Why your newspaper may be arriving late

Copies for most Avoyelles Parish communities travel through Shreveport before returning for local delivery

By: Avoyelles Weekly staff

Subscribers throughout Avoyelles Parish, elsewhere in Louisiana and outside the state have reported receiving their newspapers later than expected. In some cases, continued delivery problems have caused readers to cancel their subscriptions.

Delivered to Marksville every Thursday

The Avoyelles Weekly is printed and delivered on schedule to the Marksville Post Office every Thursday, unless it is delivered earlier because of a holiday or severe weather.

All subscriber copies are deposited there, regardless of the subscriber’s location.

However, only newspapers addressed to Marksville remain in the local delivery system. Copies addressed to other Avoyelles Parish communities, elsewhere in Louisiana or out of state are routed through the U.S. Postal Service’s processing facility in Shreveport before being sent to their destinations for delivery.

A long route back home

This means a newspaper intended for a nearby subscriber in Mansura, Hessmer, Cottonport, Bunkie, Moreauville, Plaucheville, Simmesport or another parish community may first travel northwest to Shreveport. It must then be processed and transported back to Avoyelles Parish before reaching the subscriber’s mailbox.

The newspaper has no control over a copy’s transportation or delivery after it has been accepted by the Postal Service. The indirect route and additional handling may help explain why subscribers living only a few miles from Marksville sometimes receive their newspapers several days late.

Federal audit found delayed mail

A March 2026 audit by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General documented processing and delayed-mail problems at the Shreveport Processing and Distribution Center. Auditors found 51,698 delayed pieces during inspections conducted Jan. 6 and 7.

The audit reported problems involving missing or improper container labels, mail that was not cleared from processing equipment and inaccurate reporting of delayed mail.

The delayed pieces documented during the inspection included letters and packages. The report did not indicate that copies of this newspaper were among them, but it identified operational problems at the facility serving ZIP codes beginning with 713, including Avoyelles Parish.

The inspector general recommended that Shreveport postal management conduct daily searches for delayed mail, improve delayed-mail reporting and ensure containers are labeled with accurate processing information.

A separate June 2026 audit also found delayed mail and reporting problems at three delivery units in the Shreveport and Bossier City area.

Postal changes and severe weather

USPS service-standard changes implemented in 2025 also affected Periodicals, the mailing category commonly used by newspapers. The Postal Service said the changes were intended to improve efficiency, although mail entered at some locations could require an additional day because of revised transportation schedules.

Recent severe weather has created another possible source of disruption. USPS warned in July that tropical weather affecting Louisiana and other Gulf states could interfere with mail processing, transportation and delivery.

These findings do not prove where or why a particular subscriber’s newspaper was delayed. They do, however, show that newspapers deposited in Marksville for most Avoyelles Parish communities take a longer route than many readers may realize.

What readers can do

The Avoyelles Weekly will continue delivering each edition to the Marksville Post Office on schedule and documenting subscriber complaints.

Readers experiencing repeated delays are encouraged to report them to their local post office or call 800-275-8777.

When filing a complaint, provide the publication’s name, the expected delivery date and the date the newspaper was received.

We understand that timely delivery matters. We appreciate the patience and continued support of our readers as we work to bring attention to a postal process that remains outside the newspaper’s control.

Sources: U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and U.S. Postal Service.