ANOTHER TOWN MEETING. Plans for a community meeting to explain the process of decontaminating the entire Washington, DC, Processing and Distribution Center at Brentwood will be announced in the next few weeks. The session is designed to answer the public's questions about the decontamination process using manufactured chlorine dioxide gas in the sealed building.

A preliminary test to decontaminate some equipment in the building was successful and proved the effectiveness of the chlorine dioxide to kill the anthrax bacteria. The test was done in an enclosed environment over Line 17, the most contaminated equipment in the building. Three automated processing machines were sealed in a tent-like structure within the facility. All test samples came back with negative results, showing no anthrax spores survived the chlorine dioxide gas treatment.

MAIL WITHOUT MAILROOM. "Click-N-Ship" is the newest addition to the USPS "Brought to you by ... " advertising campaign. It draws attention to new, high-tech shipping options for small business owners. "With a credit card and a few simple keystrokes you can print a label with postage, get free Delivery Confirmation service and letter carrier pick-up," the ad says. Details of services are at www.usps.com, under "shipping."

SHAPE, SIZE MATTER. Delivery Confirmation and Signature Confirmation are available for any Priority Mail item, no matter its shape or size. However, it's a different story for First-Class Mail and Package Services. For that mail, only parcels can receive Delivery Confirmation and Signature Confirmation services. If it's not in a box, it must be more than ¾-inch thick at its thickest point. It also should have sufficient surface area to display the delivery address, return address, postage, markings, endorsements and Delivery Confirmation or Signature Confirmation label.

POLITICALLY CORRECT. The approach of Labor Day also signals upcoming elections for local, state and federal offices. That means political campaign mailings will begin appearing. Like voting by mail, it's just one more way USPS helps the nation. Political campaign mailings are different from congressional mailings. One way to distinguish them is by the postage.

A congressional mailing can be identified by the facsimile signature of the member of Congress in the upper right corner, followed by "M.C." (Member of Congress) or "U.S.S." (U.S. Senate). Political campaign mailings are paid by postage stamps, meter or permit imprint, and usually indicate payment by a committee and/or authorization by a candidate. They're both important … to USPS and the nation. And it's the Postal Service's job to get them where they're going, on time!