A weary, hopeful New Orleans awaits Obama's visit

[Kadie]

A weary, hopeful New Orleans awaits Obama's visit

Posted: Oct 14, 2009 10:24 AM PDT

Updated: Oct 14, 2009 11:24 AM PDT

By BECKY BOHRER
Associated Press Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Subrina McCrary believes President Barack Obama can support New Orleans' recovery from Hurricane Katrina by creating more jobs and helping build better schools. What she doesn't want is Obama using her Lower 9th Ward neighborhood as just another photo op.

On Thursday, Obama makes his first visit to the city since becoming president, and McCrary's community will be one of the stops.

She lives on Flood Street, in a neighborhood at the epicenter of Katrina's devastation. The area was inundated by the torrent of water that poured through levees when the hurricane struck in August 2005.

"We need a lot of stuff around here," McCrary, 43, said from her largely desolate street near the Dr. King Charter School the president will visit.

Obama also plans a town hall at the University of New Orleans. He's likely to find McCrary's views are widely held in a city where patchwork recovery has wearied residents and left many disillusioned with their local leaders.

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