U.S. Postal Service (USPS)

Pvt. Bob Rodgers wrote his wife one night from Fort Campbell, Ky. He said all he did was "shine boots, shine boots and shine more boots and brass and more brass." Sixty years later, the postal service delivered that letter to Jean Rodgers. An Indiana postmaster says she has no idea why it took so long.

Washington state resident Kevin O'Grady always wanted to take a trip to the eastern U.S. Courtesy of a mailing mishap, he got it — posthumously. After recently passing away, his ashes accidentally traveled across the country to many of the places that he wanted to visit.

In its search for new revenue streams, the Postal Service is getting creative. Its entered into a licensing agreement for a new apparel and accessories line called Rain Heat & Snow.

Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon talks with Philip Rubio, assistant professor of history at North Carolina A&T State University, about how the series of cuts in Saturday delivery, office closures and other budget-saving measures will affect groups that have historically relied on jobs with the Postal Service. Rubio is the author of There's Always Work at the Post Office. Before he became a history professor, Rubio carried mail for the Postal Service for 20 years.

The U.S. Postal Service's decision to end Saturday delivery comes on the heels of a plan to reduce hours at many rural post offices. In Vermont, residents of small towns are worried the change is another step toward the eventual demise of their local post offices.

While a big number, it's way down from the $3.1 billion loss posted during that period last year. The Postal Service said it's already cut its operating costs, but it needs Congressional help to put it back on sound financial footing.

The U.S. Postal Service on Wednesday announced that it plans to halt Saturday mail delivery, a major shift in operations that the agency says it must make in order to keep from bleeding billions of dollars every year. Package deliveries would continue under the plan.

The U.S. Postal Service is expected to announce Wednesday that letters will no longer be delivered six days a week. The move starts this summer and should save $2 billion. Saturday package delivery, however, will continue.

The decision has been long anticipated. The Postal Service continues to lose billions of dollars a year and is looking for ways to cut costs. Eliminating Saturday delivery of first-class mail (but not packages) might save it about $2 billion annually.

When postal rates went up this week, labels who ship CDs and LPs saw rates jump. They say the costs will make their way to music fans.