| Department of Business and Professional Regulation Named acting deputy secretary was Thomas Philpot who has been the director of the state’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. Philpot replaces Andrew Fier, who recently left to join the Vezina, Lawrence & Piscitelli law firm in Tallahassee.
Florida Department of Health Named interim communications director was Nick Van Der Linden. He replaces Devin Galetta who left to become the deputy communications director to CFO Jimmy Patronis. Ron DeSantis Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis resigned from the U.S. Congress on September 10th to focus on his campaign. The winner of the election for Congressional District 6 will take his seat after the November elections. In Memoriam April Freeman April Freeman, the Democratic candidate in Florida’s Congressional District 17, died suddenly on September 23rd at her home at the age of 54. The Florida Democratic Party has designated Highlands County resident Allen Ellison as Freeman’s replacement on the November ballot. Freeman’s name will remain on the ballot but vote-by-mail and polling locations will include notices proclaiming that a vote for Freeman will count as a vote for Ellison. Dorothy Hukill Just days after State Senator Dorothy Hukill (R-Port Orange) announced that she would not seek reelection to her seat due to the reoccurrence of her cancer, she passed away on October 2, 2018. Hukill was 72. As ballots have already been printed, Hukill’s name is listed as the Republican nominee. All votes for Hukill will count toward her replacement, Volusia County businessman Tom Wright, who was named by the Republican Party. Rich DeVos Rich DeVos, the billionaire who co-founded Amway and purchased the Orlando Magic in 1991, died September 6th in Ada, Michigan at the age of 92. |
