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The USPS has launched Connect Local in 17 locations across Metro Detroit in an effort to help small businesses get packages out to local customers faster.

He was well known for starring opposite Penelope Keith in the BBC comedy, plus ITV's Victoria.

Congress on Tuesday passed legislation that would shore up the U.S. Postal Service and ensure six-day-a-week mail delivery, sending the bill to President Joe Biden to sign into law.

Issues with mail delivery in Clinton Township have residents reaching out to the Help Me Hank team for an investigation.

Does the mail run on Christmas Eve 2021? Are banks open? What is NJ Transit's schedule? The complete guide to Friday, Dec. 24 on Christmas Eve 2021. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Not all of the apps your phones and computers want you to use are the ones that make the most sense for your life. Help Desk walks you though how you can change them.

People in Roseville said mail delivery has recently been especially slow and they’re worried -- especially as the holiday rush kicks into high gear.

Now that December is here, many of us are eyeing those Christmas lists and checking off all the things.

The paper's owner says Greig will be replaced by Ted Verity who edits its sister title the Mail on Sunday.

Local businesses will make sure that well wishes, gift lists and holiday cheer get to the jolly man in red at the Northpole.

A legendary news pioneer will be honored on a new stamp next year.

The USPS is looking to hire for 800 positions in Metro Detroit alone -- not including an additional 1,000 temporary positions available for the holiday season.

With holiday shopping season ramping up, the postal service is determined not to let a shortage of workers put a damper on your holiday cheer.

Your mail could be even more snail-like starting in October, as part of approved cuts in service by the United States Postal Service.

The daughter of an elderly couple in Bloomfield Hills reached out to the Help Me Hank team because of deliveries that were being made to her parents’ home.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said mixing home and office working was "here to stay" post-Covid.

Michigan voters who are voting absentee in the Aug. 3 primary election should return ballots in person or at a local drop box.

Postal problems continue to cause problems all over Metro Detroit and now two elected leaders are working to get answers in Washington.

The United States Postal Service has declined a request to discuss questions about ongoing mail delays and issues.

Problems with mail delays started to happen in the weeks leading up to the election.

Slow mail delivery has been a problem for months in Metro Detroit.

Slow or nonexistent mail delivery has been a problem for months in Metro Detroit.

Slow or nonexistent mail delivery has been a problem for months in Metro Detroit.

It’s been a problem for months and it doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon.

DETROIT – Metro Detroit residents are voicing concerns that mail isn’t getting to them. There are reports of people experiencing postal problems and delays all across Metro Detroit. Last fall, it was the election and shopping season -- but recently residents have been reaching out to Local 4 regarding a recent slow down in service. READ: Don’t mail it in: Postal Service asks residents to remove snow, ice from walkwaysThe new slow down in service doesn’t appear to be weather-related. If you believe you are experiencing a slowdown in mail deliveries there are several steps you can take.

Senator Gary Peters released a report this week on changes to the United States Postal Service (USPS), also addressing mail delays. It is the sixth report since Peters launched an investigation in August. According to data from ShipMatrix, more than 6 million packages have been left sitting in shipping warehouses with days left before Christmas. We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis.”Changes outlined in Peters’ report are not final yet. USPS leaders said they plan to detail their 2021 plans in the upcoming weeks.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Local 4 has received several calls about mail delays across the Metro Detroit area. Video from outside the U.S. Postal Service Mail Distribution Center in Allen Park shows trucks lined up outside the facility waiting to drop off mail to be processed. Local 4′s Hank Winchester spoke with several drivers who said they’ve never seen delays like this before. Watch the video above for the full report.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Residents in one Clinton Township neighborhood have gone days -- sometimes even a week -- without mail delivery. Postal Service in Detroit, and while she didn’t want to elaborate on camera about specific problems, Local 4 did receive a written statement. We apologize for any inconvenience that may have been experienced by customers living in the Clinton Township community. Local management is working with customers to resolve their concerns. Postal ServiceResidents told Local 4 that mail, as of Thursday, had resumed being delivered.

