Title: Weed & Seed In-Sites Millennium Issue 2000
Series: Newsletter
Author: Executive Office for Weed and Seed
Published: April 2000
Subject: Community Policing, Crime Prevention
34 pages
62,600 bytes

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Weed & Seed In-Sites Millennium Issue 2000

Volume VIII, Number 1

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Weed & Seed In-Sites in a publication of the

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs

Executive Office for Weed and Seed
810 Seventh Street NW.
Washington, DC 20531
Phone: 202-616-1152
Fax: 202-616-1159
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/

Stephen Rickman, Director

Robert M. Samuels, Assistant Director

Nancy Ware, Director of Technical Assistance and Training

Cheryl Driscoll, Supervisory Program Manager

Edison Aponte, Faith Baker, Ila Blue, Paul Casagrande, Eric Chin, Michael K.
Connor, Sharron Fletcher, Robert Hedricks, Stacy Larson, Louise Lucas,
Katherine Mera, Meredith Neilsen, Andrew Press, Romia Ray, Christina
Ruppert, Program Managers

Claude Thomas, Administrative Officer

Linda Hawkes, Grant Administration Specialist

Penne Soltysik, Project Specialist and In-Sites Editor

Lisa Huff-Galloway, Secretary

Jessica Caldwell, Charmaine Hughes, Program Assistants

Please send all submissions, comments, or address corrections to the above
address.

----------------------------

>From the Director

As perhaps the biggest worldwide celebration any of us will see in our lifetimes,
the arrival of the year 2000 provides a framework for reflecting on our past and
considering our future. Reflecting back to 1992, we should all feel a sense of
accomplishment and pride inspired by the success of the Weed and Seed
program. Under the leadership and guidance of Assistant Attorney General
Laurie Robinson, Operation Weed and Seed has spread across the country
into more than 250 communities, including 220 Officially Recognized sites and a
growing number of expansion sites.

Recently Laurie left her post at the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) after 6-
1/2 years of service. Laurie's tenure exceeds that of any head of OJP
throughout its 30-year history. So many of our sites have welcomed Laurie to
their communities and have shown her firsthand the challenges they face and the
accomplishments they celebrate. On behalf on the entire Weed and Seed
family, EOWS wishes Laurie and her family the very best. We look forward to
continuing our work under the guidance of Acting Assistant Attorney General
Mary Lou Leary.

As a tribute to the efforts of each Weed and Seed community and the bureaus
and program offices of OJP. EOWS offers this Millennium Issue of In-Sites.
Throughout the year, In-Sites promotes the achievements of individual Weed
and Seed sites. We consider this special edition an opportunity to look back at
1999, highlight out achievements, and promote the success of special Weed
and Seed-supported initiatives such as Kids House and Visual Voices and
federally supported efforts such as Millennium Green, the Children's Health
Insurance Program, and the Day of National Concern. Each of these efforts is
coordinated to make our communities and lives better today and in the future. 

EOWS Welcomes your feedback on this Millennium Issue and wishes each of
you a very prosperous 2000.

Stephen Rickman
Director, EOWS

----------------------------

"I've had the chance to do a great deal of what I set out to accomplish--with
the wonderful backing on Janet Reno, the creative partnerships we've had with
State and local leaders, and the dedication of OJP. I'm proud that OJP has
grown so tremendously during my tenure--not just in budget and staff, but,
more tellingly, in stature and in the impact our work is having in communities
across this country."

--Laurie Robonson
Assistant Attorney General

----------------------------

In This Issue

o What's Working

-- Philadelphia Community Service Project

-- "Two Sites, Two Cities, Two States. . .One Goal"

-- Grand Rapids Combats Truancy

o DEFY

-- Drug Education for Youth: 1999 Recap

o Kids House

-- Urban Family Institute and Kids House

-- Kids House: One Site's Year in Review

o Visual Voices

-- Visual Voices: Uniting Youth

o Euclid Children Hand Over Gun

o NOWS

o Northwest Austin's Weed and Seed Gang Task Force Scores a Big Success

o Winners

-- HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo Awards Honolulu Weed and Seed

-- San Antonio Resident Wray Hood Wins National Award

o Initiatives

-- Students Make a Pledge Against Gun Violence

-- CHIP Enrolls More than 1 Million Children

-- The Millennium Green Project

o Weed & Seed Photo Gallery

o The EOWS Community Training Broadcast Series

o Conference Center

o Web Sight

o Mark Your Calendar

o Mailbox

----------------------------

Now Available! 


