People who live near a post office on Broadway in Albany get a chance to speak out against a plan to close it. That post office is one of three in the city that the U.S. Postal Service wants to close in an effort to save money. On Wednesday night, those who live near the other two post offices on that list begged officials to keep them open.
Erin Connolly reports.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- In August, the U.S. Postal Service announced it was looking at closing seven possible locations in Albany as a way to cut costs. Now that number is down. But for those who live in neighborhoods with a branch still on the chopping block, they're fighting to keep their station.

Eleanor Laing, an Albany resident, said, ''I've expressed myself. I've been out getting petitions. I have been in front of the post office petitioning and that's pretty good for an old geezer.''

Laing has lived in the City of Albany for 80 years. She says the thought of not having a post station close by is unimaginable.

Laing said, ''We really do like our post office. We know the post mistress, we know everybody there. They know us. We feel so safe in walking because we know everybody.''

Laing was among many who gathered in Albany Wednesday night to speak out on a possible closure of the Pine Hills and Delaware station post offices. Armed with signs, people expressed their frustrations.

Cathy Fahey, a city council member for the 7th Ward, said, ''Senior citizens rely on the postal services for their business. They don't have access to the computer a lot of times to do their business.''

Even Mayor Jerry Jennings was on hand.

Mayor Jennings said, ''It might benefit all of us if we sat down maybe on a federal level to try to get some help. They're stimulating everything else in this country. They can't take away from the city.''

Postal service workers say they understand this will negatively affect many people, but with a $7 billion loss in the last fiscal year, they say they need to make cuts somewhere.

Maureen Marion, the postal service public affairs specialist, said, ''We've already looked at carrier routes, we've look at taking out collection boxes. We're talking about going to give days of delivery. Everything right now is on the table so we can keep the price of a stamp affordable.''

But for those like Laing who have given up driving, closing her local post office would mean she might not be able to send any mail.

Laing said, ''I just hope all these people Benjamin Franklin haunts their dreams and the pony express are galloping over them too.''

Thursday at 3 p.m., people will have another chance to weigh in, this time on the planned closing of the Patroon Post Office Branch. That meeting will take place at the American Legion Post on North First Street.