HEALDSBURG, CA — It’s been just over two weeks since a fire destroyed the downtown Healdsburg Post Office and residents are still adjusting to the change. “We have established a modern retail and Post Office Box section at the Foss Creek Circle facility that is serving the community well,” said Joe Machado, postmaster of Healdsburg.

Machado said that although customers have expressed that they miss the downtown location, many have also conveyed an appreciation for the updated facility at 160 Foss Creek Circle. “Most customers are already familiar with the Foss Creek facility because this is where they come to pick up parcels and Registered Mail. With the added P.O Box and retail sections, customers can now do all of their Postal business in one location.”

After the loss of the downtown retail and P.O. Box station to a fire on August 14, U.S. Postal Service employees, led by Machado, made rapid adjustments to set up P.O. Box and retail services at the annex for customers of the Center Street station. A shipment of stamp stock has been received, with all stamps available for customers. Passports are also available and appointments are being accepted.

“Customers have a number of options when it comes to their Postal needs,” Machado said. In addition to Foss Creek Circle, customers can purchase stamps at Safeway, 1115 Vine Street or at the Wells Fargo ATM, 999 Vine Street. Stamps and Priority Mail shipping services are available at the UPS Store, 1083 Vine Street.

Customers can also skip the trip to the Post Office altogether by going to USPS.com. At USPS.com, customers can order stamps and supplies, print postage and even schedule a free package pick-up from their letter carrier.

For mailing, customers can either hand their letters and small packages to their letter carrier or drop by the Foss Creek Circle facility. Machado said his office is also arranging to have an additional blue collection box installed in the downtown area at 128 North Street.

# # #

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.