Page 12 - Florida Sentinel 7-29-22

FYI
All About You!
SpotLight
KAEKISH
This week’s Spotlight feature is Kaekish. Kaekish is always the center of attention, and handles it with humbleness and charm. This young lady knows you will have to have that certain something different to catch the attention of the powers that be. Just un- derstand that Kaekish, will not quit until she’s where she wants to be. Congratulations to Kaekish for appearing as this week’s Spotlight feature.
At 16 Years Of Age And At 92 Years
MOTHER MARTHA L. WILLIAMS
Happy Birthday to our beautiful matriarch, Mother Martha L. Williams, who turned 92 years old on Wednes- day, July 27th.
She is a proud member of Brown’s Memorial COGIC where she serves on the Mother Board.
We thank God you are still here with us and we love you dearly.
Your 7 children, 34 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and 22 great-great grandchildren.
Lawsuit Says Skittles Are Unsafe
Earlier this month, news of a lawsuit against the Mars Corporation over their use of titanium dioxide in Skittles caused a bit of a frenzy.
If you have unanswered questions, here is everything you need to know about the Skittles lawsuit, titanium diox- ide, and foods that contain the substance.
The Mars Corporation is being sued by Jenile Thames due to "heightened levels" of titanium dioxide in Skittles. The complaint filed on behalf of Thames says that Skittles "are not safe and pose a significant health risk to un- suspecting consumers." Fur- thermore, titanium dioxide has already been banned as a food additive in Europe.
What Is Titanium Dioxide?
According to a bulletin from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tita- nium dioxide is "an insoluble white powder" that "is used extensively in many commer- cial products, including paint, cosmetics, plastics, paper, and food, as an anti-caking or whitening agent." Described by ChemicalSafetyFacts.org as "a decorative aid in some foods," titanium dioxide can be used to enhance the longevity of products. With Skittles, titanium dioxide is used to help produce those rainbow-like hues.
Here's What The Experts Say
The most pressing ques- tion people have regarding the lawsuit is whether Skittles are safe to eat. Titanium dioxide was banned in 2021 by the Eu- ropean Food Safety Authority because it could "no longer be considered safe as a food addi- tive."
The U. S. Food and Drug Administration has not banned the substance and has deemed it safe to use for coloring foods if proper re- strictions are followed. Among the restrictions listed by the organization are: The quantity of titanium dioxide does not exceed 1 percent by weight of the food.
The real question is: Do you love your Skittles to the point that it may put your health at risk?
FYI
No Sales Tax For School Supplies Ends August 7th
The Florida “No Sales Tax” for school supplies began on July 25th. It will end on August 7th, at midnight.
Passed by the Florida Legislature, the bill was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Department of Revenue created this webpage to provide information and promotional materials for consumers, businesses, and other interested parties.
Parents can visit the website: Florida Dept. of Revenue - Tax Holidays and Exemption Periods (floridarevenue.com), to see what items are exempt from sales tax.
Some items include clothes for less than $100 and computers for less than $1,500.
School supplies that cost $50 or less; Children’s books (chil- dren age 12 or younger) are exempt through August 14th.
Learning aids like books, flashcards, and puzzles under $30; among other items.
PAGE 12-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2022