ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – People in Blacksburg still report issues with their mail, saying it is causing problems with paying rent, receiving medication, or simply sending a letter.
People reached out to federal leaders for answers but have received few in return.
US Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner (both D-VA) hosted news conferences Thursday, and WDBJ7 asked for an update on the situation.
“We’ve got to get to the issue in Blacksburg. Blacksburg, which is not dissimilar to Charlottesville, is a very hot market, really. low on employment,” Senator Warner said. “The ability to keep and retain folks in the postal service is a real challenge.”
Senator Kaine said the postal service issues in Blacksburg are not entirely unique. He said every few years, different areas across the Commonwealth report issues with mail deliveries
“We’ve been dealing with significant issues in Richmond and Hampton Roads,” he said. “Those have gotten better. They’re not where we want them to be yet, but we are seeing challenges crop up in Charlottesville and Blacksburg, and we will raise that directly with the Postmaster General.”
During the conference, Senator Warner mentioned the postal industry and the struggle to fill roles, which could lead to situations like the one people are facing now.
“We do have to recognize, though, that both from the standpoint of working at the post office is a great career job, it still is, but it’s harder to get people to recruit them to do that. And the basic underlying business premise around the post office, it’s tough,” he said
Both Senator Warner and Kaine understand the situation is stressful for those impacted and want to assure people they are investigating the problem and finding a solution.
“It is a serious, real problem, just because mail volumes have gone down. But in terms of the Blacksburg situation, Tim, (Rep.) Morgan Griffith (R-9), and I are going to work together and get it resolved.”
Copyright 2025 WDBJ. All rights reserved.