 The United States Postal Service has announced that postal rates
will increase by 5.4 percent beginning Sunday, January 8.
The action was taken after the USPS governors voted to accept the
Postal Rate Commission’s recommendation to increase most
postal rates and fees across-the- board.
The cost for mailing a first-class letter of one ounce or less
will raise from the present 37 cents to 39 cents. The second
ounce will cost 24 cents. Postcard rates will increase by one cent
to 24 cents.
The rate increase, according to USPS officials, is the first since
2002 and is needed to fulfill the requirement of a federal law
passed in 2003. That law requires the postal service to establish
a $3.1 billion escrow account, with use of the funds to be determined
by congress at a later date. Without this federal mandate,
it would not have been necessary to raise rates in 2006.
Priority mail up to one pound will raise from $3.85 to $4.05, while
express mail up to eight ounces will increase from the present
$13.65 to $14.40.
According to Jim Miller, chairman of the postal services board
of governors, “The governors take this action mindful of
our obligation to assure the financial integrity of the nation’s
postal system. These increases will allow the postal service
to meet the obligation established by Congress to place funds in
escrow in 2006.”
Other fees and services such as certified mail, delivery comfirmation,
return receipt and money orders will also increase.
According to the USPS press release, the postal service
receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives
is operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products
and services. With annual revenues of more than $69 billion,
it is the world’s leading provider of mailing and delivery
services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in
the world. The service delivers more than 46 percent of the
world’s mail volume-some 206 billion letters, advertisements,
periodicals and packages a year. It also serves seven and
a half million customers each days.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
Soon Holden
area residents will have to bid farewell to a familiar and friendly
face around town as longtime mail carrier Larry Atkins is retiring
from the post office after 39 years of service.
Atkins started with the postal service on December 31, 1966, and
has been delivering his friendly brand of humor, along with the
mail to his many customers ever since.
Atkins always has a kind word and a warm smile for all the patrons
on his route and says he will miss seeing “his” people
every day.
He says he got the job with the post office by accident as he went
in to mail a package to his brother who was in the Army stationed
in Virginia. He was offered a job by the postmaster after
being told he would be a good man for the job. He filled
out a form and took the test and the rest is history. Atkins
wasn’t looking for a job that day as he had been farming near
his home in Magnolia all of his life. If fact he still raises
cattle and rabbits on his farm with his dad, J.C. Atkins, and his
sons, Derrick and Tony.
When he started with the postal service, he worked only one day
a week, on Saturdays, but that didn’t last too long; he soon
learned the city route, he says. He has been on different
routes over the years and clerked for several months in the office. He
was also a sub-carrier for 15 years. The office was called
the Department of the Post Office when he began working there and
back in the 1970s the name changed to the United States Postal
Service.
In the beginning of his career he says most houses didn’t
even have house numbers on them yet and the train still brought
mail to Holden several times a day.
Atkins says one of the biggest changes was the invention of computerized
mail sorting but, he adds, it doesn’t save as much time as
one might think, and the computer still makes errors just as humans
would.
He has seen many residents “grow up” on his route and
remembers some as preschoolers running out to greet him. They
have become parents now with their own children.
During his career, he has almost always delivered to the business
district and says he enjoys visiting with the merchants and the
rest of “his” people on his route.
When asked if he preferred the summer or winter months for delivering
the mail he said, “I like winter better; it’s brisk
in the cool weather; in the summer months, the heat can make you
feel draggy.”
His favorite part of the job has always been greeting and visiting
with people, “Most people are very friendly; if you’re
nice to them, they will be nice to you,” he added.
Throughout his many years, he has a lot of fond memories. Some
include helping disabled or ill patrons he has found on his route,
or alerting neighbors when he thought there might be a problem
with an elderly person. He feels these are the most important
things he has done through the years.
Atkins was born and raised near Magnolia, graduated from Holden
High School in 1958, went on to graduate from Central Missouri
State University in 1962, then spent two years in the Army stationed
in Germany.
He still lives near Magnolia, on KK Highway, southeast of Holden,
with his wife Laura.
He is looking forward to catching up on long overdue chores on
his farm when he retires on December 31, 2005, 39 years to the
day since he began his career.
By Dana Neubert
News Staff
|
|
Ryan Sprague is focusing on a career that wasn’t originally
planned but one he finds rewarding just the same.
As manager of the local Godfather’s Pizza, Sprague oversees a crew of 15
and is presently accepting applications for more as the business continues to
grow.