Weed and Seed Best Practices
Fall 1999 Edition

The latest edition of Best Practices highlights effective initiatives in law
enforcement, neighborhood revitalization, community policing, and prevention
through the arts programs. To order a copy, call 1-800-421-6770 and request
NCJ 179139.

----------------------------

What's Working

Philadelphia Community Service Project

William R. Hausman
Forfeiture Program Manager 
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

On May 22, 1999, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Michael R. Stiles and his staff participated in a joint community service project
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The day's activities were centered at a site where
20 homes had been demolished as part of the Philadelphia Police Department's
"Operation Sunrise." The demolition had left a vacant lot in the North
Philadelphia Weed and Seed neighborhood, and it turned into a dumping
ground for trash and abandoned automobiles. The lot, located at the
intersection of Mascher and Somerset Streets, lies in the midst of a
neighborhood that has long been plagued by trash dumping, violent crime, and
heavy drug trafficking.

Project participants included 30 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support staff
from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
members of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, staff from the city of
Philadelphia Managing Director's Office, representatives from Safe and Sound
(Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), AmeriCorps and United Neighbors
Against Drugs volunteers, college students from several universities, staff from
the Lighthouse Community Center, members of the Philadelphia Police
Department, and neighborhood residents.

On that clear Saturday the volunteers planted trees, shrubs, and flowers and
built garden boxes, a playhouse, a slide, and benches. Seven truckloads of
mulch and 10 truckloads of wood chips were used. By the end of the day
children were playing in the new sandbox and playhouse while their parents
were planting seeds in their garden boxes. Neighborhood residents, excited and
overjoyed by the restoration project, will work together to maintain this area 
and keep the neighborhood clean, safe, and beautiful.

The volunteers all left with uplifted spirits for having helped renovate a section
of their neighborhood. This is the second project that Stiles and his staff have
undertaken (their first effort was profiled in the December 1998/January 1999
issue of In-Sites). 

"Two Sites, Two Cities, Two States . . . One Goal"

Donna Copeland
Law Enforcement Coordinator
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Arkansas

Weed and Seed sites come in all sizes and configurations to best implement the
Weed and Seed strategy in each location. The Texarkana Weed and Seed sites
are a good example of the flexibility and success of the Weed and Seed
program.

Sometimes it is hard to explain Texarkana to visitors. Texarkana, located on the
border of Texas and Arkansas, comprises two cities with the same name. The
State line that runs through the center of downtown Texarkana connects the
cities. The two cities are routinely referred to as the State Line Cities because
the main thoroughfare, State Line Avenue, is the Arkansas-Texas border.

The Texarkana Federal Building sits in the middle of a city street, with half of its
courtrooms and offices in Arkansas and the other half in Texas. The Texarkana
Post Office is one of the most unique in America because it straddles State Line
Avenue, placing it in both Texas and Arkansas. A display, constructed
especially for visitors who delight in capturing a unique photo opportunity of
standing in two States at once, is located in front of the post office that serves
both cities.

The motto "Twice As Nice" appropriately conveys the political structure of the
cities of Texarkana. There are two of almost everything: two city mayors, two
city governments, two police departments, and two fire departments. Naturally,
when Texarkana coordinated a Weed and Seed strategy, two separate
Texarkana applications were submitted. 

"At first, we [EOWS] tried to work with both sides to coordinate one
application, for the two applying agents to work together under one strategy. It
soon became very clear that each side of Texarkana was dealing with a
completely different set of circumstances, and the proposed strategy emphases
for both were entirely different," explained EOWS Program Manager Robert
Hendricks. 

The Arkansas Weed and Seed adopted the working acronym T-BON, which
stands for Taking Back Our Neighborhood, whereas the Texas Weed and
Seed's motto is "Putting the Neighbor Back in Neighborhood." Together, both
sites publish a joint newsletter; they also attend each other's Steering
Committee meetings.

Both Texarkana, Arkansas, and Texarkana, Texas, were awarded Official
Recognition in 1999. Representatives of the two Weed and Seed sites attended
the Weed and Seed 1999 National Conference in Houston, Texas. Alexis
Owens, representing the Arkansas Weed and Seed's Youth Committee,
participated as a speaker in the panel session "Involving Youth in Weed and
Seed." Site representatives displayed their ongoing spirit and partnership to help
conference participants see and understand the unique nature of the cities of
Texarkana. Their group's theme was "Two Sites, Two Cities, Two States . . .
One Goal." 

Grand Rapids Combats Truancy

Bethanie Archibold
Grand Rapids Weed and Seed Coordinator

Truancy is a growing problem for communities across the country. The
strategies to address and prevent this problem vary with each community. 

