Another post office

After more than a year in a temporary facility due to a leaky roof, the U.S. Postal Service hopes to move back into its 40-year-old main Cape Girardeau post office on Frederick Street by late this year. Repairs are underway on the old facility, which the Postal Service recently purchased.

For many postal patrons who don't like the cramped temporary quarters or the tight parking and accessibility, this is good news. And for postal patrons in the downtown area and the east side of the city, the Frederick Street location is handy.

But the fact that the Postal Service has purchased the building it formerly leased on Frederick Street should not stop further consideration of a second retail facility somewhere on the west side of town to meet the needs of the growing commercial and residential areas there.

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson has indicated that she will continue to pursue a second post office for Cape Girardeau. She says postal workers in Cape Girardeau process more mail than many cities with more than one post office.

Cape Girardeau certainly would appear to be a good candidate for a second post office. It will be up to officials like Emerson as well as city representatives to make a good case.