🌱 Pitt To Work On Synthetic Blood + Two Fentanyl Seizures At Terminal

Good morning, friends! It's Friday in Pittsburgh and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Breezy and much colder. High: 39 Low: 23.

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Here are the top three stories in Pittsburgh today:

1. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is providing a $46.4 million grant to the University of Pittsburgh to work on the creation of synthetic blood. The blood product would be like a powder. It would not expire, it would not have to be stored at a specific temperature like regular whole blood, and it would have the capacity for customization. Dr. Philip Spinella, a pediatric critical care doctor, along with Dr. Matthew Neal, a trauma surgeon at UPMC, and Dr. Susan Shea, professor of surgery and bioengineering at Pitt, are leading the team working to develop synthetic blood. Spinella said, "this will also give us the capability to be able to resuscitate our soldiers when they have severe bleeding." The goal is to be ready for human trials in the next six to eight years. (WTAE Pittsburgh)
2. A total of 962 bricks of fentanyl were taken in two separate seizures at a Downtown Pittsburgh Greyhound station on Tuesday, the attorney general’s office announced. Agents seized 495 bricks from Abimelec Libran-Calcano, who was traveling from Philadelphia. A second seizure took place at the same bus terminal, where 467 bricks of fentanyl were seized from Rafael Soto, who was traveling from New York City. Investigators estimate the street value of the seized fentanyl is around $288,600. (WPXI Pittsburgh)
3. The Allegheny County Health Department has ordered the closure of Everyday Noodles on Forbes Ave. in Squirrel Hill. Water from an unknown source — with the potential to contaminate food and food contact surfaces — was found in critical areas during a recent inspection. The water could be seen dripping from the return air vents of the ventilation system over the cooking line. The restaurant will be closed until the water issue is resolved. (Pittsburgh Patch)

Today in Pittsburgh:

• Winter Reading Challenge At Community Library of Castle Shannon (All Day)
• BeSocial Pittsburgh Open Mic At Social Status Store (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Pittsburgh police are asking for public help finding a missing man. Nathanael Williams, 23, was last seen in the Mt. Washington neighborhood on Feb. 13. Williams stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to contact police at 412-323-7800 or call 9-1-1. (TribLIVE)
• If you ride the bus downtown, Pittsburgh Regional Transit wants to know your thoughts! They will be presenting two scenarios that reconsider the way bus routes travel in downtown Pittsburgh at an upcoming online meeting Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 5:00 p.m. They are also encouraging residents to stop by their pop-up storefront at 625 Smithfield Street, or share any feedback online. For more information, visit the link. (Pittsburgh Regional Transit via Facebook)
• Applications are now open for Grow Pittsburgh's 2023 pre-apprentice program. In the two-year program, participants will volunteer four hours per week on Grow Pittsburgh farm sites doing a variety of farm tasks. They will receive a share of vegetables and free admission to relevant workshops and conferences. Apply at the link! (Grow Pittsburgh via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.