Locals mail coconuts to save post office

LANTANA, Fla., Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Residents of a Florida town are sending coconuts to the U.S. postmaster general as postcards asking him to reconsider the closing of their post office.

Locals in Lantana and surrounding areas said they are mailing coconuts, which cost about $4 postage, to Postmaster General John Potter with marker messages asking him to reconsider the planned closing of the small Lantana post office, one of three in Florida's Palm Beach County marked for closing by the Postal Service, the Palm Beach (Fla.) Post reported Thursday.

A Wednesday rally in support of the initiative was attended by Lantana Town Manager Mike Bornstein, Lantana Mayor David Stewart, town council members and County Commissioners Steve Abrams and Shelley Vana. The event was also attended by mayors of towns served by the post office, including South Palm Beach, Hypoluxo, Atlantis, Manalapan and South Palm Beach.

"They'd have to be nuts to close this post office," Abrams said at the rally, explaining the pun behind the choice of coconuts.

Residents said they are also circulating petitions to save the post office and have thus far collected 5,300 signatures.