Verse Three: The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press picked up on the blog post by the Galveston Daily News reporter/Ike evacuee who was kicked out of an Austin storm shelter by Red Cross officials. Reporter Sara Foley said they told her her presence as a journalist made them "very uncomfortable."

Let's see if we get this straight: You're helping people in need -- hundreds of them, if not thousands -- trying to get them food and water and safe shelter, but the thing you can't get off your mind is that the press is there? What, all these evacuees you're trying to help -- you really think they won't be able to go outside and talk to the press there about the quality of service you're providing?

Folks, word is going to get out. It always does. Let the press in and let them see for themselves whether you're doing a good job. If you're doing as good a job as you say you are, the press will see that. Otherwise, all we're going to get are the complaints from the evacuees and your standard press-release response about how you're doing a great job. Show us. Don't tell us.

In other storm-related news, Houston Mayor Bill White says FEMA has been slow to set up distribution sites for ice, food and water, the Chronicle reports; President Bush visited the storm-damaged areas today; and the Chron says Galveston officials have killed off the "look and leave" program this afternoon because it was creating huge traffic jams.

Tell us what you think about the response to Hurricane Ike by local, state and federal officials. What's working, what's not? Feel free to post in the comments below, or shoot us a note -- I'm at jennifer@texaswatchdog.org. And don't forget to follow us on Twitter. We're texaswatchdog.