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Controversial mining operation ignoring orders to halt

A Tennessee gravel and sand mining operator has been ignoring a cease and desist letter for months, and opponents say its continued construction on the banks of North America's most biodiverse river may already be harming wildlife. The Duck River in Middle Tennessee has the most species of any river on the continent, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Assistant Chief of Biodiversity Pandy Upchurch said, with at least 151 species of fish and 55 species of mussels including eight federally endangered species. The operators received some permits, including from the Tennessee Department of Conservation and Environment, but withdrew their application for a permit from the Tennessee Valley Authority, which controls that river system.

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Toys for Tots in need of donations with higher requests for presents this holiday season

“For children, it can be hard to go through a holiday season and receive nothing,” said Marine Staff Sergeant Eric Quesada, the coordinator for Greater Houston Area Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots was founded by a Marine in 1957. “So if you see this Toys for Tots box and you have the ability to donate, I would say it’s a great way to give back to our community,” said Quesada. Virtue Tattoo in Meadows Place has requested a Toys for Tots box for the last for years. If you would like to request a toy, find a place to donate, or request a donation box, visit here.

Non-profit Crowdsource Rescue to help residents in Louisiana

HOUSTON – A Houston non-profit organization is preparing to help those in the path of Hurricane Delta. The organization CrowdSource Rescue helps connect rescuers from all over the country to people in need during natural disasters. “They’re going out with these huge trucks, boats, chainsaws just looking to help people,” said Matthew Marchetti, founder of CrowdSource Rescue. To request help or offer help, people can visit crowdsourcerescue.org/hurricanes. “We do it faster and more efficiently and ultimately it means more people are getting help on the ground.”

Facebook to provide paid time off to employees that volunteer as poll workers

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Friday that the company will provide additional paid time off to employees that volunteer as poll workers during the election, according to CNN. This move comes as the social media platform is pushing to recruit poll workers nationally. Facebook also announced plans to limit some political advertising the week of the U.S. election. “We’re less than two months away from the U.S. elections, and we are seeing a massive shortage of poll workers to staff voting stations,” Zuckerberg wrote in a post. “It is estimated that almost half a million poll workers will be needed this year -- especially due to the ongoing COVID pandemic.”

HERE 2 HELP: Target Hunger provides food relief for those in need, including Houston-area seniors

Since 1989, Target Hunger serves more than 11,000 people who are food-insecure, according to its website. Operating a system of eight food pantries,12 educational and community gardens, Target Hunger provides a holistic approach to hunger relief. It also provides hunger relief for senior citizens who are unable to leave their home due to mobility issues or COVID-19 concerns. Target Hunger will be holding several drive-thru distributions throughout the month of May. Its next event will be in Kashmere Gardens, at the Kashmere Multi-Service Center, 4802 Lockwood Drive.