Tag Archives: Governor Ron DeSantis

Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Successful Evacuation of 28 Floridians from Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa

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From the press office of Governor Ron DeSantis:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the successful evacuation of 28 Floridians from Jamaica following the devastating impacts of powerful Category 5 Hurricane Melissa. At the Governor’s direction, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) began evacuation efforts on October 31, 2025, working closely with local officials to ensure the safe return of Floridians. The rescue flight departed Jamaica earlier today and landed at Tampa International Airport. 

“Throughout my time as governor, Florida has rescued our residents from warzones and in the wake of natural disasters,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Today’s operation in Jamaica brings stranded Floridians home in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. I am grateful for the efforts of our emergency management officials and partners who worked to make this happen.”

“This rapid response reflects the strength of Florida’s emergency management system and our commitment to providing timely, coordinated support,” said FDEM Executive Director Kevin Guthrie. “Thanks to Governor Ron DeSantis’ decisive leadership and our team’s swift action, we were able to help Floridians return home safely.”

“Thanks to Governor DeSantis and the Florida Division of Emergency Management, we mobilized quickly to send relief flights and bring our citizens home safely following Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica,” said Lieutenant GovernorJay Collins. “Today, I was on the ground at Tampa International Airport to welcome these families as they arrived and to ensure they received the care and support they needed. Our state’s strength is found in our people, and today that strength is on full display.”


Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on the afternoon of October 28, 2025, as a catastrophic Category 5 storm. With maximum sustained winds reaching 185 mph, Melissa ranks among the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin and is the strongest to make landfall in Jamaica. The storm caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure, and essential services across the island. 

This effort marks the third time that FDEM, under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, has assisted in bringing Floridians home from crises abroad. Previous missions include the successful rescue of Floridians from Haiti in 2024 and from Israel in 2023 and 2025.

Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Broward Circuit Judge Jonathan D. Lott to Fourth District Court Of Appeals

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Judge Jonathan Lott

Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Seventeenth Judicial Circuit proudly announces that Circuit Court Judge Jonathan D. Lott has been appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. Judge Lott currently serves in the Circuit’s Family Division.

“It is my pleasure to appoint you to the Fourth District Court of Appeal,” Governor Ron DeSantis wrote in an Oct. 30th letter to Judge Lott. “Your appointment is evidence of my utmost confidence in your ability to serve with excellence and distinction. Congratulations and thank you for your willingness to serve the people of Florida.”

DeSantis first appointed Judge Lott to the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit on Nov. 25, 2024, and he assumed the bench on Jan. 1, 2025.

“It’s an honor to have been selected by the governor,” Judge Lott said.

The last time a judge from the 17th Judicial Circuit was appointed to the Fourth DCA was in January 2008, when Judge Dorian K. Damoorgian received the appointment from Governor Charlie Crist.

“On behalf of the 17th Judicial Circuit, we congratulate Judge Lott on his appointment to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. Judge Lott is a respected jurist and well-liked by his colleagues, serving in a very challenging division,” Chief Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips said. “We are so proud of him and will miss him but know he will be an awesome addition to the Appellate Court.”

Originally from Pensacola, Judge Lott is a 2014 graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and a member of The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Section. A Fort Lauderdale resident, he previously worked for four years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where he was assigned to the civil division.