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Update on POSTPlan

In 2012, the US Postal Service introduced POSTPlan as a means of keeping Post Offices open by reducing hours. The Huletts Landing Post Office is now only open 4 hours per day. POSTPlan reduced operations at many rural Post Offices to 2, 4 or 6 hours per day in hundreds of Post Offices throughout the country.

Although POSTPlan kept many offices open, they do not have Postmasters and many postmaster jobs were lost. According to rough statistics – there were roughly 32,000 Postmasters a decade ago, while today the number is closer to 14,000. The lowest level of Post Office with full-time Postmasters is known as a Level 18 Post Office and excludes Post Offices that are open 2, 4 or 6 hours per day which resulted from the POSTPlan implementation.

It is believed that the US Postal Service is evaluating the 337 Level 18 Post offices to see if they could be downgraded to 4-hour or 6-hour facilities in the near future. It is also believed that the Postal Service is evaluating the 2,296 4-hour and 6-hour facilities (of which the Huletts Landing Post Office is now included) to see if they could be downgraded to 2-hour and 4-hour facilities.

While little is known about the evaluation process, it does appear that rural America could see further reductions in postal hours at small rural post offices. The best way to see that no further reduction in hours occur at our local Post Office is to buy your stamps and postage in Huletts. One measurement that is used in determining Post Office hours is the amount of postage sold.

I will continue to follow this issue and will update the Huletts Current accordingly.

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What Are You Doing This Off-Season? Watching Villanova Win it All


Kevin McNelis stands with Rollie Massimino (the head coach of Villanova’s 1985 championship team) before the NCAA championship game earlier this week.

I realize I am a few days late, but congratulations to all of our Villanova basketball fans (and we have a few) on your team’s exciting win earlier this week. Kevin McNelis traveled to Houston for the game and was present for the win! Below is a shot he took from his seat after the final 3 pointer nailed the national championship.

So congratulations to Kevin and all the Villanova fans in the community on a fantastic year!

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Rep. Stefanik State of the Union Guest: Brigadier General Diana Holland, First Female Commandant of U.S. Military Academy at West Point


Rep. Elise Stefanik meeting with her State of the Union guest, Brigadier General Diana Holland, in her Washington office last night.

Brigadier General Diana Holland was the honorary guest of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) at the President’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, January 12th. Brigadier General Holland served as the 10th Mountain Division’s deputy commanding general for support. She was the first female general officer at Fort Drum and the first woman to serve as a deputy commanding general in one of the Army’s light infantry divisions.

“I am privileged to announce that my special guest to the President’s State of the Union address this year will be Brigadier General Diana Holland,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Brigadier General Holland has served with distinction at Fort Drum and has now moved to a well-deserved appointment at West Point. I know Brigadier General Holland from my work on behalf of Fort Drum, most recently during a CODEL to Afghanistan and I am pleased that she will be able to join me in the House Chamber for this historic occasion.”

Brigadier General Holland is currently serving as the first female commandant of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. BG Holland assumed command as the 76th commandant of cadets during a ceremony at West Point on January 5.

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Congresswoman Stefanik Makes Thanksgiving Week Visit to Fort Drum Soldiers in Afghanistan


Congresswoman Stefanik with soldiers from Fort Drum at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.

Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) returned from an official Congressional Delegation visit to Afghanistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia with colleagues on the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee. She released the following statement upon her return:

“This trip was an important opportunity to visit with our brave men and women of the 10th Mountain Division and thank them for their brave service this holiday season,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “These soldiers put their lives on the line for us each day, and as the Vice-Chair for the Subcommittee on Readiness, this was a chance to hear firsthand from our troops. We live in an increasingly dangerous world and I am proud that we have these brave men and women defending our national security.”


Congresswoman Stefanik with soldiers from Fort Drum at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

In addition to visiting troops in Afghanistan, Congresswoman Stefanik and the Congressional Delegation met with key officials in Egypt and Saudi Arabia to receive updates on issues including the conflict in Syria, Iran’s Nuclear Program, ISIL and Libya.

(Click pictures to see full-scale.)

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What Are You Doing This Off-Season? Playing Music on the San Diego Waterfront on Veterans Day


Peter Ballantyne plays on the San Diego waterfront last week.

The pictures here were provided to me by Peter Ballantyne, whose band played the San Diego Freedom Festival during last week’s Veteran’s Day parade alongside the parade route. The USS Midway is the big ship in the background.

Many in our Huletts community travel to different parts of the country when we’re not in Huletts. So if you’re some place fun, interesting or unique, send me a picture, and I might post it. I know lots of people who go to interesting places and see fun events when they’re not in Huletts. So if you’re doing something fun this off-season, send me a picture and let your friends see the excitement here on the Huletts Current.

