Virginia Linn, Pittsburgh Magazine Journalist Profile

Articles

How Are the TSA Checkpoints Changing at Pittsburgh International Airport?

1 week ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

Major changes are coming to Pittsburgh International Airport about where passengers should go for security clearance by Transportation Security Administration officers. Starting May 5, passengers with TSA PreCheck clearance will go to the main security checkpoint on the main floor (second level) of the Landside Terminal. In most cases, those without that special clearance will go to the alternate security checkpoint, which is up the escalators from the main floor to Level 3 Ticketing.
Free Visits to Pittsburgh Cultural Attractions Begin

2 weeks ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

Pittsburghers made more than 53,000 free visits to the city’s cultural amenities last summer — all thanks to having a library card. It was all part of the inaugural Summer Staycation 2024 RAD Pass, which provided Allegheny County library card holders free access to local attractions and museums that typically charge daily admission.
What We Know About 'The Pitt' Season 2

2 weeks ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

Get ready for a wild Fourth of July holiday weekend. That’s the backdrop of the next 15-hour shift of “The Pitt,” the wildly popular Max series that is set in a Pittsburgh hospital emergency room and partially filmed around Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side. The first season wraps on Thursday, but production already is underway on Season 2, according to producers on the show who appeared in a panel discussion on Deadline’s Contenders TV this past weekend.
Pittcon Returns to Pittsburgh in 2027 to Promote Science

3 weeks ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

Pittcon, an annual conference and exposition on laboratory science founded and headquartered in Pittsburgh, is bringing its international event home in 2027 — for the first time in 60 years. “With the revitalization of Pittsburgh and with the hotels, the revitalization of life sciences and focus on technology, Pittsburgh essentially became an opportunity for us to go back to our roots,” said Jon Handel, Pittcon’s marketing and communications manager.
A Year of Construction Kicks Off in Pittsburgh's Market Square

3 weeks ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

The reimagining of Downtown’s Market Square has begun. A year of construction officially kicked off on Tuesday on a $15 million project that aims to modernize this historical square while also honoring its original roots with a new design. Work led by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership starts in the north half of the square on the Original Oyster House side and will include McMasters, Market and Graeme streets.
Heinz History Center Not Part of Federal Scrutiny Directed at The Smithsonian

3 weeks ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that could force changes at the Smithsonian Institution on exhibits he claims advances “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology.”What does that mean for the Heinz History Center, which has been affiliated with the Smithsonian since 2000? “The Heinz History Center does not anticipate any direct impact related to the recent executive order,” said Andy Masich, president and CEO of the Heinz History Center, in a statement.
Pittsburgh's Allegheny Riverfront Park To Get a New Look

4 weeks ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

As Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey approached the site of a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for a project to rehabilitate the upper promenade of Downtown’s Allegheny Riverfront Park, his foot broke through one of the deteriorating bluestone panels along the walk. It was a fitting example of the need to rebuild this linear park overlooking the Allegheny River that opened 25 years ago to great fanfare as a vital link between Downtown and the riverfront.
Pittsburgh Zoo's Silverback Gorilla Dies From Cardiac Event

4 weeks ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

Harry, a western lowland silverback gorilla who had lived at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium for most of his 33 years, has died of heart disease. Born in 1991 at the Cincinnati Zoo and arriving in Pittsburgh the next year, Harry was the eldest in the zoo’s group of six gorillas. He died Tuesday of a “sudden cardiac event,” despite what the zoo called valiant efforts to resuscitate him.
What to Know About the 2026 NFL Draft

4 weeks ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

VisitPittsburgh's annual meeting offers insight on what the Steel City can expect. The NFL Draft in Pittsburgh is just 393 days away. And while the Steelers and tourism, city and regional leaders are gearing up for the April 23-25 2026 event that is likely to draw 500,000 to 700,000 fans to Pittsburgh, they’re also focusing on building a lasting legacy here.
Pittsburgh's Tree of Life Aims to Eradicate Hate, Fight Antisemitism With Traveling Exhibition

1 month ago | pittsburghmagazine.com | Virginia Linn

There are little heart pillows sent from the Universal Church of Baba’s Kitchen in Los Angeles. There are knitted pocket stars, each containing two Hebrew prayers, sent from a church in Athol, Massachusetts. And there’s a drawing of Fred Rogers grieving, with his head bent over in his hand, illustrated by Sasha Phillips, a Pittsburgh-based attorney and artist.