Here's a roundup of NATO news today: The USPS will remove mailboxes in the Loop, downtown restaurants might lose money, but others might gain some. more ›

A monthly meeting in their Bronzeville union hall had the spirit of a rally, as letter carriers decried $3 billion in cuts announced earlier this week that would close Chicago mail facilities and result in 28,000 layoffs nationwide. more ›

It's no surprise that more people are communicating now by means of the internet and telecommunication. However, increased forms of alternative communication really means bad news for the U.S. Postal Service. As a response to financial and circulation losses, the USPS has been slowly getting around to implementing service changes and cutbacks, and all signs point to the fact that this is not going to be a fun ride. Among the seven district offices that the USPS plans on shutting down is a USPS district office in Carol Stream, Illinois. Unfortunately, the cuts don't stop there - the USPS also plans on letting go of 7,500 employees, the majority of them who are supervisors and postmasters. All of these changes will take place over the course of the year. more ›

A few years back, we wrote about how Chicago's mail-delivery rate was the worst in the nation according to the Chicago Sun Times. At 91 percent, Chicago had the worst overnight mail delivery rate from June to September 2006. There was even a time when that percentage got worse, when the mail delivery rate went down to 89 percent in the early part of 2007. Now, three years after one of the lowest points in Chicago mail delivery history, the mail delivery rate in Chicago has improved significantly, rising to 96 percent from July to August this year. more ›

Chicago's mail delivery rate was pretty much known as the worst in the nation back in 2007, but it looks like the mail delivery system in Illinois is having a tough time tracking packages even in 2010. The cremated remains of Mabel Bink, who passed away June 18 in Arizona, have been found and returned to her family in Illinois. The 20-pound package that contained Bink's cremated remains had been missing since July 19, and the package was found in an Elk Grove Village processing plant on Thursday afternoon. more ›

As if you don't have enough reminders, today is April 15 aka Tax Day. And, protests aside, the big concern today for all you last-minute filers is the post office, right? Lucky for you, as always, some local post offices will be open 'til midnight to ensure you get your taxes postmarked on time. The U.S. Postal Service answers a few questions you may have about mailing off your tax returns and three area post offices will be open late to help you out: more ›

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Wal-Mart is reporting that the store that opened in Chicago has produced $2 million in state and local taxes and has created 443 jobs since it opened 6 months ago. The USPS in Chicago is hiring 200 more letter carriers. Comcast is buying Fandango and starting a website for watching TV and movies. Should the Lakeshore Athletic Club be a landmark? Some are saying it should after finding out that a prospective buyer wants... more ›

Did you guys hear about that watch that made it to eBay? It was Gary Familglietti's and was from the Bears' 1940s championship. Well, Al Baisi Jr. played for the Bears in the '40s and got a watch after the 1946 championship but lost it, so he bought Familglietti's watch on eBay for $8,100. Remember how they kept saying, "Don't worry, there will be a parking garage and restaurant ... just as soon as... more ›

Chicagoist is all about your on-the-street reporting, so when we received news of a coyote running through downtown this afternoon, we had to pass it along. more ›

We're torn. On the one hand, every time we hear that the Post Office is about to raise its rates again, we think, "Are you kidding me? You just raised rates, what? Two years ago? C'mon!" Cause we hate it when anything goes up in price, and it seems like when we were kids, the raising of the price of a stamp happened every ten years, and it seemed like such a monumental milestone. Of... more ›

This is a really simple, informational post. There is a website called SwapSimple.com, where you can trade books, DVDs and video games with people. You open up a free account, you list your stuff, and you trade for other people's stuff. We checked it out, and you have to pay for the shipping and handling (via USPS), but other than that, you can change out your collection nearly for free. more ›