Peter’s planning on playing in the Casino next summer, so come out and see him then!

(Click pictures to see full-scale.)

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Columbus Day 2015


The Debarkation of Columbus (Morning of October 12, 1492) by Edward Moran (Oil on Canvas – 1892. U.S. Naval Academy Museum Annapolis, Maryland.) Click image to see lager scale.

“Late in his career, marine artist Edward Moran (1828-1901) became influenced by the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s first voyage. He did several large painting of the voyage. The artist has chosen the brilliant spectacle of Columbus with cross uplifted, in magnificent regalia of scarlet and gold and purple, and his officers with the standards of Castile and Leon, and the white and green colors of the expedition, disembarking with his men when his hopes had become a reality, for the purpose of claiming the newly discovered land.”

Today, October 12, 2015 is the 523rd anniversary of Columbus’s landing. Enjoy the federal holiday, if you have off!

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A Good Number to Have

Let’s say you are not in Huletts Landing or even Washington County, and become aware of an emergency in Huletts Landing, perhaps even in your Huletts home, and you need to contact Washington County 911 from outside the county or even from outside the state. Is there a quick way to get Washington County 911 on the phone from outside the area?

Supervisor Gang was kind enough to look into this question. He spoke to the head of Public Safety for Washington County and provided me a direct number to call the Washington County 911 office in the event of an emergency.

It is: 518-747-3325

This would be a good time to print out this number and post it next to your “other” house phone and/or program it into your smart phone. It may save a life someday.

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Trekonderoga in Ticonderoga September 4th & 5th


A re-creation of the Star Trek Enterprise bridge is one of the things tickets can be purchased for at a fan inspired Star Trek conference that will take place this upcoming weekend in Ticonderoga.

The first Star Trek event in Ticonderoga (billed as Trekonderoga) will take place over the Labor Day weekend.

Original Star Trek guest stars from the 1960’s show visiting the event include Sally Kellerman (second Star Trek pilot), Don Marshall (Lt. Boma in the episode “The Galileo Seven”), Barbara Luna (Marlena Moreau in the all-time classic episode “Mirror, Mirror”), Louise Sorel (Rayna Kapec in “Requiem for Methuselah”) and Sean Kenney (Captain Christopher Pike in the two-part Star Trek episode, “The Menagerie”).

Also, the original 1966 Batmobile will make an appearance in Ticonderoga on Saturday, September 5th only.

The “Star Trek” fan fest was the idea of James Cawley, a Ticonderoga native and Elvis Presley impersonator. The entire Enterprise set from the original show has been recreated in a building in Ticonderoga to use in production of fan created web episodes of the beloved show.

Consider buying some tickets and heading to Ticonderoga for a great idea this upcoming weekend!

To learn more and purchase tickets: Trekonderoga.com

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Patrick McNelis in Little League Intermediate Division World Series in Livermore CA


Patrick McNelis (front row, second from right) is the starting catcher for the Commack North team that won the East Region Championship last weekend. His father, Pat McNelis, is coaching (back row, far right). Patrick’s grandparents, Pat and Irene McNelis, are longtime residents of Huletts Landing. (Click picture to see larger scale.)

Patrick McNelis is playing in the Little League Intermediate Division World Series in Livermore CA. They are 4-1 and are playing in the U.S. championship tonight (Friday) at 9:00 pm EDT.

The live stream from tonight’s game can be found at:
http://intermediateworldseries.org/livestream/

Friday’s winner will play the International Champion on ESPN at 9:00 pm EDT on Saturday (tomorrow).

Congratulations to Patrick and his teammates for advancing so far!

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Lynn Kapusinski to Appear on EWTN this Week


Lynn Kapusinski (right) will appear on EWTN’s Women of Grace, with host Johnnette Benkovic (left), for a 5-part interview, “When the Marriage Fails: Helping Children Cope,” from Monday July 20th through Friday July 24th, from 11:00-11:30 am EST.

I’m happy to share that Lynn recently returned from Birmingham. Alabama where she was interviewed for 5 segments on EWTN’s Women of Grace show, with Johnnette Benkovic. Her 5-part interview will air on EWTN the week of July 20th – 24th. Lynn will be discussing her new book, “When Parents Divorce or Separate: I Can Get Through This,” which recently won a first place award from the Catholic Press Association.

The Eternal Word Television Network is a cable channel originally founded by Catholic nun Mother Angelica. Lynn’s work with children who are experiencing their parent’s separation or divorce has taken her all over the world. As a child of divorce herself, she offers many practical suggestions on how to help children going through this challenging time.