The closure of the post office in a rural Northwest Indiana community has caused complications for town's residents, many of whom rely on mail for medications.
The small community of Wheeler, located in Porter County, had an operating post office since 1858, which came to an abrupt ending upon the office's sudden closure in July.
While there was no door-to-door service in Wheeler, residents were known to walk or drive golf carts to the post office, which offered counter service and access to PO boxes.
Now, Wheeler residents have to drive to the post office in nearby Hobart, encountering a host of issues from limited hours to lost mail.
“We have a lady who is nine months pregnant, her husband is quadriplegic. She has to have a friend go get her mail,” resident Anita Case told NBC Chicago.
Another resident said what was once a 150-foot walk has turned into a drive of eight-to-10 miles multiple times a week.
"I have not been able to get my mail for a week and a half because I work. When I get there, they are closed," resident Ryan Cimbaljuvich said.
The closure comes on the heels of a financial crisis that the United States Postal Service has been confronting for several years.
A spokesperson for the USPS told NBC Chicago that the post office is currently closed temporarily for repairs, while offering no details on when the post office could potentially reopen.
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