in one area of Minnesota because of a train derailment. And just this month, the USPS closed several post offices and stopped deliveries in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands ahead of Typhoon Mawar. But extreme circumstances don't always have to be present for the Postal Service to make changes. In fact, the agency is suspending services in multiple states right now for less dramatic disruptions. Read on to find out about the latest USPS closures.
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The USPS just closed a post office in Kansas.
iStockKansas customers of the Postal Service's downtown Topeka facility were recently met with a notice on the building's door informing them that it had been closed indefinitely, local CBS-affiliate WIBW reported on May 30. P.O. Box mail has been moved to another Topeka post office on N.W. Gage Boulevard, according to the news outlet.
In a May 27 local press release, the USPS announced that it had moved retail operations for the Topeka Main Post Office to the Northpark Post Office on N.W. Gage Boulevard.
"The Postal Service apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause our customers as repairs are taking place," the agency stated in its release.
Customers are upset over the abrupt closure.
iStockIn a separate report, WIBW said the USPS indicated it was necessary to suspend services at the Topeka Main Post Office because renovations are needed after lead and asbestos were found in the building. A note posted on the facility revealed that it was also "exposed to slip, trip and fall hazards; electrical work; falling paint; overhead work; non-access to restrooms; electrical hazards and more," The Topeka Capital-Journal reported.
But several customers are upset with the USPS for what they say was an abrupt and unnecessary closure. One person associated with the post office who requested to stay anonymous told WIBW she wasn't aware of the closure until seeing posts about it on Facebook.
"I understand why the customers are angry. I do. I would be angry too, if I had a P.O. Box there," she said.
Joseph Chontos told The Topeka Capital-Journal that P.O. Box customers at the Topeka Main Post Office received a letter about the closure in the boxes only three hours before it was shut down.
"It was very sudden," Chontos told the newspaper. "There was no warning. We were led to believe it would continue business as usual. Suddenly, we find out like a bolt out of the blue that they're closed."
Best Life reached out to the USPS about the complaints over the closure, and we will update this story with their response.
The agency has shuttered a post office in Tennessee as well.
ShutterstockCustomers in Kansas aren't the only ones facing postal problems right now. The Five Points Post Office in Franklin, Tennessee, is also slated to close temporarily today, the Williamson Herald reported.
According to the newspaper, the post office's operator Jeff Nicholls has decided not to renew his lease, which expires on May 31. As a result, the USPS has informed customers in a note on the door of the Five Points Post Office that it has to shut the facility down while it searches for a new owner.
"I have enjoyed my time in Franklin and have a heart for this post office," Nicholls told the Williamson Herald, adding that P.O. Box customers can still collect their mail at the Five Points facility unless they receive a large package. (They will need to go to the Oak Meadow Post Office to retrieve those.)
Best Life reached out to the USPS to find out if there's a timeline for the reopening of the Five Post Post Office, and we will update this story with their response.
A facility in Ohio is also facing lease issues.
iStockIn a local May 19 press release, the Postal Service warned Ohio customers that it would be temporarily closing a facility in Haskins, Ohio, before the end of the month.
"USPS operations at the Haskins Post Office will be suspended as of close of business day Saturday, May 29," the agency stated.
As in Tennessee, lease issues are also contributing to this closure. "The suspension is due to the lease agreement ending," the USPS explained. During the closure, P.O. Box customers are being directed to pick up their mail at the Bowling Green Post Office.
When asked about the future of the Haskins Post Office, USPS spokesperson Naddia Dhalai told Best Life that the agency is "working on opening a modular unit in Haskins but have not determined the date."
