Why hasn't mail been delivered in northeast Kansas yet?
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansans looking for their usual deliveries of mail this week and finding their boxes empty may have to wait a little longer.
27 News reached out to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) offices in Kansas City, Missouri for an update on why some local residents in northeast Kansas aren't receiving any mail this week. USPS spokeswoman Tara Jarrett provided 27 News with a press release regarding the agency's efforts to deliver mail following a powerful winter storm that blanketed much of Kansas in snow on Jan. 5.
Jarrett said the safety of USPS staff is the agency's top priority at this time and that mail carriers are "making every effort to deliver." She emphasized that homeowners need to help mail carriers complete deliveries by clearing paths to their mailboxes.
USPS spokesman Mark Inglett previously told 27 News on Monday, Jan. 6 that homeowners needed to clear away snow to help their local mail carriers reach mailboxes. The USPS press release issued on Jan. 8 echoes this point.
"Please help us by clearing a pathway large enough to allow our vehicles access to the mailbox and to drive away, safely. Customers receiving curbside delivery should remove snow piles left by snowplows to keep access to their mailboxes clear for letter carriers. Customers receiving door delivery should make sure their sidewalks, steps and porches are clear."
USPS press release excerpt on Jan. 8
The USPS will halt or delay its mail deliveries only after due consideration and "as a last resort" with postal workers attempting to deliver any mail that doesn't reach its destination the following day. Homeowners should expect mail delays for as long as hazardous conditions persist such as accumulations of snow and ice on streets and other walkways.
Jarrett did not answer a question from 27 News regarding what the plan is for catching local residents up on missed deliveries. You can track packages being delivered by the USPS by clicking here.
Mail carriers nationwide will also be out of action on Thursday, Jan. 9 due to a National Day of Mourning to honor former President Jimmy Carter who passed away in late December 2024. The USPS announced it would suspend mail deliveries on this day with all post office locations closing, package deliveries being limited and regular mail not being delivered in observance of Carter's passing.
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