Arlington Mailman Makes Last Delivery After 43 Years

See what residents did to recognize him.

Mike Tobin has been a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for 43 years, the last 24 of which he has been delivering mail to residents of Arlington’s Kelwyn Manor neighborhood. On Friday, Tobin, an Arlington native who now lives in Lowell, made his last run as he heads into retirement. Without him knowing, word had spread about his last day. Residents met him at the door to thank him. The neighborhood association hung a banner across the street, which was signed with messages wishing Tobin a fond farewell. “It’s overwhelming,” Tobin, 62, said Friday afternoon while delivering mail on Princeton Road. “This neighborhood’s one big family. I’ve seen all kinds of changes, births and deaths.” Residents on Tobin’s route are also throwing …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (2)

Would You Miss Saturday Mail Delivery?

A proposal would end Saturday first-class mail delivery.

The U.S. Postal Service is reportedly announcing on Wednesday that it will stop Saturday first-class mail delivery by Aug. 1, reported CBS News. Mail personnel have delivered mail on Saturdays for 150 years, but the plan is to end regular mail service, while maintaining Saturday delivery for packages and express mail, CBS News reported. The move is the latest attempt by the cash-strapped federal department to save money. It has already cut employees and service, but still reportedly lost $16 billion last year. What do you think about this idea? Would you miss Saturday mail service?

•  48 Comments
• Photos (1)

Arlington's New Year's Resolutions

Four major developments in town government are expected to get underway in 2012. Find out what they are—and let us know if you think the resolutions will come to fruition.

The first few days of January are always full of promises. Right now, some Arlingtonians are working out more, spending more time with family and trying to quit smoking. Hopefully, these great resolutions will continue throughout the year. And in town government, things are no different. There are several major developments expected to get underway in 2012. Will they come to fruition?  Here are Arlington's four New Years' resolution: 1. Symmes Redevelopment to Begin this Year The Redevelopment of the former Symmes Hospital site into a mid-rise apartment complex is perhaps Arlington's most classic New Year's resolution. The project has been in the works for a decade but officials are promising it will finally begin in 2012, after developers…

• Photos (5)

Week in Review

Week in Review: Body Found in Spy Pond, Breach of Confidentiality at Schools

Joe Curro becomes the first candidate for Board of Selectmen, police stop a drug deal near Arlington High School and Post Office closures to be pushed back.

Authorities this week identified the man whose body was found in Spy Pond on Tuesday. The deceased is Cameron Raudonis-Blicker, 23, of Derry, N.H. A cause of death has not been determined. School Committee member Joe Curro became the first candidate to take out papers to run for the Board of Selectmen. In an interview, Curro said he wants to be the voice of Arlington Public Schools parents, following the expected 2012 departure of  Selectman Annie LaCourt. And Superintendent Kathleen Bodie has been asked to review the school district’s protocols on student confidentiality, after an official mistakenly distributed a redistricting map showing approximate addresses of special education homes. Here are more of this week's essential news from …

• Photos (6)

POLL: Will Postal Service Cutbacks Affect You?

Starting next spring, the U.S. Postal Service will end next-day delivery of letters, postcards and other First Class mail. Will that decision change your daily life?

Come next spring, the U.S. Postal Service will end next-day delivery of letters, postcards and other First Class mail, the Huffington Post reported. In Arlington, there is still the potential for the closure of two of three post offices, which are on a list of 3,700 branches nationwide considered for closure, including 43 locations in the Boston area. The list includes the East Arlington and Arlington Heights branches and not the main branch in Arlington Center. We're wondering what Arlington residents are thinking about the U.S. Postal Service cuts. Let us know your thoughts but voting in the poll. Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below.

• Photos (1)

Postal Service Pushes Back Closure of Arlington Branches

Review process to decide the fate of two of three post offices in town will restart from scratch.

U.S. Postal Service officials are delaying the potential closure of two of the three Arlington branches after a piece of mail didn’t go out to town residents in a timely fashion. Michael Foley, discontinuance coordinator for Boston area post offices, on Monday said a piece of mail didn’t go out in time to notify town residents about the potential closure of the U.S. Postal Service’s East Arlington and Arlington Heights branches. The two Arlington locations are on a list of 3,700 branches nationwide considered for closure, including 43 locations in the Boston area. The list does not include the Postal Service's main branch in Arlington Center. Foley said the piece of mail also contained information about a public hearing, a comment sheet …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Malcolm Hamilton

3:57 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011

I wrote a letter to the "District Discontinuance Coordinator" explaining my view that the Arlington Heights office was a great "service" to the community--and always busy. I suggested that eliminating services was not a good way to keep the Postal "Service" viable. I concluded that there are lots of ways to reduce USPS losses, but curtailing access service to citizens seems contrary to the …   more ›

POLL: How Would Post Office Closures Affect You?

Arlington Heights and East Arlington branches are on a list of 3,700 post offices that could soon be closed.

The U.S. Postal Service is in dire financial trouble, and locations in Arlington Heights and East Arlington are on a list of 3,700 branches nationwide considered for closure. They are two of Arlington's three post offices, as the list does not include the Postal Service's main branch in Arlington Center. On Monday, USPS officials came out to Town Hall on Monday to hear what residents think about the possible closure. Dozens of attendees said the move could lower quality of service and decrease access for disabled and elderly residents of the town. What do you think? If the below poll is not enough to express your thoughts, please feel free to use the comment box below.

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Postal Service Closings Focus of Tonight's Meeting

East Arlington and Arlington Heights post offices could be closed due to decline in business.

U.S. Postal Service officials will address Arlington residents’ concerns tonight regarding possible branch closures in East Arlington and Arlington Heights. The two Arlington locations are on a list of 3,700 branches nationwide considered for foreclosure. They are two of Arlington's three post offices, as the list does not include the Postal Service's main branch in Arlington Center. The Postal Service, which lost $8 billion last year, said the possible closures are due to more and more of its business being conducted online or in grocery, drug of office supply stores, among other retail outlets. The meeting with Postal Service officials begins at 6 p.m. tonight, Oct. 3, at Town Hall.

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Pedro Oliveira Jr.

2:49 pm on Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Stephanie—In case you're interested, here's a recap of the meeting: http://arlington.patch.com/articles/potential-post-office-closures-draw-criticism Best, Pedro Oliveira Jr. Editor, ArlingtonPatch.com   more ›

Residents Understanding of Possible Post Office Closures

Two Arlington post offices are on the list of potential closures.

After the U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday that two of Arlington’s three branches will be among the 3,700 nationwide considered for closure, residents, for the most part, said they understand the changing times and only view the news as a “minor inconvenience.” “Do we really need three post offices (in Arlington)? No!” Susan Urichuk Russian wrote on Arlington Patch’s Facebook wall. “People do so much more electronically, and you can buy stamps everywhere now.” The East Arlington Post Office, at 240 Massachusetts Ave., and the Arlington Heights Post Office, at 1347 Massachusetts Ave., were on the state list of 43 locations under review. The post office in Arlington Center, at 10 Court St., was not. Even though they’re on the list, the …

• Photos (2)