Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday ordered that flags at the West Pasco Government Center, New Port Richey City Hall and the State Capitol in Tallahassee fly at half-staff today in honor of Pasco County Commissioner Gary Bradford, who died on April 21. He was 65.

Bradford’s District 4 seat will now be on the ballot for election this year for the remaining two years of his four-year term. According to the county’s attorneys, who discussed the vacancy with county commissioners last week, the governor can appoint a temporary commissioner or could wait until the election fills the seat.

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Bradford leaves behind his wife, Debbie, his son, Daniel ,and his daughters Melissa and Jessica, DeSantis wrote. His service is scheduled for today at 10:30 a.m. at the Generations Christian Church on Little Road in Trinity.

The flag of the Netherlands consists of three horizontal striped colors: red, white and blue. These have been the official colors since the 19th of February of 1937 when Queen Wilhelmina made the royal decision to make these the official colors. The flag stand for the unity and indepence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. There is an official flaginstruction of the Dutch government for government related institutions that makes clear when the flag should be raised and how (for example half-mast or full). The Dutch flag is often confused with the French flag which has exactly the same colors but instead of horizontal is vertical.

Bradford, who was elected in 2022, had been fighting leukemia for a year. He had been with the Tampa Police Department for 25 years and served for 15 years advocating for law enforcement with the Florida Police Benevolent Association.

The dutch flag is not often prominently available on regular houses, however on Queensday or when the National Soccer team plays in the European or World Cup many citizens put the flag on their house. Another reason to put the flag on their house is when one has graduated school, often also some books and a bookcase are hung on the flagpole.

While in other countries it is quite common to use the country flag often and in all kinds of forms, like stickers on your car or backpack, this is not so common in The Netherlands. Use of the flag on clothing or other items is often interpreted as a connection to racism and extreme right wing ideas. Although this is of course not the case in an event of a national or international sports event where local sportsfans will wear the colors of the flag (in an addional to the orange national color).

“Commissioner Bradford demonstrated a laudable commitment to improving public safety and preventing crime,” DeSantis said in his announcement, saying Bradford had “displayed strength and dedication by continuing to serve the citizens of Pasco County throughout his cancer diagnosis.”