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| What Else Pittsburgh's Talking About |
| 💸 PA’s Federal Funding is Now Unfrozen | The state now has access to billions in federal aid previously frozen by the Trump administration. Gov. Josh Shapiro sued the administration earlier this month for “illegally and unconstitutionally” withholding funds already approved by Congress. [Associated Press] | | | 🗳️ Divestment Question Could Appear on May Ballot | The pro-Palestinian advocacy group Not On Our Dime says it got enough signatures to put a question on the primary ballot asking voters whether the city should divest from companies that do business with Israel. The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh filed a lawsuit to toss out the referendum. [90.5 WESA] | | | 💻 DEI Language Stripped From University Websites | Pitt and CMU have removed some references to diversity and anti-racist programs from their web pages. This comes after the Department of Education sent a letter ordering schools to remove diversity-focused programming or otherwise lose federal funding. [PublicSource] | | 🏘️ Local Refugee Org Cuts Staff | Hello Neighbor reduced or furloughed 50 percent of its team this week. This comes after President Donald Trump abruptly halted federal assistance for refugee resettlement. Allegheny County is filling some of those funding gaps, but Hello Neighbor says the federal government still owes them $950,000 for work already done. [Hello Neighbor / Allegheny County] | |
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| What Will the New Pittsburgh International Airport Look Like? |
|  | PIT's new terminal building is on track for a late summer debut. (Megan Harris / City Cast Pittsburgh) |
| | If you’re planning to travel later this year, we’ve got good news for you. Upgrades at Pittsburgh International Airport are about 80% done, and we got a little sneak peek of the new terminal’s progress so far. | | The $1.7 billion project, which kicked off in 2017, builds on the airport’s unique X-shaped design and takes inspiration from nature, technology, and community. Whether you’re there to travel or pick someone up, here are a few of our favorite things: | | ✨ A Walk Among the Stars | At the curb, you’ll be greeted by 60-foot, wood-like ceilings; vertical copper beams reminiscent of trees; and towering glass walls that let in lots of light. The ceilings are set in a wave pattern featuring constellation lights that gently steer you toward an expanded security area with double the available lines. To the right and left, you’ll see airline counters to check your bags, and to the sides will be grassy outdoor parklets to sit in the sunshine while you wait. Designers say they were inspired by the way the city opens up coming out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel. | | 🚋 Goodbye Tram | Beyond security, you’ll cross a teeny bridge (!!) to the center of the X and its sparkling, locally designed terrazzo floor — no single-stop train required. Look for more restaurant options; two more small pet- and kid-friendly green spaces; plus updates to the flooring, color palette, public art, and more. | | 🧳 Faster Luggage | Below the main floor, which you’ll be able to look down into from the atrium, will be a much larger and more efficient baggage claim area. Right now, all arriving luggage has to travel around the airport’s entire eight-mile X to get to baggage claim. Soon, a system of mostly hidden, state-of-the-art belts will get your bag back to you in a fraction of the time. | | 🚙 Extra Parking | The renovation includes one of the largest garages in Pennsylvania. Airport officials say more than 1,000 people have worked on not just these new buildings, but also miles of roadway, seven bridges, and a (mostly) covered atrium where folks can snag a rental car on site. | | 🛫 Prepare for takeoff! | |
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| | | In 2025, you can see Kara Walker’s work in three places: San Francisco, New York City, and Pittsburgh — and for the Steel City, the wait is almost over. Kara Walker: Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War (Annotated) opens at the Frick this Saturday, March 1. | | Get tickets here! |
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🍦A sweet tip! Mark your calendar for Bruster’s PJ Day March 8. If you wear or donate a new pair of pajamas to any Pittsburgh-area Bruster’s, you can get a free waffle cone — and the donations will be sent to local youth in foster care. |
| — Francesca Dabecco | ✍️ City Cast Pittsburgh’s Megan Harris wrote today’s airport article. |
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