And part of that growth, Sprague says, is due to the emphasis placed on customer
service at the local restaurant.
“Dealing with the public and providing good customer service is the best
part of my job,” he said. And because of that attitude and the ability
to provide people with good service, Sprague was nominated by one of his customers
for the monthly customer service award presented by the Holden Image.
After graduating from Holden High School in 1995, Sprague attended college at
Central Missouri State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in photography
with a minor in graphic arts.
After college, he worked at the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City as a dealer before
accepting the manager’s position at Godfather’s in February of 2005.
Although the hours can be long, Sprague says he enjoys working alongside his
employees and gives special credit to owners Chris and Bevy Fletchall for making
the job an enjoyable one.
“It has been a great pleasure working for them. They help out as often
as needed,” he said.
A typical weekend day begins at 8 a.m. for Sprague as the dough must be prepared
for the lunch buffet and other orders. Once the lunch shift is over, he adds,
he and his crew begin readying for the evening rush. Those days usually end between
10:30 or 11 p.m. On weekdays, another employee is responsible for opening and
his day doesn’t start until around 10 a.m.
He will now be helped by two assistant managers who were recently hired - Stefanie
Foster and Vicki Winslow.
Although he describes himself as easy-going, Sprague stresses to his employees
the importance of increasing community awareness of their good service and the
food they offer. And to that end, Sprague puts his graphic and marketing skills
to use designing various promotions within the business.
As for what the future holds, Sprague says he is hoping to grow along with the
company.
In his free time, Ryan says he continues to enjoy photography - especially when
it involves shooting pictures of his children. On occasion, he also shoots weddings,
engagements, senior pictures and other social events.
Ryan and his wife, Amber, have two children, Cole Jeffrey, three and Chandler
Aron, one month.
Note: Nominations for the monthly customer service award can be made by calling
Pat at the Holden Image, 732-5552.
By Rusty Hartwell
Publisher
Fires to two Holden-area
residences lit up the night skies on both New Year’s eve and New Year’s
day.
A “total loss” is how Holden Fire Chief Mike Wakeman
described the Hutchings’ home located at 702 W. Second Street. The
local firefighters responded at 10:15 p.m. on December 31 to a
heavy fire in progress in the front part of the residence. There
were no personal injuries as there were no residents at home at
the time of the fire.
Although the cause is yet to be determined by the fire marshal
and the Holden Police Department, Chief Wakeman believes the fire
could have been started by a propane tank on the front porch exploding. The
tank, he said, was part of a gas barbecue grill.
When the department arrived, they started with an “exterior
attack,” laying down heavy water on the outside of the structure. In
an effort to push the fire to the front and save the back of the
house, Wakeman and two other fire fighters, Jim Robison and Scott
Perkins, went inside the burning house.
They were called
back out shortly by on-scene commander Larry Miller as the roof
had become completely engaged.
Less than 24 hours later, crews from three stations from Western
Johnson County Fire District No. 2 responded to a fire at the home
of Fred Zubec at 1167 SW U Highway east of downtown Holden.
Crews from the Madison, Pittsville and Kingsville stations were
on the scene.
The fire, which is believed to have started in the basement, was
contained to that area and is still under investigation by the
fire marshal. No cause has been determined.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
A Kingsville
man is the second person to be charged in the stabbing death of
Jeff Coulter that took place January 1, 2005 at a New Year’s
Eve party near Chilhowee.
Douglas S. Billings, 19, was arrested and charged with one count
of second degree murder and three counts of second degree assault
for his alleged actions in the incident which also injured Ben
Murphy and Thomas Strouse.
Bond was originally set at $250,000, but was reduced to $100,000
during arraignment Wednesday at the Johnson County Circuit Court
in Warrensburg.
According to Billings’ interview which was taken earlier
this year, he stated that he was the driver of the car which took
several men to the party near Chilhowee, including Lorenzo West,
who was recently convicted of second-degree murder in the stabbing
death.
He also stated that he and the other individuals after hearing
about a “big fight” breaking out at the party grabbed
items, such as pool cues, to use as weapons to participate
in the fight.
After arriving at the residence of the party, he stated that he
exited his vehicle with the pool cue and struck an individual
across the back. After hearing several gunshots, they got
back into the vehicle and drove away.
At the request of Lorenzo West, he returned to the fight where
he stated that West jumped out and started fighting with
a male with short hair and a stocky build near the road ditch. According
to the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department interview record,
this was where Jeffrey Coulter was located after he had been stabbed.
Billings left in the car after all individuals had run back to
leave.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
|