Here’s why mail won’t be delivered to you Jan. 9 as U.S. Postal Service closes

WASHINGTON – Postal delivery will be interrupted on Thursday, Jan. 9, as the nation observes a day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter.

Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. He lived longer than any president in American history.

President Joe Biden declared Thursday as a National Day of Mourning in honor of the former president and humanitarian. Carter’s formal state funeral will be held in Washington on Thursday.

In an executive order issued Dec. 30, Biden declared that all federal agencies will be closed Jan. 9 “as a mark of respect for James Earl Carter, Jr., the thirty-ninth President of the United States.”

All federal employees will have the day off except for those most important to “national security, defense, or other public need,” Biden’s order said.

The Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery and retail service on Thursday. USPS will provide limited package delivery service on that day.

The one-day shutdown of government, including the U.S. Postal Service, is a tradition with its roots following Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 as a way of honoring former presidents in their death.

American flags displayed at public and military sites globally will be flown at half-staff for 30 days following Carter’s death.

Though a National Day of Mourning isn’t recognized as an official federal holiday, meaning many of the businesses typically affected by national celebrations won’t be closed, some organizations will be affected by the day of observance.

The stock markets will be closed, but many banks will be open. Most public schools will still be in session.

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