Post office backlogs impact hundreds of locals

SEATTLE - Backlogs at local post offices are still causing problems, and their impacts range from mundane to monumental.

Some families say letters and packages that once only took days now takes weeks, even months to arrive.

One family said they are waiting for a check that is supposed to help pay for a young man’s college tuition, but the money is weeks delayed and the bill is due soon.

“How can he be 19 already and going off and starting his life as an adult,” said Chuck Ingram, referring to his grandson Parker who recently graduated from a local high school.

Tucked away safely, Ingram says a bank check worth a thousand dollars meant to help pay for Parker’s tuition has been lost in the mail.

State Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, says not only are her constituents reaching out to describe similar delays, the lawmaker is also seeing significant complaints.

Besides handling vote-by-mail ballots in our state, the post office is a vital link for senior citizens relying on the mailman to deliver medications – even groceries.

Keiser says postal union delegates suggested dozens of local postal sorting machines have been taken off-line recently and the impact is region wide.

“We cannot allow this kind of delay in the postal service,” she said.

Ingram says the bank canceled the first check it sent and issued another but the wait also continues for any money.

“Two days out of three it’s not that important but on that third day it’s important. It’s nice to get it on time and when you don’t you’re frustrated”, said Ingram.

U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier's communications office says the congresswoman has heard from hundreds of people suffering from postal delays across the region including one man who claims to have had to shutter his business as materials scheduled for delivery in February remained outstanding.