U.S. mail: Troubles at post office need fixing

For perhaps the first time in its history, the U.S. Postal Service is becoming systematically unreliable.

The time-honored institution built its reputation through snow, rain, heat and gloom of night to be the service that could be relied on to aid American commerce and communication.

But now, like other businesses, it faces a shortage of workers. Mail was being delivered only sporadically in small towns like Cannon Falls and bigger places like Red Wing and Rochester. The postmaster for Mankato could not be reached to discuss the problem because he was out delivering mail. There were two days The Free Press could not be mailed out, and such problems have been persisting for months.