CMU Miami, Bleak Budgets & Duquesne Light’s Strike

Carnegie Mellon University is opening a new campus in Miami, thanks to a $3 billion gift from hedge fund manager Ken Griffin. It's the largest single donation ever made to a U.S. university. Host Megan Harris, executive producer Mallory Falk, and contributor and City Paper Managing Editor Colin Williams discuss the school's Florida expansion (spring breaaaaaaak forever), Griffin’s status as a GOP megadonor, and why so many colleges are opening branch campuses in the Sunshine State. Plus, Mayor Corey O’Connor just released his proposed city budget — long story short, our finances are still looking pretty bleak —  paid parental leave is one step closer to reality in Allegheny County, and a long-lost candy bar gets resurrected just in time for Halloween. And in our members-only bonus segment, we take you on a tour of former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s truly massive virtual city in Minecraft.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Carnegie Mellon University Announces Historic $3 Billion Gift from Ken Griffin, Pioneering a New Model for Higher Education [CMU]

Carnegie Mellon to open Miami campus after multibillion-dollar gift from hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin [Post-Gazette]

Hedge Fund Executive Gives $3 Billion to Carnegie Mellon in Largest-Ever Gift [New York Times]

Billionaire investor Ken Griffin calls on Harvard to embrace ‘Western values’ [Reuters]

Pittsburgh's Point Park University exploring potential partnership and location in Florida [KDKA]

Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor proposes 2027 budget that raids reserves but avoids tax increase and layoffs [TribLive]

Rec center roulette: Critical Pittsburgh facilities suffer from uneven funding [TribLive]

Allegheny County’s paid parental leave approved by health board, moves to council [WESA]

Long-forgotten Clark candy bar variation returns [TribLive]

PODCAST: PA Candy Trivia! How Pennsylvania is Your Halloween Haul? [City Cast Pittsburgh]