BY STEPHEN H. COWLES/CONTRIBUTING WRITE
Playback58@gmail.com

FRANKLIN—Neither snow nor rain nor Congress will stay the couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds on Saturday.

The U.S. Postal Service’s board announced that it would comply with the recent legislative order that weekend delivery continues.

In early February, the postal service proposed ending the service by Aug. 5 in order to save an estimated $2 billion annually. Since 2008, online methods have been one factor in the steady decline of first-class mail. Nearly $16 billion was lost last year.

“If Congress would leave the Post Office alone, we would not have to bail them out all the time,” J.E. Stieh of Franklin said.

Research the Post Office had done at the time showed then that 70 percent of Americans would be OK with the new schedule, according to the published report. Past efforts to ask for legislative help have reportedly failed.

“I don’t think we really need it,” Shelby Bryan of Boykins said about the Saturday delivery. “They should close a lot of those little post offices. They need to save money.”

“I’m pleased to hear it’s staying open on Saturday and will continue,” said Elvaree Pugh of Franklin.