USPS

Thousands of packages and letters are delivered every day to different homes out of a Southgate post office.

FLINT, MI – Two Flint Post Office employees were members of a drug trafficking organization that would send packages containing cocaine to the Flint area, where the employees would hand them off, according to a federal affidavit. Coley is also charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. Coley and Hudson are scheduled for a preliminary examination before U.S. Federal Magistrate Curtis Ivy Jr. Monday, May 23. According to a federal complaint dated Nov. 5, 2021, Coley and Hudson conspired to distribute cocaine in Flint between January 2018 and February 2020. In August 2019, Bryan Sartori, a special agent with the USPS, began investigating Hudson regarding her role in a possible drug trafficking organization.

If you’d like to have more free at-home COVID-19 tests, now is your chance, as the federal government has announced a third round of tests available for Americans by visiting COVIDtests.gov.

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.

A fake letter carrier in Ann Arbor fled into a wooded, wetland area after officers confronted him about using a USPS collection box key to steal dozens of pieces of mail that contained checks, police said.

A Troy bodybuilder has been charged in an international smuggling scheme that involved the illegal distribution of drugs used to treat the effects of steroid use, officials said.

CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller was surprised that Jussie Smollett's brother and grandmother talked about his innocence at a sentencing hearing where he has already been convicted by a jury. Miller has his commentary from the newsroom, and CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov has a live update from court.

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.

Here's what's coming up on Local 4 News at 5.

A nationwide supply chain shortage has left orders that were supposed to be delivered to stores on cargo ships.

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.

Have you heard of Operation Santa?

The Help Me Hank team has been tracking supply issues ranging from empty shelves to parents having trouble finding much-desired holiday toys.

The Attorney General has signed on to a multi-state complaint demanding a review of the DeJoy’s decade-long plan to transform the US postal service.

All kinds of things are out of stock. Why? Then: So … about the “bad art friend.”

Several changes recently took effect at the United States Postal Service that will impact how you send and receive mail.

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.

Multiple people across Metro Detroit are experiencing mail issues and things might get worse before they get better.

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 United States Postal Service in the Detroit area is looking to hire about 800 potential career positions and nearly 1000 seasonal positions for the 2021 winter holidays.

Federal authorities arrested a 75-year-old Michigan man who they say was motivated by unhappiness about “immoral content” on phones, including pornography and cursing.

When it comes to dog attacks on mail carriers, Detroit ranks 10th in the nation. There were at least 35 incidents reported last year.

Many residents across Metro Detroit have voiced concern over lengthy mail delays from the USPS.

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.

Here are tonight's top stories.

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

A 40-year-old woman has been charged in connection with stealing a United States Postal Service mail truck in Detroit.

From the city to the suburbs, many people across Metro Detroit have been experiencing slow or non-existent mail delivery.

A woman is in custody after a U.S. Postal Service truck reported stolen in Detroit was found.

Sign Up For NewslettersIRS to delay tax filing deadline until May 17Trump urges people to get COVID vaccine, saying it's safe and worksSome teachers uneasy about returning before getting vaccineU.S. looking to loan AstraZeneca vaccine to other countriesHas COVID-19 killed restaurants? Not by a long shotGottlieb warns New York virus variant could be fueling new outbreaksLearning what it takes to bring students back to schoolStarbucks apologizes to Black customer ejected from storeZoom's profits in 2020? Some $670 million. Its tax bill? Not NowTurn On

Sign Up For NewslettersIRS to delay tax filing deadline until May 17Trump urges people to get COVID vaccine, saying it's safe and worksSome teachers uneasy about returning before getting vaccineU.S. looking to loan AstraZeneca vaccine to other countriesHas COVID-19 killed restaurants? Not by a long shotGottlieb warns New York virus variant could be fueling new outbreaksLearning what it takes to bring students back to schoolPostmaster general says USPS must slow delivery to stay afloat"What are we doing? ": Senators debate gun control in hearingNFL star Deshaun Watson accused of being a "serial predator"What we know about the Colorado shooting victimsSuspect charged with 10 counts of murder in Colorado shootingBe the first to knowGet browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not NowTurn On

Not by a long shotGottlieb warns New York virus variant could be fueling new outbreaksLearning what it takes to bring students back to schoolPostmaster general says USPS must slow delivery to stay afloat"What are we doing? ": Senators debate gun control in hearingNFL star Deshaun Watson accused of being a "serial predator"What we know about the Colorado shooting victimsLive Updates: Suspect charged with 10 counts of murder in Colorado shootingPres. Biden pushes Congress to pass gun reforms; Indoor operation aims to change future of farming3/23: Red and Blue Pres. Biden pushes Congress to pass gun reforms; Indoor operation aims to change future of farmingBe the first to knowGet browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not NowTurn On

Postmaster general says USPS may slow down first-class mail Postmaster General Louis DeJoy apologized for holiday shipping delays, but told House lawmakers that his strategic plan may further slow down first-class mail service.

