The new triangular signs posted atop the blue boxes brings attention in bright red to the so-called "13-Ounce Rule," indicating that stamped mail over that weight is prohibited from being dropped in those boxes and must be brought inside and passed to a mail clerk during business hours. The reason, as the signage goes on to explain, is due to heightened security, primarily over the threat of explosive or hazardous materials inside heavy packages. Mail left in drop boxes over that weight will not be delivered.
Adding to any recent confusion is the removal of the familiar "local" and "out-of-town" labels on the two blue boxes outside the Marion Post Office, indicating the final destination of your mail. However, that change actually makes life easier on the customer. Mail — under 13 oz., of course — can be dropped in either. The same differentiation on the drops inside the post office will also be removed, allowing qualifying mail to be dropped in either slot. These changes are because the mail, whether with the local 42064 ZIP code or other must be sorted anyway to ensure proper bundling for delivery.
As for the question of whether your mail is over 13 oz., consider that the current AT&T Real Yellow Pages for Crittenden County residents weighs just under 10 oz. So virtually any letter, card or business mail in a standard manila envelope can still be deposited after hours inside the building or outside in the blue drop boxes.
