#PhillyFive What We're Reading: June 1, 2015
What we're reading: Google mapping Bucks County backroads, taste testing Philly tap water, fixing the fire department's aging fleet.
Stories from around the web that we're reading this morning. Something for everyone.
Why Are Philadelphia's Streets So Filthy? Philadelphia has several unflattering reputations that have proved difficult to scrub off (cough, Santa, cough), but the whole "Philthadelphia" thing should be an easy fix, right? Philly Mag takes a whiff.
Fatal police shootings in 2015 approaching 400 nationwide. It seems unfathomable, but the Washington Post counts 380 instances of officers shooting civilians across America in 2015, and there are still six months left in the year.
How Google maps the Philly 'burbs. Billy Penn rides along with volunteers from Visit Bucks County who are using specially outfitted backpacks to help the tech giant create "street views" of places that don't have streets.
Chlorine cocktails no more. Inspired by craft breweries, the Philadelphia Water Department now employs human tasters, leading to tap water that's "more consistent and milder in flavor," according to the PWD's Watersheds blog.
Are Fire Department vehicles on life support? Mechanical problems are plaguing the aging fleet and prompting safety concerns, CBS Philly reports.
- Alex Wigglesworth