🥬 How to wash fruits & veggies?

Happy Saturday! It’s August 12 — people are talking about the suspension of the Florida State Attorney, the right way to wash fruits & veggies, and more.

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

🏛️ In the news: DeSantis suspends Worrell

Ron DeSantis suspended Florida State Attorney Monique Worrell. Is it an attempt to save his 2024 presidential bid, or is he just doing his job?

🏛️ Politico: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended elected State Attorney Monique Worrell. DeSantis said she was too easy on criminals.

🏛️ The Daily Beast says Worrell is an elected official — this move is bad for democracy! He suspended her to distract from his failing 2024 presidential bid.

🏛️ MSNBC agrees: The suspension was DeSantis's attempt to boost his presidential campaign. And this isn't even the first time he’s done this: Worrell is the second elected State Attorney he's suspended.

🏛️ Hot Air says no way, this wasn't a political decision. Worrell wasn't enforcing the law. Worrell avoided minimum sentences for gun and drug trafficking charges. DeSantis is just protecting law and order in Florida.

🥬 Cultural trend: How to wash fruits & veggies?

There's general agreement that you should wash your produce before eating it, even if it's organic. But how to wash it is up for debate.

🥬 Washing produce is a must, writes WaPo. Seemingly harmless foods like cucumbers or melons can carry bacteria, and may lead to illness if not washed.

🥬 Mother Jones says even organic produce should be washed. Harmful pesticides can drift onto organic crops — organic doesn't mean germ-free.

🥬 It's not hard, explains the NYT. Wash your hands, then rinse your produce under cold water for 10 seconds and you're done. Better safe than sorry!

🥬 But Organic Authority thinks that's not enough. All produce should be washed 3 times, with scrubbing — even if the store has already washed it.

🥬 And Dallas News recommends using vinegar or lemon juice. They're all-natural, and do a good job of disinfecting food.

Quick hits from today & yesterday

⚫ The death toll from this week’s wildfires in Maui has now reached 80, officials confirmed Friday night. (CNN)

🏛️ Trump pleaded not guilty to four charges related to the 2020 election. (NYT)

⚽ FIFA banned England's Lauren James 2 games for stepping on Nigerian player Michelle Alozie during a World Cup match. (CNN)

🥊 A fifth suspect was charged following the violent Montgomery riverfront brawl. Reggie Gray, 42, turned himself in on Friday. (The Independent)

That’s it for today! Reply at [email protected] with your takes, topic suggestions, or anything at all. Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We’d love to hear what you think.