Sep 10, 2015 2 min read

After the Nemacolin Post Office closed its doors nearly four weeks ago, a U.S. Postal Service official said he is hopeful the post office will be able to reopen its doors soon.

Postal Service spokesman Tad Kelley said the last air quality tests were conducted in the post office, although more cleanup work needs to be completed inside.

“The results revealed the need to conduct further cleaning and repair work,” Kelley said, without elaborating on what the tests showed.

Tina Knestrick of Nemacolin hailed the news because of the number of older people in the community who rely on the post office for payments and medication.

“My heart bleeds for some of these people,” Knestrick said. “They have a lot of trouble getting out to get their mail and other things that they really need and it’s (ridiculous) having to go clear out to Carmichaels.”

The post office was temporarily closed Aug. 15 so air quality tests could be conducted.

After the final repairs are finished, the post office will be reinstated at the facility and offer its services back to the Nemacolin community, Kelley said.

“We don’t have a definitive date for reopening,” Kelley said. “But we are working to that end.”

Knestrick said she is looking forward to having mail delivery get back to normal.

She said she has been inconvenienced by having to drive to Carmichaels, sometimes two to three times a day as part of her job, instead of getting to walk down the street to get her mail.

“I’m ready for things to get back to how they were,” Knestrick said.