To make sure your gifts arrive before Christmas, follow the holiday shipping deadlines for the U.S. USPS holiday shipping deadlinesThe USPS recommends shipping your packages by the following dates if you want them to arrive before December 25. FedEx holiday shipping deadlinesFedEx recommends shipping your packages by the following dates if you want them to arrive before December 25. UPS holiday shipping deadlinesUPS recommends shipping your packages by the following dates if you want them to arrive before December 25. Amazon holiday shipping deadlines will vary depending on where you live, what you’re ordering and if you’re a Prime member.

Postal Service facility in McLean, Va. A U.S. judge on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, blocked controversial Postal Service changes that have slowed mail nationwide. The judge called them "a politically motivated attack on the efficiency of the Postal Service" before the November election. Postal Service to take “extraordinary measures” to deliver ballots in time to be counted in Wisconsin and around Detroit, including using a priority mail service. “The Postal Service continues to implement extraordinary measures across the country to advance and expedite the delivery of the nation’s ballots." The states also sought to force the Postal Service to treat election mail as first-class mail.

LANSING, Mich. – The 2020 Election is Nov. 3, but in Michigan you can cast your vote starting Thursday. Early and absentee voting is officially underway in Michigan. “We want you to wear your mask and bring your form of ID so you can cast your ballot,” Whitmer said. “Secretary Benson and Clerk Winfrey are working very closely to ensure that this election runs smoothly," Whitmer said. We want to ensure that Michigan voices get counted.”

By law, Michigan clerks must begin mailing requested absent voter ballots to voters 40 days before the election -- which is September 24. The state of Michigan mailed absentee voting applications to all registered Michigan voters in May for this year’s August and November elections. Inside of your official Michigan absent voter ballot envelope is a brightly-colored “secrecy sleeve” containing your ballot. Emergency Michigan absent voter ballots must still be returned to the voter’s local clerk’s office by the 8 p.m. deadline on Election Day. For more information about emergency absent voter ballots, Michigan voters are encouraged to contact their local clerk’s office directly.

We received this question a couple times through our callouts for election questions and concerns among Michigan voters. In Michigan, can you vote in person even if you applied for an absentee ballot? However, you must take the appropriate steps to return the absent voter ballot to your clerk. You must have your absent voter ballot spoiled before you will be able to vote in person. Here’s what the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office says:If a voter received an AV (absent voter) ballot and requests to spoil it and receive a new one:May request a new ballot be mailed until 2 p.m. on the Saturday prior to the electionMay request a new ballotin person until 4 p.m. on the Monday prior to the election*May vote in person on election day by completing Affidavit of Lost or Destroyed Absent Voter Ballot or by surrendering original ballotThe third bullet point would apply to the scenario where a voter has received an absent voter ballot but instead wishes to vote in person.

Filling out a Michigan absent voter ballot for the 2020 General ElectionOnce you receive your absent voter ballot in the mail, it simply needs to be filled out following the written instructions attached and returned before the deadline. Inside of your official Michigan absent voter ballot envelope is a brightly-colored “secrecy sleeve” containing your ballot. To return your absent voter ballot on time, you have two options:Return your absent voter ballot by mailYou can return your completed absent voter ballot by mailing it to your local clerk’s office. Postage will be required to return your Michigan absent voter ballot by mail. A Michigan voter hoping to spoil their previously-cast vote has two options to do so:Spoil your Michigan absent voter ballot by mailTo spoil your Michigan absent voter ballot by mail, you must send a letter to your local clerk’s office stating as such.

MASON, Mich. – A prosecutor in Michigan has flushed a complaint about a toilet that was promoted as a place to drop absentee ballots. The election clerk in Ingham County informed police about a toilet on the front lawn of a home in Mason, near Lansing. A sign said, "Place mail in ballots here.”Barb Byrum, a Democrat, said it's a felony to take illegal possession of absentee ballots. Election officials fear that Trump's earlier claims about “mayhem” could cause anxiety among voters at a time when absentee ballots are being promoted to avoid coronavirus risks. About 2.4 million Michigan voters so far have asked for absentee ballots.

