Help Me Ben: Navigating shipping troubles during the holiday season

BUTTE, Mont. — Checking your porch every day to see if that package has finally arrived can be tough. But as it turns out, getting that package shipped out in the first place may be even tougher, due to dwindling shipping resources for residents and businesses alike. For an example, see the Butte Copper Company. The family-owned store has been operating since 1973, selling custom copper wares, jewelry, and memorabilia seven days a week. Owner/operator Jailee Coyne estimates that online sales make up about a third of their business. kAmqFE E96 AC@46DD @7 D6?5:?8 @FE E9@D6 @?=:?6 @C56CD :? 2 E:>6=J >2??6C 92D 364@>6 2 492==6?86[ 2D D9:AA:?8 C6D@FC46D 92G6 364@>6 D42C46 24C@DD E96 |:?:?8 r:EJ]k^Am kAmx? E96 A2DE J62C[ 3@E9 E96 &!$ $E@C6 @? w2CC:D@? pG6?F6 2?5 E96 u65tI $9:A r6?E6C 2E E96 D@FE9 6?5 @7 qFEE6 92G6 4=@D65 E96:C 5@@CD—A=246D E92E E96 qFEE6 r@AA6C r@>A2?J 2?5 @E96CD C6=:65 @? 52:=J]k^Am kAm“q67@C6[ H6 925 E96 &!$ $E@C6[ H6 4@F=5 5C@A @77[” r@J?6 D2:5] “(6 925 46CE2:? 9@FCD E92E H6 J 8@D9[ 42? H6 D4965F=6 2 A:4256 3J E96 7C2?49:D66[ 32D65 @? A6CD@?2= 2?5 3FD:?6DD C62D@?D]k^Am kAm%92?<7F==J[ 6G6? H:E9 E96D6 4=@DFC6D[ E96C6 2C6 DE:== A=246D E@ D6?5 2 A24<286[ :?4=F5:?8 &!$ 2?5 u65tI D9:AA:?8 A2CE?6CD :?D:56 $E2A=6D Wbebe w2CC:D@? pG6X 2?5 (2=8C66?D Wae`` w2CC:D@? pG6X C6DA64E:G6=J[ 2D H6== 2D E96 &]$] !@DE2= $6CG:46 Wf_` s6H6J q=G5X] %9@D6 =@@<:?8 E@ D6?5 =2C86C =@25D 42? 6G6? 7:?5 96=A E9C@F89 7C6:89E 46?E6CD 2E qFEE6’D :?5FDEC:2= A2C<]k^Am kAmqFE E96D6 @AE:@?D 5@?’E 4@>6 H:E9@FE E96:C 5:77:4F=E:6D]k^Am kAm“(6 5@ 2 9:89\G@=F>6 2>@F?Ej E96C6’D D@>6 E:>6D H96C6 H6’C6 D9:AA:?8 @FE f_ E@ h_ 3@I6D[ 6DA64:2==J H:E9 @FC H9@=6D2=6 @C56CD[” r@J?6 D2:5] “%9@D6 3@I6D 42? 86E 962GJ[ E96J 42? 86E 3:8[ 2?5 E96C6’D 2 =@E @7 E96>]”k^Am kAm“&!$ 8@6D E@ $E2A=6D[ 2?5 u65tI 8@6D E@ (2=8C66?D—E9@D6 2C6 @FC 5C@A\@77 =@42E:@?D[ 2?5 E92E’D H92E :E H@F=5 36 7@C C6D:56?E:2= E@@[” r@J?6 25565] “%96J 5@?’E =:<6 E@ 2446AE H6:89ED @G6C d_ A@F?5D] p?5 :E’D ;FDE C62==J 492==6?8:?8 3642FD6[ J@F’C6 =:<6[ x 92G6 d_ 3@I6D =:<6 E9:D E92E ?665 E@ 8@ @FE] (96C6 42? x 3C:?8 E9:Dn”k^Am kAmp?5 E96 DEC6DD :D @?=J 23@FE E@ 96:89E6? H:E9 E96 9@=:52J D62D@? FA@? FD] &$!$ 52E2 D9@HD 2 c_T :?4C62D6 :? D9:AA:?8 5FC:?8 }@G6>36C 2?5 s646>36C 2=@?6]k^Am kAmqFE r@J?6[ H9@ 92D ?2G:82E65 E96D6 EC@F3=6D 52:=J[ @776CD H@C5D @7 25G:46 E@ <66A E96 9@=:52JD 92AAJ 7@C 6G6CJ@?6]k^Am kAmr@J?6 D2JD E92E E9@D6 D6?5:?8 @FE A24<286D 42? >2<6 E96:C =:G6D 62D:6C 3J E2<:?8 2D >F49 @7 E96 3FC56? @77 E96 D9:AA:?8 4@>A2?J 2D A@DD:3=6 3J 86EE:?8 H6:89ED[ =236=D[ 2?5 C6BF:C6>6?ED DBF2C65 2H2J 29625 @7 E:>6]k^Am kAmpD 7@C E9@D6 H2:E:?8 7@C A24<286D E@ 2CC:G6[ r@J?6 @776CD @?6 H@C5 @7 25G:46i A2E:6?46]k^Am kAm“(6’C6 =:G:?8 :? E9:D 52J 2?5 286 H96C6 D@>63@5J 4=:46] (6’C6 2 D>2== @A6C2E:@?[ 2 D>2== 72>:=J\@H?65 3FD:?6DD] $@>6E:>6D :E 5@6D E2<6 2 =:EE=6 3:E =@?86C] qFE @FC 4FDE@>6CD 2C6 FDF2==J G6CJ F?56CDE2?5:?8 2D H6==]”k^Am kAm“xE’D ECJ:?8 E:>6D[ 3FE H6’C6 =F4