CNN 2011-09-10

 Hey, it's the middle of the week, otherwise, known as Wensday. We are glad you decide to check in with us here at CNN student news. I'm Carl Azuz. 

We start up today in Texas where those wild fires we told you aboout yesterday just keep on burning. More than 180 fires have scorched nearly 120,000 acres and that's all happened in past weekend. More than 700 homes have been destroyed just since Sunday. These fires are keeping thousands of people away from home, including one girl who told us that despite the destruction, she's choosing not to let it get her down.
Everybody else is in the same situaiton. There is no sound pity. There can't be because we are going to be better off than most. But the fact that what happened to our town was homeless. You can't really think about yourself right now.
The more than 2000 firefighters battling the blazes are also fighting against winds that were caused by tropical storm Lee. Wind can shift the direction of the flames that causes even more danger. And at the site of the largest fire near Austen, the winds slow dowm Tuesday. That helped a little bit, but those who've been fighting the fires day after day are struggling with fatique or weariness. And because of that, Texas officals are trying to bring in more firefighting help from aroung the country.
 
Let's head to Japan now where a storm known as Talas has caused severe flooding and lanslides like you see right here. Doozens of people have died as a result of the storm. It was a typhoon before it weakened and made a landfall as a tropical storm. Talas moved through west Japan on Saturday bringing record rainfall with it. Meantime, look at this inredible outer space view of hurricane over the Atalantic. As of yesterday evening, had weakened slightly but still a catergory 3 hurricane with winds as high as 115 miles per hour. The storm was heading north toward the island of Bermuda where a tropcial storm Walt was in effect. It's expected to stay away from the United States. But forecasters are saying Katia is likely to cause very stong surf and rip currents and swells as high as 12 feet along the east coast.
 
Time for the Shoutout. Who's in charge of US postal service? If you think you know it, shout it out. Is is the Department of Commerce, postmaster general, secretary of the State, or Postal Service secretay? You've got 3 seconds, go! It's the postmaster general who has up the USPS. That's your answer and your shoutout.
 
US postal service in trouble right now, money trouble. Looks like who will have the cash for a multibillion dollar payment. It's supposed to make soon to a retiree health fund. There was a congressional hearing yesterday on how to save the postal service. Lisa Celvester tells us why things have gone down hill for the agency that brings us mail and what kind of change maybe delivered as a result.
The US Postal Service is projecting a 9 billion dollars deficit for this fiscal year. The agency is asking Congress to take immediate action, beginning lifting a mandate that requires the to make billions of surplus payments to retiree health fund. Without the legislative change, the Postal Servic will go into default. We sat with Postalmaster general Patrick Donahoe who explained what this will mean.
On Semptember 30th, if we do not have the relief from that fund, we will not be able to make a payment of 5.5 billion dollars to the Federal Government. We will pay our employees and we will pay our suppliers because we are going to continue mail.
But for how long, the reality is Email and Electronical bill payments have taken a heavy toll on the postal service. To close its budget gap, the Post master gernerl also is seeking Congressional permission to end Saturday delivery, to close 3700 postal locations, to let go of 120,000 emloyees, and to restructure workers' health benefits. There is strong pushback from postal workers' union whose contract includes a no layoff falls and ensures general health care benefits. The American Postal Workers' Union calls the cutting proposals a reckless assault on the postal service and postal emloyees.
Senator Tom Carper, Chairman of the subcommittee overseeing the postal service says something has to be done.
If we do nothing the postal service could literally closer up their 15 billion dollar line of credit limit. And if we do nothing, then they'll run out of money. 
If Congress change the 2006 law that requires the postal service to fully prefund the retiree health fund, that will take off some of the immediate financial pressure. The postal master general says his agency is the only government entity required to fund retiree health fund 75 years out.