Sunburn â The morning read of whatâs hot in Florida politics â 5.6.21
Let’s start the morning with some great news about two really good people:
Aly is a vice president of Accounts with On3PR, while
Omar is deputy chief of staff to Speaker
Chris Sprowls.
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@NickConfessore: The fact that this private corporate administrative decision is being covered as something akin to a Supreme Court ruling â rightly so, I think â is the best illustration I can imagine of the sheer power Facebook has achieved over the public square
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@BostonJoan: Imagine spending millions to offload blame only to have it returned like a bill lost in the mail, which is now overdue.
DeSantis names new boss for Florida Veteransâ Affairs
James S. Hartsell, a Lake Wales native, has been the acting director since former Executive Director Danny Burgess stepped down last year to successfully run for a state Senate seat.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is seen during a news conference Tuesday, March 30, 2021 in the Everglades. [ The Florida Channel ]
By News Service of Florida
Published Yesterday
Updated Yesterday
TALLAHASSEE â Retired Marine Corps Major Gen. James S. âHammerâ Hartsell was promoted Tuesday to executive director of the Florida Department of Veteransâ Affairs after a brief interview with Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet.
Retired Marine Corps Major Gen.
James S. “Hammer” Hartsell was promoted Tuesday to executive director of the
Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet.
Hartsell, a Lake Wales native, has been the acting director since former Executive Director
Danny Burgess
“My goal is to make Florida the most sought-after veteran state in the nation,” Hartsell said.
Hartsell joined the state agency as deputy executive director in April 2019. Hartsell enlisted in the Marine reserves in 1981 and was commissioned as an officer in 1983. He mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom I in 2003, Iraqi Freedom II in 2004 and Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2009.
Hartsell’s resume also includes 22 years in the health-care industry and time with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office following his retirement from the Marine Corps. The state agency oversees seven state veterans’ homes and provides services to the 1.5 million veterans in the state.