Since this summer, we’ve had an increase in patients reporting delays (especially in rural areas) with deliveries of their medications sent via USPS. Many of our specialty medications are refrigerated and sent via FedEx Overnight, but most of our retail prescriptions and non-refrigerated medications are sent via USPS Priority Mail. We typically expect, and relay to our patients, that their medications (sent via USPS) will take 2-3 days to arrive, from the date it ships from our facility. We’ve had an increase in the number of patients reporting delays, and in some cases it takes over a week to arrive. We’ve also had an increase in issues with tracking the shipments; when I started working here about a year ago, I never had any issues tracking shipments.

The following are responses to ClickOnDetroit’s callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. It’s not due to lack of mail, our postal worker just doesn’t come! When my dad mails something to Mexico it takes at least 5 weeks to get there -- NO MAIL SHOULD TAKE THAT LONG! So just to mail a letter from a city 30 minutes away it took a week! I can’t imagine how bad it is for people that rely on USPS to bring their medication!

The following are responses to ClickOnDetroits callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. Our city income tax return was due July 31. I hand delivered the return to the main post office on July 20. The post office box for the city is located there. Three weeks later, I received the return back with a 15 cents postage due.

DETROIT Possible mail delays have been a big concern for everyday people and political leaders like Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. An investigation is underway as many worry possible disruptions could affect voting by mail. One letter from Clawson to Detroit took three days. If you are still experiencing delays you should alert your local post office, contact Michigans attorney general to voice your concern. READ: Post Office confessional: We will be assessed a penalty after its finally processed

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Ann Arbor childrens author Lauren Ranalli has penned a book about staying connected to friends despite long distances. Initially inspired by a long-distance friendship of her niece, Lets Meet on the Moon focuses on a friendship between a young boy and girl. While the book is geared towards young readers, parents and older readers can also find meaning in the story about connectedness. Ranalli said that some readers have even told her they plan to mail the book itself to friends or old roommates as a sign of friendship. Lets Meet on the Moon is the third book that Ranalli has worked on with Ann Arbor illustrator Emily Siwek.

The following are responses to ClickOnDetroits callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. Ill be using UPS or FedEx to send items.-- Anonymous in St. Clair Township (ZIP: 48079)I have worked at the post office for almost 35 years. What I want people to understand is that Covid hit the post office, too. Our packages are up over 51% and we have half the workforce, do the math! The post office has been in business for over 200 years and handles over 1 million pieces of mail every day.

However, my absentee ballot that I mailed a week prior to election day arrived in 4 days and was on time. I receive mail now a few times a week. I make sure that I allow a week for my mail to reach its destination locally.Liela in Dearborn (ZIP: 48124)I live in Rochester Hills -- 48309. (ZIP: 39560)About 2 years ago we stopped receiving mail for over a week. Have you missed a bill payment because you did not receive the mail on time?

I pay for two-day priority shipping -- the package arrives from its point of origin, to the Detroit hub, usually the next day. In the past year, I’ve waited as much as 11 days for a package, mailed through the USPS, with 2-3 day shipping, numerous times. I’m very fed up with the lousy service USPS is providing. I have filed numerous complaints yet nothing gets done about it.”-- Maureen in Alger (ZIP: 48610)“Mailed a package from the Clinton Township P.O. It went there, was out for delivery, went back to warehouse, then to NJ, then to CT and finally back to California.

The state of Michigan mailed absentee voting applications to all registered Michigan voters in May for this years August and November elections. Filling out a Michigan absent voter ballot for the 2020 General ElectionOnce you receive your absent voter ballot in the mail, it simply needs to be filled out following the written instructions attached and returned before the deadline. Inside of your official Michigan absent voter ballot envelope is a brightly-colored secrecy sleeve containing your ballot. Returning your completed Michigan absent voter ballotCompleted absent voter ballots for the 2020 General Election must be received by your local clerks office by 8 p.m. on November 3. Packaging your absent voter ballot once its completedOnce youve filled out your Michigan absent voter ballot for the 2020 General Election, place it inside of the brightly-colored secrecy sleeve that it was initially presented in.

