Federal dollars and a community anti-crime program called Weed and Seed are helping to mend fences between two suburban villages.

        Officials in Lincoln Heights and in Lockland said this week that the U.S. Justice Department will fund a Weed and Seed program that the cities plan to operate jointly. The anti-crime program will receive $175,000 the first year and up to a $1 million over five years.

AT A GLANCE

Combined statistics on Lincoln Heights and Lockland from 1997 to 2000.     • Population: 7,820.     • Poverty rate: 39 percent.     • Household income: $17,214.     • Unemployment rate: 11.7 percent.     • Renters: 58.45 percent.     • Homeowners: 41.55 percent.     • School dropout rates: 42 percent.     • Racial/ethnic composition: 63.05 black; 36.65 white; .5 percent Indian and .35 percent Asian. Crime     • Assaults: 1,150.     • Larcenies: 1,746.     • Narcotics: 2,235.     • Domestic violence: 993.     • Homicides: 9.     • Juvenile arrests: 519.     Source: FBI, 2000 Census

        “What this does is offer a combined effort of law enforcement with residents helping,” said Melinda Shealey, a Lockland resident and store manager who served on the program's steering committee.

        The program will help develop businesses and better housing, and set up safe havens for children. It will fund the development of block watch groups as well as promote strong relationships among schools, churches, families, law enforcement and health care agencies.

        Federal officials will be at the Lincoln Heights Village Hall at 1 p.m. Monday to go over details of the program.

        The villages will use programs within the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to identify violators of federal firearm laws, and will employ the services of the FBI and its Violent Crimes Task Force to identify violent career criminals.

        Specific targets have been set to measure success, such as a 20 percent increase in the number of arrests for drug and drug-related crimes and a 25 percent reduction in crimes committed with illegal firearms.

        “I think it is good that we have something that will help us work together,” said Evonne Kovach, village administrator for Lockland.

        Ms. Kovach was in the middle of the dispute between Lincoln Heights and Lockland over truck traffic on Shepherd Lane. Lockland sued after Lincoln Heights banned truck traffic on the street, claiming its economic growth depended on the traffic.

        The dispute was settled last year.

        “After we settled that issue we started right away working jointly on the Weed and Seed program,” said Carol Cornelison, Lincoln Heights Village Administrator.

        Lincoln Heights Councilwoman Jeanette Shamel said she will wait and see how the two villages work together. She also was a member of the steering committee.

        “The Weed and Seed program is a good program, and we definitely need it. The number one issue in Lincoln Heights is drug abuse and this program deals with that issue,” she said.

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