'Inquiry' shuts down Liebenthal P.O.
Published on -6/15/2011, 9:58 AM
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By MIKE CORN
LIEBENTHAL -- Residents are at a loss over what's behind the sign on the door of the Liebenthal Post Office, telling customers to pick up their mail in La Crosse.
The U.S. Postal Service isn't shedding much light into the situation either, other than to say the postal inspection service is conducting an inquiry into the operations of the post office.
"We're going to leave it at that," said Postal Inspection Service spokesman Mark Hines, based in St. Paul, Minn. "We're conducting an inquiry into the operations of the Liebenthal community post office operations."
The Postal Inspection Service is essentially the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service.
For residents of the small Rush County community, there's been virtually no information provided.
Instead, the sign on the door simply states operations have been suspended temporarily.
"I wish we knew," said Darold Randa, who has sought to find out why the office was closed.
That was Thursday, when USPS spokesman Brian Sperry said there was an "emergency suspension" of the facility.
The Liebenthal Post Office is operated by a contractor, he said.
Situated along U.S. Highway 183, the post office has long been a fixture of the community of slightly more than 100 people.
But it gained a new postmaster late last year, and Liebenthal residents haven't been able to talk to her.
"They won't tell us nothing," Randa said.
Barbara Matal is in the same situation.
"We have to pick up our mail in La Crosse," she said, adding she gets off work too late to stop in and pick it up.
For everyone else, they have to make the almost 8-mile drive south to pick up any mail they might have.
"Supposedly, the La Crosse Post Office knows nothing," Randa said of seeking information that way. "It's the craziest thing you ever saw. Leave it up to the federal government to do that."
* Until further notice, all Liebenthal postal services will be handled out of the La Crosse Post Office. Retail hours in La Crosse are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturdays.