The following are a responses to ClickOnDetroits callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. When I kept tracking them it said they were at the post office in Madison heights. Company finally sent another pair.-- Anonymous in Shelby Township (ZIP: 48316)I have had several packages delayed in delivery. All my packages seem to arrive at Detroit Metro Sorting center and then disappear. I sent a package to Texas and it left my local post office, arrived at Detroit Sorting center and sat there for two weeks until I filed a missing package report.

The following is a response to ClickOnDetroits callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. I placed an order (shipping from California) on July 18, within 10 days they shipped it (via USPS). On August 6 tracking showed the package was 2 blocks from my house (not at the post office either). When I contacted the post office (the first time) I was told they contacted the last place it was scanned and they were waiting for a reply. I was told that they had to close the case but would continue to monitor my package.

The following is a response to ClickOnDetroit’s callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. “I mailed the remaining payment check to the tree trimmer that did work for me on 6/30. I also filed a ‘missing mail’ report with the USPS on 8/23, and have had no reply from the post office. There are too many issues I have experienced with the mail to write to you about re the postal service, and they have been going on for 2-3 years, not just the last two months. Have you missed a bill payment because you did not receive the mail on time?

The following is a response to ClickOnDetroit’s callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. “Mail delivery gets later and later each day and maybe only comes three days a week. Won’t be paying for special priority services anymore since items do not arrive as planned. Has a loved one not received his or her medicine through the mail on time? Have you missed a bill payment because you did not receive the mail on time?

The following is a response to ClickOnDetroit’s callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. There are weeks that I don’t receive mail for 4-plus days. Then there are weeks I get my mail almost every day. Back in April I had a package that was missing for 5 weeks. Have you missed a bill payment because you did not receive the mail on time?

The following is a response to ClickOnDetroit’s callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. Delays in sending and/or receiving mail has been the ‘norm’ over the last several years. Mail has been tampered with, repeatedly delivered to the wrong address (including packages), and carriers have outright lied about deliveries. A case in point: we’d been waiting for a package to be delivered on the anticipated and posted delivery date. As it was the posted delivery date and the delivery was for an auto part, we decided to work on the vehicle that day.

The following is a response to ClickOnDetroits callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. I live in 48324 -- West Bloomfield. I noticed the mail starting to slow down in April at the height of the virus. I guess I thought that made some amount of sense because everything was behind schedule then -- not just the mail. But it has continued and gotten worse.

Ken Haddad is the digital content manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter.

The following is a response to ClickOnDetroit’s callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. “Mail delivery in the 48114 ZIP code has been poor for years. Mostly, the poor service was when the regular mail carrier was off. My new neighbor (since December 2019) mentioned to me that he feels we have poor mail service. The Post Office never kept me updated, but did deliver it on Day 19 -- still without any follow up.

The following is a response to ClickOnDetroit’s callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. “I retired from the post office 18 years ago. Route adjustments, no overtime, supervision doing bargaining unit work to stem overtime pay, hiring freezes, delayed mail delivery -- I have seen it all. Any money that the Post Office makes must be put into that fund before any profits. Mail from the Downriver area is now sent to Pontiac to be processed when it used to be taken to the Detroit main post office and then back for delivery to the areas around here.

The following is a response to ClickOnDetroit’s callout for recent experiences with the Post Office. “They come multiple times a day because all the mail and parcels aren’t sorted in time in the morning. They have to drive back to the office midday -- this is a huge waste of time and money but fixing it is not a small simple change. They call this pivoting and it is the reason you see a different carrier every day on some routes. At this point, we can’t even keep the staff we have because they are tired of working 12-plus hours a day while being told they are too slow and everything is their fault.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is already back at work and appears to be doing business as usual, albeit in Canada. The former actress, a womens-empowerment advocate, popped into Vancouvers Downtown Womens Center on Tuesday and was photographed smiling along with the staff. It was her first public appearance since she and husband Prince Harry announced last week that they would be stepping back from their roles as senior royals. The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, visited us today to discuss issues affecting women in the community, read a post on the centers Facebook page. AdvertisementThe Los Angeles-bred Meghan Markle has been back in Canada for a few days with the couples young son, Archie.