By Loretta Cozart

Starting July 14, the cost of a First-Class Forever Stamp has increased by 5 cents to 73 cents, a 7% rise from the previous rate of 68 cents. Additionally, the price for mailing international postcards and letters has gone up from $1.55 to $1.65.
Other price adjustments by the United States Postal Service (USPS) include:
• Metered 1-ounce letters: increased from 64 cents to 69 cents.
• Domestic postcards: increased from 53 cents to 56 cents.
• International postcards and 1-ounce letters: both increased by 10 cents to $1.65.
• Additional-ounce price for single-piece letters: increased by 4 cents, now 28 cents.
• Square, oversized, or unusual envelopes: new starting rate of $1.19.
There has been no increase in post office box rental fees. Additionally, the USPS is offering a 10% price reduction on postal insurance for mailing items.
The US Postal Service (USPS) has been raising prices more frequently in recent years. This marks the second price hike for a First-Class stamp this year, bringing the cost to 73 cents—the highest level in decades, even when adjusted for inflation.
In April, the USPS stated that the new prices were necessary for the agency’s financial health and maintained that USPS prices remain “among the most affordable in the world.” The organization highlighted the need for these adjustments to achieve financial stability as part of its “Delivering for America” 10-year plan. Announced in 2021, this plan aims to eliminate $160 billion in predicted losses.
   Despite hopes to break even in 2023, the USPS reported a $6.5 billion net loss for the fiscal year. Operating revenue fell by $321 million, or 0.4%, to $78.2 billion compared to the previous year, as first-class mail volume dropped to its lowest level since 1968. The USPS attributed the significant losses to $2.6 billion in inflation costs and a decrease in mail volume.
   The decline in mail deliveries correlates with the rise of new communication methods. Many people no longer use mail as frequently, but postage prices remain crucial for millions of businesses and organizations. These entities spend most of the $40.8 billion annual expenditure on mail, including letters, bulk mailings, junk mail, and periodicals. Higher postage prices have led businesses to cut back, affecting the USPS’s budget and potentially its ability to continue essential services.
   The USPS delivers everything from online purchases to life-saving prescription drugs. This year, tens of millions of voters will cast their ballots in the presidential election by mail. Additionally, businesses still rely on mail to reach customers and sustain economic activity.
   Postage increases used to align with inflation, typically happening once a year. However, Sunday will mark the sixth increase in three years, with first-class stamp prices rising 10 percentage points faster than overall inflation.
   Major mailers warn that such rapid price hikes will drive them away from using postal services, potentially leading to a significant budget shortfall for the agency.
   Today, families and friends often communicate through email, text, or apps, and many bills get paid electronically. Physical mail no longer plays the vital role it once did in American life. For many, sending a letter has become as outdated as using VHS movies, floppy disks, or cassette tapes. The term “snail mail” reflects this shift.
   Last year, the USPS delivered 11.4 billion individual letters. Although this number may seem high, it represents a 75% decrease from 20 years ago. Despite stamp prices doubling over that period, experts primarily attribute the decline to technological advancements.
   “For most households, mail is not a significant expenditure,” said industry expert John Plunkett. “Even if the price of a stamp reached a dollar, I would still send the same number of Christmas cards this year as I did last year.”
   As the USPS navigates these changes, the rapid pace of price increases raises concerns about the future of traditional mail and its role in American society.
   Critics worry that frequent postage rate increases could lead to worsening finances and efficiency for the U.S. Postal Service. They fear the agency might run out of money within a few years, potentially forcing it to depend on direct taxpayer subsidies from Congress or to cut back on staffing and services.
   In 2021, under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the USPS unveiled a 10-year plan to modernize the service and address ongoing losses. DeJoy told the Senate in April that the USPS had been in a “financial death spiral” for years. However, he emphasized that the $40 billion modernization plan aims to ensure the USPS can continue to serve the country well into the future.
    The Postal Service and the United States have developed together since before the nation’s founding. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general in 1775. The service expanded to keep pace with the new nation and helped bind the young country together. It played a major role in the construction of roads between early cities. US 1, the first federal highway, started as Boston Post Road to carry mail between New York and Boston and still retains that name in many locations.
   In 1831, when Alexis de Tocqueville toured the young country, the United States had twice as many post offices as Britain and five times as many as France, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Today, the USPS has 640,000 employees across over 30,000 facilities nationwide.
   In February, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy emphasized that the postal service’s future lies in package delivery. A key component of his 10-year “Delivering for America” plan is to capture a larger share of the package business from private-sector companies like UPS, FedEx, and Amazon. The USPS is working to significantly increase its capacity to process and ship packages quickly.
   DeJoy argues this is a safe bet because the USPS serves more than 165 million addresses at least six days a week. “Letter carriers are going there anyway, so why not fill the empty space on their trucks with packages that will help the agency pay its bills?” DeJoy told the Federal News Network. “Our competitors are reacting to us out there, and we will get better faster. I’m very confident in that — that we’ll get better faster. My issue right now is to get it done fast enough before we run out of cash.”
   Frequent rate hikes have significant implications for businesses and organizations that rely on mail services. Physical mail may not hold the same importance it once did in American life, but the cost of postage remains crucial for many. Businesses spend most of the $40.8 billion annual expenditure on mail, including letters, bulk mailings, junk mail, and periodicals. Higher postage prices lead businesses to cut back, affecting the USPS’s budget and potentially its ability to continue essential services.
   While individuals increasingly use electronic means for communication and bill payments, businesses and organizations still depend on mail to reach customers and sustain economic activity. The USPS’s services, including delivering online purchases, life-saving prescription drugs, and ballots for elections, remain vital.
   The USPS faces a challenging path ahead as it navigates financial instability and aims to modernize. The postal service’s future depends on its ability to adapt and capture a larger share of the package delivery market. The ongoing efforts to improve efficiency and expand services will determine whether the USPS can maintain its crucial role in American society and continue to provide essential services to millions of people.

 

On Monday, June 17, at 8:22 a.m., the Kings Mountain Police Department (KMPD) and the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to 539 Belcaro Drive in Kings Mountain regarding a domestic dispute in which one of the persons involved had been shot.
CCSO deputies arrived first on the scene and quickly determined the subject who had been shot was transported by private vehicle to Atrium Health of Kings Mountain, where they began to receive treatment for a gunshot wound to the leg. The injuries to this subject appear to be non-life threatening at this time.
The second individual involved in the domestic dispute was found at 539 Belcaro Drive by first responding deputies and is cooperating with Kings Mountain Police Criminal Investigations Unit Detectives.
The scene and investigation were turned over to the Kings Mountain Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Unit for further investigation. At this time, no charges have been brought against either of the subjects involved in the incident.
If anyone has information about this incident, please contact Detective R. Hoyle with the Kings Mountain Police Criminal Investigations Unit at (704) 734-0444 (robert.hoyle@cityofkm.com).