United States Postal Service
                          Interruption and Emergency
                                in Connecticut

   The United States Postal Service (USPS) informed the United
States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that inclement weather
caused an interruption in its service in Connecticut. On March 6, 2001,
normal USPS postal delivery and collection operations were impacted to
varying degrees by severe winter weather throughout Connecticut. By
March 7, 2001, the USPS restored delivery and collection operations to
all of Connecticut.
   The USPTO is designating the interruption in USPS service in
Connecticut as a postal service interruption and an emergency within
the meaning of 35 U.S.C. 21(a). Any request to accept a paper or fee
delayed by inclement weather emergency should be directed to Manuel A.
Antonakas, Director, Office of Petitions, 703-305-9285, for
patent-related matters, and to Sharon Marsh, Administrator for
Trademark Policy and Procedure Administrator, 703-308-8910, extension
145, for trademark-related matters.

March 12, 2001                                              NICHOLAS GODICI
                                     Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for
                           Intellectual Property and Acting Director of the
                                  United States Patent and Trademark Office