Politics & Government

USPS Says Mail Went Out Normally This Week; Patch Readers Say No Way

After not receiving mail Monday or Tuesday, I checked with Patch readers who resoundingly reported the same problem. Yet the USPS spokesman said all carriers had been out all week.

On Wednesday morning, after not receiving mail for two days at our Lincoln Square home, I turned to the Lincoln Square Patch Facebook page to see if we were alone.

The resounding answer was “no.”

“No mail as of yesterday... and that's OK...would rather the mail carriers be safe & warm... my bills can wait,” wrote Jodi S.

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She was representative of the more than 20 people who left a comment, saying they hadn’t received mail Monday or Tuesday. Most of them, like myself, weren’t surprised or upset by this. We didn’t want the mail carriers losing fingers and toes to frostbite. We just wanted to know when to expect our letters and packages to show up.

So I checked in with the USPS spokesman Mark Reynolds to find out when mail would resume. His answer: it had never stopped. 

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“All carriers have been out all week,” he told me.

But what about the 20-some people on our Facebook page who said otherwise? What about my missing mail?

He told me everyone had been out as normal and he could only look into problems if I gave him a specific address on Thursday, when he’d be back in the office.

Hmm, really, there wasn’t any overarching problem with delivery? Nope, mail had been being delivered all week, he said.

I then posted the question on the four other Chicago North Side Patch Facebook pages and ended up with a total of nearly four dozen people from Bucktown-Wicker Park, Lake View, Lincoln Park, North Center-Roscoe Village, Lincoln Square, Albany Park, Buena Park and even Des Plaines who said they didn’t get any mail Monday or Tuesday.

Here’s a sampling of some responses.

From Lincoln Square:

Tracy S. wrote: “I don't at all blame then for keeping carriers off routes HOWEVER they are in the communications business so letting their customers know, officially, that they weren't delivering would have been appreciated.”

From Lake View:

Joseph B wrote: “Yup. Nothing for two days at home, I am guessing we'll see an overstuffed mailbox tonight.”

Gracia L wrote: “Watched our post office driver get stuck trying to enter our street (seminary) Don't blame him for skipping us.”

Chris B. wrote on Wednesday: Yes....live in Lakeview and work in Lakeview..we didn't get mail at either place Monday or Tuesday..didn't even see a mail carrier at all until today”

From Lincoln Park:

Dave N. wrote: “We did not get mail yesterday (which was unusual).”

From North Center-Roscoe Village:

Christopher H. wrote: “None since Friday”

What’s more, contrary to what Reynolds told me, many of the commenters said they’d called their post office and were told there were large-scale delays in delivery.

Patrick S. wrote on Lincoln Square’s page: “We called the office and they said mail wasn't being delivered and it might be starting back up today. Had to head over there to pick up a couple of packages.”

Mike S. had a more frustrating conversation. He wrote on Lincoln Square’s page: “Well lied to again. No mail, no package. Called the local, "they will call me back tomorrow". Called the national #, they "entered a case". So, they have held a 2 day priority mail package now 5 days, and all my mail. I can totally understand weather delays, but now I am being lied to. Good luck people!”

What was the mail situation like near you? Was it business as usual as the USPS spokesman said or did you miss two days of mail like myself and many Patch readers?


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