Tuesday on First Coast Connect we heard about the future of solar energy in Florida with A1A Solar founder Pete Wilking. Suzi Lemon, from the human resources firm Dynamic Corporate Solutions, spoke about the, now in limbo, overtime rule for salaried employees, and in our on-going series “First Coast Connect Rising Stars” we met Odd Rod,also known as Roderick Borisade, a local spoken word artist.
Future of Solar Energy
The largest solar panel installer in the country says it will move into Florida's residential market after voters last month rejected a utility-backed ballot measure, Amendment 1, that critics said would make going solar more expensive. SolarCity, a California-based subsidiary of electric car maker Tesla Motors, said Thursday it is opening an operations center in the Orlando area and plans to expand into other areas of Florida. Wilking said he welcomes the expansion and competition.
Salary Overtime
Some workers across the country, who were slated to make more money starting this month are now in limbo.
A federal judge in Texas ruled to halt an overtime rule that was supposed to take effect December 1st.
The Labor Department rule would have made overtime pay an option for full-time, salaried employees earning up to $47,476 a year, substantially more than the current threshold of $23,660 a year.
But the rule was was challenged in court by business groups and some states. The judge ruled that the department exceeded its authority when it more than doubled the salary limit that determines which workers should be made eligible for overtime pay.
Odd Rod
He was raised in poverty by a drug addicted mother. His father was absent. Odd Rod also went from school to school due to custody battles between his mother and other family members. But throughout his tribulations, Odd Rod maintained his grades in school, eventually earning a full scholarship to the University of North Florida. He earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in multimedia in December of 2005.
He is conducting a show Sunday at 8 p.m. at Theatre Jacksonville, “Mind Blown by Odd Rod.”
Producer Kevin Meerschaert can be reached at kmeerschaert@wjct.org, 904-358-6334 or on Twitter at @KMeerschaertJax.
