Plans to close thousands of small post offices, including Washington County's Cutler post office, have been put on hold in favor of cutting business hours.

 

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe says window hours will be shortened -- not just at locations that were on the closure list but at most smaller facilities.

According to the Postal Service website, new retail hours are proposed locally as follows:

- Bartlett, Cutler, Dexter City-Macksburg, Little Hocking, Lower Salem and Whipple: four hours per day.

- Newport and Waterford: six hours per day.

Access to lobbies and PO boxes would remain unchanged. The plan will be implemented over the next two years. The Postal Service says the reduced hours should cut expenses considerably more than the closures would have.