Kewanna residents gather to share frustration over lack of mail delivery

Frustration is brewing over a lack of Postal Service to the small town of Kewanna once again after its post office closed April 2 for the second time in two years, leaving many residents without access to mail. Nearly 20 residents gathered inside the Kewanna United Methodist Church Wednesday, April 16, to voice their complaints.

For years the Kewanna Post Office located at 203 E. Main St. has been a main hub for town residents to get their mail. In the fall of 2023, the post office's foundation and safety concerns sparked a closure that lasted for almost a year. With in-town delivery not an option in Kewanna, the post office closing meant town residents would need to pick up their mail at the Rochester Post Office, a nearly half-hour drive that many are unable to take frequently.

Citizens felt hopeful when the post office was reopened at the end of 2024. Hope was quickly deflated, however, earlier this month on April 2, when a water leak from the buildings upstairs closed the post office once again. 

Concern for the elderly, immobile and others in the town who are unable to take the trip to Rochester each day, the Kewanna United Methodist Church and other community members have come together, creating a "de facto" post office by picking up mail for those in need. A timeline on how long that makeshift mail delivery system must continue has yet to be determined, leaving the people in Kewanna once again in mail limbo. 

During Wednesday's meeting, Pastor Chris Kosary said the lack of solution for a mailing service in their rural community is not just a logical issue; it's also a matter of justice and compassion. Kosary said despite him and many other concerned citizens reaching out to state representatives for help, the lack of solutions has became more and more aggravating.

Desperate for answers and hoping for empathy from local officials, Kosary said county government also hasn't been able to provide answers. Another issue many in Kewanna have is not only the lack of mail, but the post office building itself. Residents say the neglect of the building by the owner has been a problem. They say not only has the post office been an eyesore in Kewanna's downtown, it's also a hazard. 

Between reports of falling bricks coming from where the roof meets the walls, to glass littering the sidewalk from the building's broken upstairs windows, Kosary said safety concerns about the building are a huge issue that isn't solved by simply closing the post office. 

Kosary isn't the only one concerned about the safety of the deteriorating building in Kewanna's downtown. Kewanna resident Joe Butler said he's one of many in the town who's had concerns over the post office building's safety and fears the problem will not be taken care of until somebody is seriously injured from falling debris. 

The owner of the building claims that he is working with USPS to get the building back up and running. After decades of neglect to the building, however, townspeople are untrusting of the promise. 

Congressman Rudy Yakym's field representative, Savannah Smallwood, responded to the concerned townspeople in an email stating that although they had reached out to USPS about the issue in Kewanna, they've yet to find a solution.

"We have escalated this to USPS headquarters. As a reminder, congressional offices do not have direct jurisdiction over USPS, but we will do our best to advocate on behalf of Kewanna," the email stated. 

While many are left worrying, the post office building issue could lead to Kewanna being permanently without one. Hope remains for a solution to come soon.