It must be very strange to be new to the village at this time.
Yes, it is my information that the PO is closed due to Covid exposure/a carrier. Alternate help has been called in to perform the basic services and also do a deep clean. Hence, the counter area is not open but, the "weekend package door" is open so people can get their pkgs. Patty, one of our regular USPS employees also just retired impacting staffing. I know that a couple of months ago there was covid at the main PO in SB which affected our PO.
The employees at the PO have been working under enormous stress due to many factors. These include the focused attempt to destroy the USPS overall by this federal administration which has caused slow downs, lost mail, destruction of equipment, etc, Covid and the modifications required to provide service (masks, the plastic sheeting that was up for so long, the mandatory spacing,) the influx and distribution of voting materials, Medicare materials, etc. etc. They've really done an amazing job keeping up with it all. Yes, patience is required, but thank goodness we have a PO here in town.
Anyone who has dealt with city PO's knows the in-person wait time can easily be as long as ours for services, and usually longer. As we all know, the closest USPO to us in in Phelan. I've been at the WW USPO 2-3x/wk, or more, during covid since I was also picking up mail for neighbors who are more vulnerable than I. Fortunately, I have not seen instances where people have been in line w/o masks, or face coverings, as required. I have seen occasions where people "bop in" just putting a scarf over their face but they are in and out getting mail from their boxes.
In conjunction w/this, Mt. Hardware was also closed due to "deep cleaning,"--covid exposure or positive test. A couple of months ago, the Grizzly Cafe was closed for "deep cleaning" and another eatery in town was closed for the same reason. Far too many people in WW do not wear masks when in the village, which I find extremely frustrating and arrogant. What gives anyone the right to endanger others people's lives and health? This disease is a deadly weapon, esp. for those who have compromised immune systems, etc. We can't go into the PO or businesses waiving loaded guns around. Why would we assume we can go in w/o a required mask?
In any case, things re: covid won't be back to normal for a long time. If we want to survive it, respect and cooperation is required. I, for one, am deeply grateful we have a PO here w/employees who are so helpful even under such duress. I do not want this vital institution of our nation destroyed by design or disease. In the past few months there have been times when posters outside the PO have allowed us to express our gratitude for our PO personnel. I'm hoping we can offer them even more support in these troubling times.
