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Hurricane Irene Delays Release of Spared Alaska Post Offices List

August 26, 2011|By Rhonda McBride | Channel 2 News

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The U.S. Postal Service was set to name 25 Alaska post offices being removed from a list of 36 under study for closure Friday -- but the release has been delayed as officials in Washington, D.C. focus on Hurricane Irene, and the disruptions in mail service it will cause along the East Coast. 

Last month, the Postal Service announced that 3,700 post offices would be studied for closure nationwide, including 36 in Alaska. On Monday USPS Alaska District Manager Diane Horbuchuk said 25 Alaska post offices had been removed from that list, but didn't specify which ones.  

Horbuchuk says the Post Office is following the guidelines set for the review process, which prevents the list from being made public until letters are sent to each of the 25 communities notifying them of their removal from the study.

Horbuchuk says those letters have been prepared but are still under review, to make sure they accurately state the Postal Service's position and comply with regulations.

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"Other units in the Lower 48 are not to the point where we are now," Horbuchuk said. "We're much further ahead than we are in the Lower 48."

The Postal Service is moving forward with its review of five of the 11 Alaska post offices still on the list. Public hearings have been set next week in Anchorage for two Anchorage post offices, the Anchorage Postal Store at the 5th Avenue Mall on Tuesday, and the Elmendorf Post Office at Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson on Thursday. Both meetings will be held at Central Middle School from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Public meetings are also being planned for the Douglas post office on Douglas Island near Juneau, as well as two on military bases near Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base. Postal customers will be asked how they would like their mail delivered if their post offices are closed.

Contact Rhonda McBride at rmcbride@ktuu.com

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