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Suncoast Pasco News

Mailboxes, Some Damaged, Being Replaced

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: September 17, 2008

PORT RICHEY - Evemarie Lewin has been feeling boxed in about where she can mail her letters in West Pasco.

"I'm from Chicago," Lewin commented. "We had a mailbox on every street corner."

Recently it seemed to her that more and more of the big blue outdoor boxes have been vanishing from area streets. Whether the outdoor box has a standard flip-down lid or a "snorkel" horn chute, she finds them to be much more convenient than going inside post office lobbies to drop off her mail.

"It's hard to find a mailbox," Lewin complains. "I'm perplexed."

The Great Disappearing Mailbox Mystery might only be a temporary phenomenon, however, according to postal authorities.

Indeed, some older Pasco mailboxes have been tagged for replacement with new ones, according to Gary Sawtelle, regional spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service, in Tampa.

The Postal Service typically freshens up its line of outdoor mailboxes from time to time, Sawtelle explains. He knew of at least eight such Pasco mailboxes which might be in transition.

Annual reviews also might indicate some boxes should be relocated, Sawtelle said. The threshold is 25 pieces of mail per day to justify an outdoor mailbox.

In a few instances, vandalism or accidents might damage boxes.

At the Embassy Crossing post office, in Port Richey, some vehicle apparently clipped the outdoor mailboxes in the parking lot, manager Michael Robinson said.

"We're going to get them replaced real soon," Robinson said late last week. "They're kind of in a bad spot." Concrete posts might be put up to shield the new mailboxes from traffic.

Mailboxes removed

U.S. Postal Service regional spokesman Gary Sawtelle said three boxes have been removed at two New Port Richey area locations for eventual replacement:

•1324 Seven Springs Blvd.

•Two from 6550 Main St.

Five boxes have been removed in the Port Richey area for eventual replacement:

•Two from 13610 Big Bend Road.

•9602 U.S. 19.

•14212 U.S. 19.

•12125 U.S. 19.

"We are working with field maintenance to expedite replacements," Sawtelle said in an e-mail message.

Total number of boxes

Sawtelle also listed the total number of mailboxes allocated to each area post office:

•Elfers = 3

•Holiday = 4

•New Port Richey =7

•Port Richey = 13

•Hudson = 9

Carl Orth can be reached at 727-815-1068 or corth@suncoastnews.com.

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