MEMO: MAILING COSTS GO UP A PENNY JAN. 7

It's official: It will cost a penny more to mail a letter starting Jan. 7. The increase to 34 cents was accepted by the Postal Service's board of governors last week. It will be accompanied by changes in many other rates, including international mail.

But the wide-ranging set of rates approved last month by the independent Postal Rate Commission fell well short of what the post office wanted, prompting the agency to adopt the new rates under protest.