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A recent visit by The New York Times to Fox and Prim created a post-holiday buzz in the normally quiet towns. The reason for the visit – the threat of post office closures – has been a source of consternation and concern to these two isolated communities as well as neighbors Onia, Marcella, and Guion over the past five months.
New York Times reporter Campbell Robertson was looking for a story on what he called “the pushback from rural communities” over the looming threat. After reading an online story about Fox, published by Seattle’s Equal Voice Newspaper, and watching the You Tube video made by Fox residents demonstrating their vigorous efforts to save the post office, Robertson contacted Renee Carr of Rural Community Alliance to arrange a visit to Arkansas.
Carr made contacts with other communities and provided a list of two dozen prospective places. Robertson whittled the list down to Tilly, Fox, Prim, and Ida.
At Fox, Robertson visited with members of the community, including Justice of the Peace Stanley Morrison who was quoted in the Times article about Fox residents’ resolve to fight back.
Robertson asked Bill and Janet Amos why they choose a post office box over mailbox delivery. Janet succinctly replied, “security.” Bill, who is blind, explained that his medications sent from V.A. need to be safe and secure. Robertson asked the couple how often they go to Shirley and Bill replied, “only when I go to the barber.” Robertson pressed to find out how often, and Bill replied, “about every four months.” The couple walks to the Fox Post Office every day.
The USPS proposal would close Fox post office and send Fox customers to Shirley.
Amos’s response points to a concern of Fox residents, that moving their postal business to Shirley, 14 miles to the south, would force residents away from Stone County where they do their county business and shopping in Mountain View. The move would also require a long-distance phone call for Fox residents to the Shirley Post Office in an area where cell phone service is unavailable to many.
Meadowcreek resident Mike Oglesby explained to the reporter that 17 households in the remote valley west of Fox are denied mail service, requiring them to have a post office box at Fox.
After the threat of closure, Oglesby and his neighbors submitted a request for mail delivery to Meadowcreek in November, and USPS again denied their request.
Robertson accompanied Carr as they followed mail carrier Kerry Perry on his route down Ross Road, back through Mozart, and down Sutterfield Road, giving the reporter a good perspective of the mountainous area and its unpaved, winding roads.
In neighboring Prim, Robertson met with the Save the Post Office committee made up of five spunky women and headed by Jane Carlton. Similar to Fox, Prim has no good options on alternate post offices. USPS proposes closing Prim and sending customers to Edgemont, 16 miles away. The committee ladies worked door-to-door to turn out people for their public meeting and are looking at fundraisers to hire a lawyer if an appeal is necessary to a pending decision by District Manager David Camp in Little Rock. Fox residents are also preparing to file an appeal if necessary.
New York Times photographer Steve Hebert trailed the reporter by a day, taking pictures at Prim and Fox. Longtime resident H.F. “June” Knapp retrieving his mail was the subject at the Prim post office, while J.D. Sutterfield and Rip Bonds were photographed at Fox while waiting for their mail. Other unpublished photos appear on Hebert’s photography website at http://www.stevehebert.net.
Robertson, in a role reversal of being the interviewee, was asked to reflect on his visit and responded, “as a product of a rural small town myself, I do think people can sometimes underestimate what the people in these towns can achieve when they are roused to fight for something.”
The story, “A Fight for Post Offices and Towns’ Souls” by Campbell Robertson was published in the print version of The New York Times on Jan. 5 and online at www.nytimes.com.
A recent visit by The New York Times to Fox and Prim created a post-holiday buzz in the normally quiet towns. The reason for the visit – the threat of post office closures – has been a source of consternation and concern to these two isolated communities as well as neighbors Onia, Marcella, and Guion over the past five months.
New York Times reporter Campbell Robertson was looking for a story on what he called “the pushback from rural communities” over the looming threat. After reading an online story about Fox, published by Seattle’s Equal Voice Newspaper, and watching the You Tube video made by Fox residents demonstrating their vigorous efforts to save the post office, Robertson contacted Renee Carr of Rural Community Alliance to arrange a visit to Arkansas.
Carr made contacts with other communities and provided a list of two dozen prospective places. Robertson whittled the list down to Tilly, Fox, Prim, and Ida.
At Fox, Robertson visited with members of the community, including Justice of the Peace Stanley Morrison who was quoted in the Times article about Fox residents’ resolve to fight back.
Robertson asked Bill and Janet Amos why they choose a post office box over mailbox delivery. Janet succinctly replied, “security.” Bill, who is blind, explained that his medications sent from V.A. need to be safe and secure. Robertson asked the couple how often they go to Shirley and Bill replied, “only when I go to the barber.” Robertson pressed to find out how often, and Bill replied, “about every four months.” The couple walks to the Fox Post Office every day.
The USPS proposal would close Fox post office and send Fox customers to Shirley.
Amos’s response points to a concern of Fox residents, that moving their postal business to Shirley, 14 miles to the south, would force residents away from Stone County where they do their county business and shopping in Mountain View. The move would also require a long-distance phone call for Fox residents to the Shirley Post Office in an area where cell phone service is unavailable to many.
Meadowcreek resident Mike Oglesby explained to the reporter that 17 households in the remote valley west of Fox are denied mail service, requiring them to have a post office box at Fox.
After the threat of closure, Oglesby and his neighbors submitted a request for mail delivery to Meadowcreek in November, and USPS again denied their request.
Robertson accompanied Carr as they followed mail carrier Kerry Perry on his route down Ross Road, back through Mozart, and down Sutterfield Road, giving the reporter a good perspective of the mountainous area and its unpaved, winding roads.
In neighboring Prim, Robertson met with the Save the Post Office committee made up of five spunky women and headed by Jane Carlton. Similar to Fox, Prim has no good options on alternate post offices. USPS proposes closing Prim and sending customers to Edgemont, 16 miles away. The committee ladies worked door-to-door to turn out people for their public meeting and are looking at fundraisers to hire a lawyer if an appeal is necessary to a pending decision by District Manager David Camp in Little Rock. Fox residents are also preparing to file an appeal if necessary.
New York Times photographer Steve Hebert trailed the reporter by a day, taking pictures at Prim and Fox. Longtime resident H.F. “June” Knapp retrieving his mail was the subject at the Prim post office, while J.D. Sutterfield and Rip Bonds were photographed at Fox while waiting for their mail. Other unpublished photos appear on Hebert’s photography website at http://www.stevehebert.net.
Robertson, in a role reversal of being the interviewee, was asked to reflect on his visit and responded, “as a product of a rural small town myself, I do think people can sometimes underestimate what the people in these towns can achieve when they are roused to fight for something.”
The story, “A Fight for Post Offices and Towns’ Souls” by Campbell Robertson was published in the print version of The New York Times on Jan. 5 and online at www.nytimes.com.
