Rita notes 6:00 am

New Orleans is getting "feeder band rains" from Rita. According to the weatherman this is "terrible news."

The storm is now a Category 4, moving at 10 mph, less than 300 miles from Galveston.
Extended winds can be expected to radiate up to 200 miles from the eye...so the storm will sweep an area about four hundred miles wide.

The television stations will be broadcasting their audio streams over AM radio so that people can listen to the news on battery-powered radios. The frequencies were announced just now (6:12 am). This is a good idea.

The use of contraflow lanes is being explained. Once those lanes have been accessed, you need to be prepared to stay in line and follow the flow. There are not handy exits like the regular traffic has in the regular lanes. HOV lanes are being used to access some of the contraflow lanes.

KPRC is now showing some good-times, happy news filmed earlier as busloads of enthusiastic volunteers came to the rescue of stranded motorists. People from all walks of life -- eighteen busses with about fifteen volunteers per bus -- made for a "refreshing story with a silver lining."