Every May the Postal Service adjusts prices due to inflation. This will be a two cents increase to 44¢ for First-Class Mail on May 11. The per-ounce postage rate for letters weighing over one ounce will not increase, remaining at 17 cents per ounce. Postcards will increase a penny to 28¢.

There is some good news, head on over to the post office and stock up on the Forever Stamps. You can continue to use the Liberty Bell Forever Stamps that are purchased before May 11 at 42¢ regardless of how many postage increases there are in the future. You may also purchase the stamps at postal vending machines, online, and some stores may carry the Forever Stamps.  Note that some (but very few) merchants may sell the stamps at more than face value.

More info here.

Gordon Chan

The Main Post Office at 1750 Lundy Avenue was renamed as the Gordon N. Chan Post Office in a ceremony on February 18.

Back in October 2008, the U.S. House and Senate passed Public Law 1110-442 renaming the Lundy Avenue Post Office in honor of Gordon Chan at the request of Congressman Mike Honda (D-Campbell).

“Gordon served in many entities of importance in our valley and was the living example of a business leader who understood that giving back to his community was an honor and a duty for successful citizens such as him,” Honda said. “I thank my colleagues in the House and the Senate for voting to recognize Gordon Chan.”

The first Chinese-American to be appointed to the Santa Clara County Planning Commission, first and only Chinese-American president of the Santa Clara Farm Bureau, he also served on the County’s Redistricting Commission, Trail Commission, Open Space Authority, Cut Flower Commission, and the Fair Board. Chan also served as executive director of Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI), as executive board member and founder of the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project (CHCP), and as president of Hee Shen Benevolent Association.

Chan earned a B.S. degree in ornamental horticulture from California Polytechnic University in 1959; that year he married Anita, who he met at their church.

Chan took over family ownership of the T.S. Chan Nursery (located about a mile from the post office), one of Santa Clara County’s largest commercial flower growers.

He died of a heart attack in 2001 (born 1936).

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It’s that time of year again, postal increase month.

Every May the Postal Service adjusts prices due to inflation. This will be a penny increase to 42 cents for First-Class Mail on May 12. If you have some leftover 2¢ stamps you can use those if you cringe at the thought of having to go to the post office for 1¢ stamps.

There is some good news, head on over to the post office and stock up on the Forever Stamps. You can continue to use the Liberty Bell Forever Stamps that are purchased prior to May 12 at 41¢ regardless of how many postage increases there are in the future. You can also purchase the stamps at postal vending machines, online, and some stores may carry the Forever Stamps.

More info here.

I recently rented The Emperor’s New Clothes from Netflix. It must not be stocked in the Bay Area Netflix warehouse as it was sent from Netflix’s Flushing, NY facility. I enjoyed the movie; it was entertaining with a great performance by Ian Holms. When it was time to return the DVD I made sure it went back into the envelope with the Flushing, NY address. I dropped the DVD off at the post office late afternoon. Next morning I checked my Netflix queue and surprise! They received it! I thought I had put it in the wrong envelope so I checked the others that I still had and they were addressed for San Jose and not Flushing. So, I did put the DVD in the correct envelope and they received it next day. Whoa! Now if I were to send my aunt Betty in Flushing a letter the poor dear would have to wait days to hear from her wonderful thoughtful nephew. Maybe if I were to attach the letter to the Netflix envelope…