Rural Post Offices to Stay Open: USPS

Good news for those living in Very, Very Small Town, USA. Hundreds of rural post offices will indeed remain open, the USPS announced today, albeit with shorter hours. The new plan will save the mail agency half a billion dollars each year while addressing concerns of rural residents most opposed to post office closings, says Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe.

Previously, up to 3,700 low-revenue post offices were slated for closure or consolidation beginning sometime after May 15, many in rural areas. The Postal Service now plans to seek regulatory approval for the new plan and get community input, a process that could take several months. (More USPS stories.)