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.

One 88-year-old woman who has lived on the same Gresham block for 45 years — 25 of which she said she spent as a USPS employee herself — said the wait for mail has never been as bad as it’s been right now. Over the past three months, the woman, who asked to withhold her name from publication due to fear of retaliation, has checked her mailbox at least twice a day, but usually it’s empty.

Once again last week, the U.S Postal Service let us down. Here is the postal service’s response:“Thanks for contacting me with this concern regarding this mailing. The Postal Service is experiencing unprecedented package volume increases and limited employee availability due to the impacts of COVID-19. We appreciate your patience as we are committed to delivering all mail and packages as soon as possible. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve you in the Business Service Network!”Of course, there was no mail on Monday, President’s Day.

DETROIT – The United States Postal Service is asking residents to make sure their walkways and curbside mailboxes are clear of snow and ice. “The Postal Service treats safety and service with equal priority,” said District Manager Rick Moreton, Detroit District. “It is extremely important that you keep your walkways free and clear of snow and ice to help reduce the danger of a letter carrier suffering serious injury in a slipping accident,” Moreton said. “This will permit the carrier to drive up to your mailbox and deposit or collect mail without having to get out of the vehicle. “The area near the mailbox should be cleared in a half-moon shape to give the carrier full visibility.”READ: More local news coverage

Investigators said that on Dec. 31, 2018, the postal worker had just gotten into his unmarked USPS vehicle when Ruebusch tapped on his passenger window while holding a handgun. The postal worker was shot in the right shoulder as he drove away.

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.

The United States Postal Service expects shipping traffic to increase the week of Dec. 7 and predicts the week of Dec. 14 to be the busiest for mailing, shipping and delivery. Links for shipping deadlines:Fedex is dubbing the holiday season “Shipathon,” saying the company will be up 22%. To help meet holiday deadlines, USPS is keeping some area post offices open for extended hours the next two Saturdays. To enjoy these fast and free shipping benefits (plus so much more), customers can sign-up for a 30-day free trial of Prime at www.amazon.com/prime. To read more about Amazon’s Holiday Shipping, Delivery, Pickups and Returns options visit the Day One blog at: www.amazon.com/holidaydelivery.

DETROIT – Local 4 has received several reports of mail delays across the Metro Detroit area. 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 on Monday who said they’ve never seen delays like this before. Postal Service Mail Distribution Center in Allen ParkFollowing Monday’s report, other Metro Detroit residents reached out to the Help Me Hank Team. MelvindaleIf you are experiencing problems with the postal office you should contact your local post office, file a complaint online, ask your neighbors about their experiences -- and if possible, be patient.

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.

[MORE: These 3 apps will help you find the best holiday shopping deals, experts say | Doing a little online shopping? If you’re shipping gifts you want to arrive in time for Christmas, here are some recommended send-by dates for expected delivery by Dec. 25:USPS (excluding Alaska and Hawaii)Domestic Mail Class/Product Send-by Date USPS Retail Ground Service Dec. 15 First-Class Mail Service Dec. 18 Priority Mail Service Dec. 19 Priority Mail Express Service Dec. 23Click here for USPS holiday shipping dates for Alaska and Hawaii, military bases and overseas addresses. UPSShipping Option Send-by Date UPS Ground Dec. 15 UPS 3 Day Select Dec. 21 UPS 2nd Day Air Dec. 22 UPS Next Day Air Dec. 23Click here for more details on UPS holiday shipping. FedEx (U.S. to U.S.)Shipping Option Send-by Date FedEx SmartPost (certain exceptions apply) Dec. 9 FedEx Home Delivery Dec. 15 FedEx Ground Dec. 15 FedEx Express Saver Dec. 21 FedEx 3 Day Freight Dec. 21 FedEx 2 Day Dec. 22 FedEx 2 Day A.M. Dec. 22 FedEx 2 Day Freight Dec. 22 FedEx 1 Day Freight Dec. 23 FedEx Extra Hours Dec. 23 FedEx Standard Overnight Dec. 23 FedEx Priority Overnight Dec. 23 FedEx First Overnight Dec. 23 FedEx SameDay Dec. 25 FedEx SameDay City Priority Dec. 25 FedEx SameDay City Direct Dec. 25Click here to see last-day-to-ship dates if you’re planning to send gifts to Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico or other destinations. AmazonAmazon has not released its 2020 holiday shipping calendar, but last year, the company recommended buyers send products no later than Dec. 22 or Dec. 23 for a Dec. 25 arrival.

