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STORM SURGE-COMMUNICATING THE DANGER

Hurricane center: Beware of the storm surge

MIAMI (AP) - During a hurricane, storm surge is 1 of the greatest threats to life and land, yet many people don't understand the dire warnings from forecasters to get out of its way.

This season, forecasters hope to offer easy-to-understand, color-coded maps and change the way they talk to the public.

Simply put, storm surge is the abnormal rise of sea water. Predicting it is far more complicated, and so is explaining it. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami discovered that again during a review of Superstorm Sandy.

Forecasts during Sandy were exceptionally accurate, but often confusing. Perhaps because so many things contribute to storm surge: intensity, pressure, forward speed, size, where it makes landfall and other factors.

MEMORIAL DAY-AIRPORT TRAVEL

FLL expects 400K passengers this Memorial weekend

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - More than 400,000 travelers are expected to fly in and out of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport this Memorial Day weekend.

The statement from the Broward County Aviation Department says the airport is ready to accommodate the high volume of passengers during the holiday period that runs Thursday through May 30.

The department said it anticipates an average of 59,000 passengers a day during the 7-day travel period. Aviation Department officials expect the busiest travel days to be Thursday and Friday.

Spokesman Gregory Meyer says the airport averaged the same number of passengers last Memorial weekend.

MISSING KAYAKER

Missing man's kayak washes up in Pensacola

(Information in the following story is from: Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com)

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - Officials say a yellow kayak of a missing Pensacola man was found by a fisherman on Okaloosa Island.

The kayak was spotted in the sand Thursday afternoon. But there's still no sign of 21-year-old Joe Kane, who went missing May 13. He went kayaking from a spot near Sherman Cove at Pensacola Naval Air Station with his dog Frannie.

A multi-agency search has turned up few leads in the case.

The Pensacola News Journal reports father Jim Kane says the family is coming to grips with the reality that the Florida State University student won't be found alive.

The Escambia County Sheriff's office is still looking for items that were in Kane's possession, including a black and silver Pelican brand paddle, a camouflage dry bag and a life jacket.

FATAL TRAIN CRASH

Fla. man dies after crashing into moving train

(Information in the following story is from: Florida Today (Melbourne, Fla.), http://www.floridatoday.com)

MELBOURNE, Fla. (AP) - A man is dead after hit vehicle hit a Florida East Coast Railway train hit in Melbourne.

Melbourne police spokesman Sheridan Shelley says the car drove through a railroad crossing arm and ran into the side of the northbound train about 3:40 a.m. Friday.

Florida Today reports 29-year-old Aaron T. Imes of Melbourne was taken to a hospital where he died.

Shelley says all railroad crossing safety features appeared to be working at the time of the crash.

The traffic homicide unit is investigating the incident.

CITIZENS TAKEOUT

Fla. Gov. asked to return money to insurer

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A leading Florida Democrat is calling on Gov. Rick Scott to return $110,000 in campaign contributions from an insurer.

Dan Gelber, a former state senator and potential future statewide candidate, wrote a letter Friday to Scott saying that the deal "smells."

Heritage Property Insurance and Casualty Insurance is getting $52 million as part of an agreement to absorb 60,000 policies now held by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. The Citizens board narrowly approved the deal earlier this week.

Heritage donated money to Scott's political committee, Let's Get to Work, back in March. The governor's office has stated that Scott had no involvement in Citizens approving the deal.

Still Gelber says there was a "foul ambience" surrounding the entire deal which should prompt Scott to return the campaign contribution.

FAMILY REUNITED

Fla. woman meets son she gave up for adoption

(Information in the following story is from: Florida Today (Melbourne, Fla.), http://www.floridatoday.com)

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A central Florida woman has reunited with her son almost 36 years after giving him up for adoption.

The happy reunion took place Thursday at Orlando International Airport, where Andre "Dre" Knight arrived on a one-way ticket to meet his mother, Robin West.

West told Florida Today she was 15 when the baby was born. She says she held him for a few moments before he was taken away for adoption.

They reconnected by phone about a month ago after Knight's girlfriend, Andrea Bennett, found West on the Internet. Knight says he sent West a tweet on April 28. She called him hours later and they've made up for lost time since then.

Knight's adoptive parents even sent West an album of pictures on Mother's Day.

POLICE OFFICER-CHILD NEGLECT

Ohio cop, wife face child neglect charge in Fla.

(Information in the following story is from: The (Panama City, Fla.) News Herald, http://www.newsherald.com)

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - An Ohio police officer and his wife face aggravated child neglect charges after their young children were left unsupervised in a truck outside a Panama City Beach bar.

Bay County Jail officials say 35-year-old Michael Webb and 29-year-old Staci Hall left jail Thursday night after posting $500 bonds. The Florida Department of Children and Families took custody of the children, ages 3 and 11 months.

Webb is a police officer with the Ross Township Police Department in Ohio.

The News Herald of Panama City reports Ugly Coyote staff spotted the children sleeping in a truck and called police late Wednesday. The parents were drinking at the bar.

Police found a loaded .40-caliber Glock within reach of the children.

Jail records didn't list an attorney for Webb or Hall.

SILVER SPRINGS-SERVICES

Companies planning services at Silver Springs park

(Information in the following story is from: Ocala (Fla.) Star-Banner, http://www.starbanner.com/)

OCALA, Fla. (AP) - A special events coordinator, a concert promoter and a kayak-tour company have tentatively made the cut to provide services when the Silver Springs attraction becomes a state park

The Ocala Star-Banner reports state parks managers on Wednesday released five offers they've received from companies interested in operating at the park when it opens as Silver River State Park on Oct. 1. Two proposals haven't been accepted yet.

Diversified Event Productions plans to use Twin Oaks Mansion for up to 22 concerts.

What's Up Media wants to coordinate special events, including weddings and festivals, from the Cypress Room.

And Eco-Recreation Management plans to run a fleet of up to 100 kayaks and canoes that could be used for "float trips" to Marion County's Ray Wayside Park on the Ocklawaha River.