The Westside Weed and Seed site in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is taking a
collaborative approach. To address the growing number of truant students who
are registered to attend Grand Rapids public schools, community members
joined forces and created the Truancy Coalition. Representatives of the Grand
Rapids Police Department, the Kent County Independence Agency,
Community Mental Health Agency, the 17th Circuit Court Family Division, the
Kent Intermediate School District, Michigan State University, and the Grand
Rapids public school system pooled their resources to fight truancy.

This collaboration marks the first time key agencies dealing with children joined
together for one cause in Grand Rapids. During the first quarter of 1999,
Coalition members met to discuss their concerns and make suggestions for
addressing truancy in Grand Rapids. The Coalition aimed to identify children
with chronic attendance problems, the needs of truant children's families, and
possible remedies for each case.


Although State law calls for the prosecution of parents failing to regularly send
their children to school (under State compulsory attendance law), the Truancy
Coalition aims to partner with parents to fight truancy. The Coalition hopes to
work with each parent to realize the needs of each child and, working together,
resolve the cause of the truancy.

On September 20, 1999, just 7 months after the formation of the Truancy
Coalition, the Grand Rapids Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt
the Coalition's proposal for a pilot program in the Weed and Seed target area.
School officials, parents, and the Coalition will work together to implement the
process in the three elementary schools in the target area. In-Sites will report on
their efforts throughout the year 2000. 

----------------------------

DEFY

Drug Education for Youth: 1999 Recap

The success of the DEFY program continues to grow. The 1999 DEFY
Camps served approximately 200 more youth than the 1998 season. With 75
Weed and Seed sites offering the DEFY program in their communities, more
than 2,600 children were given the opportunity to participate in this increasingly
popular mentoring program. 

The U.S. Navy and EOWS hosted a DEFY Train-the-Trainer Conference in
Reno, Nevada, March 7-9, 2000. The conference was a great success and its
new format will help the annual conference better serve the needs of Weed and
Seed attendees. Full conference coverage will be featured in the next issue of
In-Sites. 

----------------------------

Commitment Steps to Becoming a Year 2000 DEFY Site

1. Locate a military partner and designate a military point person.

2. Designate a DEFY coordinator and assistant coordinator.

3. Execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to outline the roles and
responsibilities of each of the supporting parties.

4. Coordinate funding with the administrative officer and budget officer in your
agency.

Visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/defy.htm#Information for details on DEFY
Commitment Steps and a sample MOU, or call Louis Lucas at 202-616-3454.

----------------------------

Kids House

Urban Family Institute and Kids House 

In 1998, EOWS extended resources to the Urban Family Institute (UFI) for a
program called Kids House to assist Weed and Seed communities in creating a
safe, family-like environment for children during afterschool hours in which they
can learn, create, and grow under the supervision of nurturing adults. Run by
volunteers, Kids Houses operate in homes, churches, schools, and public
housing developments.

Founded more than 7 years ago by Kent Amos of Washington, D.C., UFI
works with Weed and Seed site coordinators to prepare adult volunteers from
the community for their Kids House experience. UFI provides the technical
expertise and training to site staff and volunteers, who then go on to manage
"house operations." Each Weed and Seed site coordinator is responsible for
monitoring the activities of Kids House staff and volunteers. After training, the
daily responsibility shifts to the volunteers and the "house" operates within the
Weed and Seed site independent of UFI.

The first two Weed and Seed sites to coordinate a Kids House were the
Northwest Austin (Chicago, Illinois) Kids House, serving 15 children in a
church basement, and Carver Terrace (Washington, D.C.) Kids House, serving
70 children in subsidized housing. Both opened in 1998. In 1999, EOWS
awarded UFI a second year of funding to expand to six additional Weed and
Seed sites. A Kids House opening celebration in Wichita, Kansas, in January
kicked off the 1999 Kids House efforts. The New Orleans Kids House, which
opened in 1999, recently expanded its facilities to accommodate 60 children.
And expanding their original Kids House program (started in 1999), Lakeland,
Florida, staff recently coordinated three new satellite sites.

The Fifth Annual Kids House Conference in Orlando, Florida, in November
1999 wrapped up the year's efforts. Attendees participated in challenging
discussions, informative workshops, and networking activities. For more
information on Kids House, call Meredith Neilsen at EOWS, 202-616-1152. 


