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More has been made of the plans for a 42-cent first-class stamp next year than the nearly 30 percent increase in second- or third-class mail, which is how your newspapers are delivered to you.
The National Newspaper Association, which represents the industry in Washington, says the basis for the Postal Service increase is flawed, and plans to fight it at the Postal Rate Commission.
The increase is especially bad news in counties like ours, where the newspaper brings you information that you can’t get any other way.
Another problem is that Congress hasn’t yet been able to pass a bill that stops overpayments from the USPS pension system from flowing over into the general federal budget. The Bush administration likes the extra money, and wants to keep it. But .this is like a tax surplus. It should be given back to us, the public.
As an interesting side note, the USPS has announced it will create a “forever” stamp next year, with which you could pay your 42-cent postage for a letter. This has led some people to erroneously assume that they can buy a lifetime’s supply of Forever stamps, and mail letters for 42 cents “forever.”
But the Postal Service hasn’t yet explained how it will work. We doubt it intends to create a lifetime stamp supply with no price increases.
We take the Postal Service for granted sometimes. Congress thankfully shrugged off most of the responsibility for it in 1970 by setting up independent regulatory bodies. But the public still owns this organization, and our members of Congress ultimately represent the shareholders.
It’s time to remind them to pay attention again.
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