Mayor Nagin's Final State of the City Address

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – Nagin says New Orleans is heading toward a bright future, with economic growth that seemed impossible after Hurricane Katrina. While unemployment is below the national average, $20 (b) billion dollars is earmarked for construction projects now under way or in final design stages. The city's bond rating is back to investment grade.
Nagin said records show a drop in violent crime, but acknowledged that people still don't feel safe. He said race relations remain strained. He did not address some blighted sections of the city that remain untouched.
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming in New Orleans.