As of 10:49 Eastern: Rita is a Category 1 Storm

UPDATED: McCannta has video of CNN’s weatherman mothering Anderson Cooper. This is the same weatherman who flipped out on air during Hurricane Katrina coverage.

Few reports of looting in Houston.

‘Is Full of Crap’ has photos of Rita’ destruction.

Fires Break out in Galveston, Houston

Rita barely misses Civil War battleground

FEMA ready for Rita relief.

(via Malkin) Surfer Arrested Off Shore Of Galveston As Rita Approaches
Idiot.

Many Poor Trapped in Houston
“I done called for a shelter; I done called for help. There ain’t none. No one answers,” she said, standing in blistering heat outside a check-cashing store that had just run out of its main commodity. “Everyone just says, ‘Get out, get out.’ I’ve got no way of getting out. And now I’ve got no money.”

I didn’t expect potential hurricane areas to clean up their evacuation plans this soon, especially when Katrina only hit three weeks ago. However, it seems (this is just my guess, may not be true) that there isn’t even an evacuation plan for those who are not able to evacuate. That is an inexcusable, Houston officials should be glad Rita didn’t do as much damage as expected.