skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump heads to Texas after catastrophic flooding, avoiding criticism he's heaped on other governors; Trump threatens a 35% tariff on Canadian goods, and he may double what most other nations are charged; USDA funding pause could stall conservation momentum in MI, nation; New Ohio weapons plant to bring over 4,000 jobs; Report: Occupational segregation leads to pay gap for MA women.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

NOAA nominee says he supports cutting the agency's budget. Many question why Ukraine's weapons aid was paused. And farmers worry how the budget megabill will impact this year's Farm Bill.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rural Americans brace for disproportionate impact of federal funding cuts to mental health, substance use programs, and new federal policies have farmers from Ohio to Minnesota struggling to grow healthier foods and create sustainable food production programs.

Merits of Postal Banking on Display in COVID-19 Pandemic

play audio
Play

Wednesday, April 8, 2020   

HELENA, Mont. -- Social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted many services of everyday life, including restricting hours at some banks. Postal workers see this as further proof that offering financial services at post offices is a good idea.

Banking already is limited in many parts of the country, especially rural areas, and nearly 60% of the country's 30,000 post offices are located in ZIP codes with one bank branch or none. Stephen DeMatteo, who leads the Campaign for Postal Banking at the American Postal Workers Union, said that's a problem for millions of Americans awaiting their coronavirus-relief stimulus checks.

"If we had a postal financial system set up in a real way in this country," he said, "that would be one way that people could be able to access money from the federal government."

Nearly one in four Americans doesn't have regular access to a bank or other financial services. People will get their $1,200 government stimulus checks through direct deposit if they've filed income-tax returns for 2018 or 2019, starting as early as this week. But it could take two months for those waiting on a check by mail.

Across the United States, postal workers are considered essential and are continuing their duties. DeMatteo said postal banking would bring in additional funds to the U.S. Postal Service.

"But we're also cognizant of the fact that we don't want to replicate some of the worst practices in the commercial banking industry right now, at the post office," he said. "So, we don't want to be ripping people off with high-interest loans; we don't want to be charging people high fees for saving or spending accounts."

DeMatteo noted that money orders and a limited wire-transfer system already run through post offices and could be expanded. He said he believes the Postal Service already has the legal authority to do this, as well as provide other services, such as offering paycheck cashing and installing ATMs, without the need for approval from Congress.

Disclosure: American Postal Workers Union contributes to our fund for reporting on Consumer Issues, Livable Wages/Working Families. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
According to the Trump administration's 2026 fiscal year budget, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will cut 22% of its workforce, in addition to the workforce reductions that have already taken place. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Wisconsin's agriculture industry could see both wins and losses under the new federal budget. Climate change isn't a priority for the Trump …


Environment

play sound

Hoosier businesses across the state are feeling the ripple effects of rising tariffs and shifting trade policies, especially in farming, …

Social Issues

play sound

Some 15 community and faith-based organizations gathered again this week outside the Geo Group ICE detention facility in Aurora where longtime Denver …


Authors of the law may add enforcement language, such as fines for parents or involvement from the prosecutor's office, during the committee process. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

By Garrett Bergquist for WISH-TV.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Serv…

Social Issues

play sound

More than 400 teen artists will gather this Saturday in Southern California to learn about equity in arts education. The 3rd annual Arts Advocacy Day …

A seed drill used by New Mexico farmers to plant cover crops causes minimal disturbance to the soil. (photo: courtesy NMhealthysoil.org)

Environment

play sound

New Mexico farmers finding it more difficult to grow historic crops are taking up conservation techniques to meet the challenge. Drought, water …

Environment

play sound

Despite last-minute concessions in the Trump administration's budget, which removes alternative energy tax incentives, rural Alaska power providers …

Environment

play sound

"Don't go into the water" is a warning Illinoisans may want to heed. A 2024 study released this week found all state-border beaches on Lake Michigan …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021