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.

Elves are going digital this year for the U.S. Postal Service’s annual “Operation Santa.”The 108-year-old program fulfills wish lists for families and children in need, but due to COVID-19, it has been forced to go virtual this Christmas. USPS officials said the new system will allow them to reach more children across the country. Children can address their letters and lists to Santa at 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888Helpful “elves” fulfilling the wish list can pick up a letter from any city in the nation. Click here to visit the Operation Santa page.

DETROIT - A federal judge in Washington issued an emergency order on Election Day to rush undelivered ballots to poll locations in cities including Detroit. The initial court order stems from a lawsuit filed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People against the USPS. Plaintiffs requested a status report of inbound ballots to Detroit, but Sullivan only ordered a general status update for all the regions listed. Read more: Absentee ballots delayed in mail can’t be counted, court rulesMore absentee ballots continued to flow in Tuesday, as they can be returned to clerk’s offices or drop boxes anytime before 8 p.m. Tuesday. About 3.5 million absentee ballots were issued to voters.

DETROIT – A U.S. district court judge has ordered the United States Postal Service (USPS) to speed up its delivery of ballots in Detroit in order to be counted in the presidential election. Delivery of ballots in the USPS' Detroit district has dipped as low as 57% over the past week, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office said Saturday. In fact, the USPS’ Detroit district is considered to have the slowest mail delivery in the nation, according to data released by the USPS. The data shows that mail delivery in the Detroit region was about 15% slower than the national average during the first week of October. The national average mail delivery time has also dropped from 91% of on-time delivery to 86% in October.

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.

(Photo by APEX/MEGA/GC Images) (2020 MEGA)Who: The other star of Netflix’s irresistible “Tiger King." What you’ll need: Your hair pulled back in a bun, glasses, a judge’s robe and a fancy white collar. What you’ll need: A banana costume and a loaf of bread to carry around. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (2020 Getty Images)Who: A video conferencing program that became very popular once the pandemic started in early 2020. What you’ll need: A piece of cardboard cut with a whole in the middle to look like a screen.

According to the data, mail delivery in the Detroit region was about 15% slower than the national average during the first week of October, ranking the city at 67 out of 67 USPS regions. Mail delivery throughout the rest of Michigan was 0.5% slower than the national average. The national average mail delivery time has also dropped from 91% of on-time delivery to 86%. DeJoy has since rescinded several of those changes and has repeatedly attempted to reassure Americans that their completed absentee ballots will arrive on time. The recent mail delivery data has also raised alarms after a federal court of appeals overturned a ruling meant to combat mail delivery delays in Michigan.

But that fiasco could be nothing compared to this year’s election -- and not just regarding who is elected president. There will be more mail-in ballots submitted than ever. The United States Postal Service is struggling with financial issues, which could delay the mailing of ballots throughout the country, according to CNBC. In August, the USPS sent letters to 46 states and Washington, D.C. warning that some main-in ballots might not arrive in time to be counted by Election Day, according to the Washington Post. Mail-in ballots take longer to count.

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

While absent voter ballots provide a safe alternative to voting in person at the polls on Election Day, the process of counting absent voter ballots can determine how quickly, or not, final election results are announced. Processing absent voter ballots in MichiganThe process for counting absent voter ballots is different in each state. In Michigan, election workers are not allowed to begin processing absent voter ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day. The previous record for absent voter ballots cast in a Michigan election was 1.3 million in the 2016 Presidential Election. Polling precincts will still be open for Michigan voters from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

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.

This had led some to wonder whether those packages on their front porch could spread coronavirus. "In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures," the CDC said on its website. Here's what you need to know about sending mail during the coronavirus pandemic:Should I disinfect my mail? UPS said in a statement Monday that it is temporarily modifying the procedures its drivers use for residential and business deliveries. If an adult signature is requested by a shipper, recipients must present identification with proof of age to the driver.

Calif. man surprised to receive package of pot with his return address The USPS claims that marijuana dealers are increasingly using the postal service to send packages of pot. As one Sacramento, Calif., man found out, the sellers are using false identities for the return address. KOVR's Steve Large reports.