CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Some Chesterfield families haven't received mail in weeks following the winter storm, with some people going more than two weeks without receiving any mail.
John Mangels, who lives in the Highlands neighborhood, said he's been without mail for 16 days as of Thursday.
"We're going on day 16 without receiving mail at this point," Mangels said.
Mangels has lived in the neighborhood for three years and said he's never experienced mail delays of this magnitude. The situation has created uneven service throughout the community.
"Some folks are getting mail in the community, and some are not. People are waiting for medications, Medicare cards, tax information so it's very frustrating not receiving that mail," Mangels said.
Mangels is among those waiting on urgent mail, specifically his Medicare card, which is preventing him from scheduling medical appointments.
"It's delaying me from making any doctor appointments or if the kids get sick," Mangels said.
WATCH: Where's the mail? Icy conditions cause delays in Central Virginia
CBS 6 is giving you a voice. Have a news tip or concern in your community?
Connect with WTVR: newstips@wtvr.com
CBS 6 visited the Chesterfield Post Office on Krause Road to get answers as to why mail hasn't been delivered and whether the recent winter storm contributed to these delays. Inside, postal workers were overwhelmed with customers, with lines extending out the door. Multiple "Now Hiring" signs were visible throughout the facility.
The staffing challenges appear to be affecting individual routes directly.
"I know our route driver had quit," Mangels said.
Not all residents are expressing the same level of concern. Kat Oros, who also lives in the area and has experienced mail delays, said she's remaining patient about the situation.
"We're just being patient; there's other things to worry about right now. I'm not really concerned about it," Oros said.
Despite her neighbors' frustrations, Oros decided to show appreciation for the postal workers who are still working through the challenges.
"I baked some bread and cookies for the postal workers, just to let them know, 'It's OK. I see you, I'm on your side, I'm not angry," Oros said.
While Mangels acknowledges the dedication of many United States Postal Service employees, he hopes USPS leadership can resolve the delivery issues and get his three weeks' worth of accumulated mail delivered promptly.
"I'm hoping we all get back on track as far as a community for our mail and take care of our business that we need to, and also that there's some resolution for the post office workers," Mangels said.
CBS 6 has reached out multiple times to a USPS spokesperson for answers about how many routes remain impacted following the storm and when operations will fully resume, but has not yet received a response. Customers with questions about their mail delivery can call 1-800-ASK-USPS.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
Every day CBS 6 is Giving You A Voice. Share your voice with the CBS 6 Newsroomvia email hereor click here to submit a tip. You can also leave a message by calling 804-254-3672. Be sure to leave your name, phone number and detailed description of your story idea.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
