To ensure delivery by Christmas, mail letters and packages by Dec. 18: Chicago postmaster

As the postmaster of Chicago for the 606-608 ZIP codes, I want to assure you the U.S. Postal Service is primed and ready to deliver exceptional service during the 2024 holiday rush.

Thanks to substantial progress USPS has made under the Delivering for America plan — a $40 billion investment aimed at revitalizing the national postal network — our operational, transportation and delivery processes have never been more finely tuned. My dedicated team and I are fully prepared to once again handle the peak holiday season surge.

As you and your family prepare for the holidays, it's always a good idea to ship it early! We encourage everyone to send their holiday mail and packages well in advance to ensure they reach their destinations on time, but we understand sometimes cards or packages are sent last minute.

This year, our recommended send-by dates for expected holiday delivery within the continental U.S. before Dec. 25 are:

• Dec. 18: USPS Ground Advantage service; first-class mail
• Dec. 19: Priority Mail service
• Dec. 21: Priority Mail Express service

For a complete list of recommended holiday mailing and shipping dates, please visit usps.com/holidayshippingdates. And remember: The earlier you send it, the better — Ship it Early!

We are honored and grateful for your trust in the U.S. Postal Service. Your postal team in the city of Chicago is proud to be the most affordable, reliable way to send cheer this holiday season, and we’re ready to deliver exceptional service during the holidays and beyond.

Jewel Morrow, Chicago postmaster

Merge public transit agencies

Thanks for publishing Bruce Mainzer’s opinion essay about merging northern Illinois’ transportation agencies. Reducing redundant administration costs will save money and speed up services. Also important is the transparency that would ensue. Dorval Carter needs to show what’s really happening.

And thanks for the editorial about getting extremist Oath Keepers out of the Chicago Police Department. Whatever the reason, white supremacists have no role in CPD.

Beth Najberg, Gold Coast

Raise ‘senior freeze’ income limit

There are many sides to the "senior freeze" coin. I and other law-abiding seniors lost our freeze because of high inflation and accompanying Social Security increases pushing people over the $65,000 household income. It would have been nice if the senior freeze income limit was indexed to Social Security increases.

Ed Rios, Berwyn

Bear of a game

I have one question for the ownership of the Chicago Bears. Would it kill you to hire a coaching staff that actually knows how to win games?

Steve Herr, West Ridge