💦 Are splash pads safe for kids?

Happy Monday! It’s September 25 — people are talking about the Serena Williams / Simona Halep feud, the pros and cons of “splash pads”, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly.

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🎾 In the news: Serena/Simona doping feud

Romanian tennis player Simona Halep was banned from tennis for 4 years for doping. Serena Williams threw shade at her — was it justified?

🎾 In response to Halep's ban, Serena tweeted "8 is a better number". She also retweeted a pic of her husband wearing a D.A.R.E. shirt, saying it "never goes out of style".

🎾 The Independent: Sorana Cîrstea called Serena arrogant, and said Halep never intentionally doped. Halep is fighting an uphill battle — shame on Serena for throwing her under the bus.

🎾 @jowanabueser disagrees — Serena has the right to call her out! Serena dealt with doping rumors her whole career and never tested positive.

🎾 Yahoo Sports says Halep will fight the ban. She adjusted her supplement routine last year, and claims none the supplements have banned substances.

💦 Cultural trend: Are splash pads safe for kids?

Splash pads are public water play areas. Some of them even have jets, fountains, or waterfalls that spray water. Kids love to play in them during hot weather, but are they contaminated with germs?

💦 WaPo thinks splash pads are a great way to cool off during hot weather. Kids of all ages love them — what kid doesn't want to jump around in fountains?

💦 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says they're great because kids who don't swim can still enjoy the water. But beware — some splash pads use water that hasn't been disinfected, so germs could get sprayed all over you.

💦 The CDC explains: Because the water doesn't pool up, splash pads aren’t all considered "aquatic venues" — so they may not be required to treat the water.

💦 They're definitely a bit gross, admits Scary Mommy. Outbreaks of norovirus, shigella bacteria, and other gastrointestinal illnesses have been traced back to splash pads. But as long as your kids don’t drink the water, they’ll likely be fine.

Quick hits

⚽ Megan Rapinoe played her final match for the US Women's Soccer Team. She finishes her career with 203 caps, 63 goals, and 73 assists. (WaPo)

🏛️ Republican House members are trying to win holdouts' support for a stop-gap funding bill that would prevent a government shutdown. (Reuters)

✡️ Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism, is observed on the 24th and 25th. (CNN)

🎬 The writers' strike appears to be over after the WGA and studios reached a tentative deal. The details of the deal are unknown. (CNN)

That’s it for today. Reply at [email protected] to let me know what you think of our newsletter, or to suggest a topic for next time.

Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We think it’s a better way to stay informed and see the big picture. Please reach out if you’re curious to learn more!

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)