In what some might call a kind of vindication of Florida Republican educational policy, Tampa Bay Times reports on a new study, published by a nonpartisan education-reformist think tank, which ranks the Sunshine State highest in the nation in terms of state teacher policy:

"The National Center on Teacher Quality released its latest briefs on state teacher policies Wednesday, with Florida leading the way overall and near the top in every category.

Sunshine State News has just learned that, contrary to earlier reports, a Floridarestaurateur will not be implementing a 5 percent "Obamacare surcharge" at his 45 restaurants ... at least, not quite yet.

It begins.

"Get ready to pay more for your Grand Slam.

"A Florida restaurateur who operates roughly 40 Dennys locations and five Hurricane Grill & Wings franchises throughout the state intends to add a 5 percent surcharge to customers bills to offset costs from Obamacare beginning in January 2014 when the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented.

The Associated Press reports the tragic story of one voter who had more on his mind than whether the federal government would legitimize his sexual relationships:

"A Key West resident who police say was distraught over the presidential election results and worried about his business has apparently killed himself.

"Police say they found Henry Hamilton's body in his bedroom Nov. 8, along with a living will with handwritten words 'Do not revive! (expletive) Obama!' Two empty prescription pill bottles were in the dining room.

A citizens' petition begging the White House to allow Florida to secede peacefully from the United States has reached the required threshold which should trigger an official response from the Obama administration. The Daily Caller reports:

"Less than a week after a New Orleans suburbanite petitioned the White House to allow Louisiana to secede from the United States, petitions from seven states have collected enough signatures to trigger a promised review from the Obama administration.

Hundreds of uncounted ballots have been discovered in yet another Democrat-dominated Florida county.

About 1,000 of them, in Broward, according to theSouth Florida Sun-Sentinel:

"Seven days after the election ended, and two days after the results were unofficially certified, Broward elections workers Monday said they had found 963 unaccounted-for ballots in a warehouse.

Last week, tea party leaders and insiders told Sunshine State News their movement isn't dead, but just getting geared up for victories in 2014 and 2016.

This morning a profile by Politico suggests that the future of the tea party -- and, quite possibly, the Republican Party itself -- might lie in the direction Kentucky senator and libertarian stalwart Rand Paul wants to take it:

The Huffington Post reports on a case that will soon be heard by the Florida Supreme Court, contesting the legality of red light camera tickets issued by municipalities before such devices were approved by the Florida Legislature:

"Thousands of South Florida drivers caught on camera running red lights are one step closer to getting their ticket fines refunded, perhaps even with interest.

The Daily Caller reports on 20 petitions at WhiteHouse.Gov, asking the administration to review requests by tens -- if not hundreds -- of thousands of Americans for their states to be allowed to secede from the United States of America.

And if enough signatures are collected within a certain time period, the Obama administration will be compelled by its own rules to officially respond to the requests:

"How would Old Glory look with 30 stars instead of 50? As far-fetched as it may sound, the White House might soon be forced by its own rules to examine the question.

With 95 percent of precincts reporting their vote totals, it's clear only Amendments 2 (Veterans Property Tax), 9 (Property Tax Exemptions for Surviving Spouses), and 11 (Senior Homestead Tax Exemption) have reached the necessary 60 percent threshold to enactment. They are the only three on the ballot to have offered homestead tax exemptions. The other eight measures didn't even pass by simplemajorities.

More to come ...