RODNEY HENRY, the longtime personal assistant for Saints and Pelicans Owner TOM BENSON, filed suit yesterday "claiming he's owed backpay for long hours driving the 88-year-old billionaire around" and running other errands. Henry, who was Benson's assistant for 25 years, "was fired June 24, and at the time, he was making $50,000." The suit argues that the Saints over the years "violated federal labor law by failing to pay Henry overtime for the consistently long work hours required to keep up with Benson's demands." Henry was "treated as a salaried employee not eligible for overtime under labor laws." But he "wasn't a manager, and his job duties should have classified him as an hourly employee entitled to increased wages over 40 hours" (NOLA.com, 11/17).
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Allen started Vulcan Aerospace in April with
plans to launch satellites from a jet
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NOT CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF: Seahawks and Trail Blazers Owner PAUL ALLEN's "bid to shake up the space industry with low-cost satellite launches from a mammoth jet is now in limbo, and aerospace industry officials say market shifts threaten its overall viability." Allen "hasn’t announced a replacement rocket supplier for the original contractor that dropped out months ago." At this point, project officials "haven’t provided even the broad outlines of technology that could be used in the future, a development timetable or how they plan to launch significantly larger numbers of smaller satellites than originally envisioned." Allen launched Vulcan Aerospace in April (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/18).
STILL RULING THE ROOST? Former South Carolina football coach STEVE SPURRIER said that he still is "considering taking an ambassador’s role" with the school following the "end of his official employment at the end of this year." Spurrier will be "offered a position as special assistant" to school President HARRIS PASTIDES. He "could be a special assistant" to Pastides and AD RAY TANNER at an "annual salary of $100,000, provided he maintains his residence in Columbia" (Columbia STATE, 11/18).
NAMES: Knicks F CARMELO ANTHONY is exec producer of a "new film" on playground legend and former NBAer LLOYD DANIELS called “THE LEGEND OF SWEE' PEA." A source said that Anthony "funded the documentary and lent his advice" (N.Y. POST, 11/18)....NBC's DAVID FEHERTY will "perform his one-man show" at the Bell Auditorium in Augusta, Ga., on April 7, which coincides with the first round of The Masters (AUGUSTA CHRONICLE, 11/18)....For the third straight season, Warriors C FESTUS EZELI on Monday ”catered a holiday meal and stood beside” other volunteers at the Bayview Hunters Point YMCA in S.F. in “serving about 200 members” of the community (S.F. CHRONICLE, 11/17)....Devils and Prudential Center VP/Ticket Sales & Service SHAWN DOSS will take part in Covenant House’s annual Sleep Out tomorrow night to help raise funds for the local Newark chapter (THE DAILY).