Kids House: One Site's Year in Review

Carrie L. Jones
Wichita/Sedgwick County Weed and Seed Coordinator

The Wichita/Sedgwick County, Kansas, Weed and Seed places special
emphasis on involving the community's children in its efforts. As a result, in
1999 the Wichita Metropolitan Family Preservation Agency, Inc., administrator
of the Weed and Seed project, joined the nationwide Kids House program,
coordinated by the Urban Family Institute.

In the past year, the Wichita/Sedgwick County Kids House participants have
been involved in many community events. First, Weed and Seed site staff
organized an "Open House" to introduce the Kids House program and its
services to the community. Staff also coordinated an effort to recruit more than
40 children and 14 community volunteers, including local Wichita police
officers, for the program.

In October 1998, children participated in the local Harvest Fest and were
treated to old-fashioned hayrides. The following month, Kids House
participants and their families helped prepare a Thanksgiving feast for the
community. These Kids House efforts have served to reinforce the importance
of family while providing support for children who otherwise have little support
in their life.

In December 1998, a holiday party was organized and enjoyed by Kids House
participants. Children enjoyed plenty of food and beverages donated by area
restaurants. Officers from the Wichita Police Department's North Station
dressed up as Santa's helpers to distribute wrapped presents to each child.
Gifts were provided through a donation from the Boeing Company's Wichita
office.

Kids House kept its efforts and spirit going through 1999. By summer the
program assigned two youth workers as assistants to the Kids House
coordinator. Summer activities included free swimming sessions through the
City of Wichita Parks and Recreation Department, free tennis lessons by the
Centre Court Community Tennis Association, Inc., a tour of artist/photographer
Gordon Parks' exhibit at the Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art on the campus of
Wichita State University, and an exploration into the world of science at the
Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas.

The Kids House daily schedule is designed to cover a range of life skills and
educational activities, including tutoring in subjects such as math, English, and
science. Children are surrounded by loving adults who teach them respect for
themselves and others, problemsolving and proper decisionmaking skills, table
manners, and how to control or handle their everyday environment.

Since its inception, the Wichita/Sedgwick County Kids House has affected the
lives of more than 100 children and families. Adults in the community have
come to recognize the benefits of the program and rely on the services provided
by Kids House. As the Kids House program enters its next year, Program
Coordinator Sandra Woodberry anticipates even higher numbers of volunteer
participants. For more information about the Wichita/Sedgwick County Kids
House, please call 316-269-0488. 

----------------------------

Visual Voices

Visual Voices: Uniting Youth

An EOWS-supported project receiving much acclaim in 1999 is the Visual
Voices Project, created and coordinated by Michael Yonas, the Kids House
project's original Director. An 86-foot section of the Visual Voices Project was
displayed at the Weed and Seed 1999 National Conference in Houston, Texas.

Visual Voices is an educational and artistic experience designed to bring
children of all ages and backgrounds together. Positioned on the floor with large
squares of brown paper and numerous cans of paint, youth are given
paintbrushes and encouraged to express themselves. Yonas asks the children to
paint scenes of their homes, schools, community centers, families, or any other
aspect of their lives. During interactive painting and writing sessions with
children from a community, Yonas places great emphasis on cultivating the
uninhibited creative energy within each child rather than directly teaching
drawing skills.

In addition to the painting activity, children participate in a writing experiment in
which they are asked to write about their favorite places, favorite people, and
visions of the future. These writings are composed on plexiglass that is hung in
front of the paintings to provide a layered effect. Not surprisingly, many children
express in their writings that their favorite person is "Mr. Yonas."

"There is a tremendous amount of media attention directed toward youth
violence, gang activity, and the prevalence of illegal drug use in the Nation's
inner-city communities. Despite this attention, the true, honest, and uninhibited
views of children living with these communities often go unnoticed--leaving
many positive messages unheard," Yonas said.

When asked to share the most common themes in the children's work, he
answers, "It depends more on the age group, but overall the themes are very
positive--bright suns, beautiful rainbows, butterflies, families standing together...
and little boys like sports a lot. What is most interesting [is what they have in
common:] these kids are just incredibly resilient." 

In its entirety, the Visual Voices Project is more than 1,000 feet long and has
involved more than 550 children. The project continues to grow and schedule
exhibits across the country. In the year 2000, Visual Voices will continue to
collect paintings and writings from children in various cities, including Weed and
Seed sites. Yonas plans to add another "layer" to the project by incorporating
audio recordings of children expressing themselves vocally as they create their
writing and painting pieces. When on display, sensors will trigger the audio
portion of the Visual Voices exhibit as viewers walk by.

The Visual Voices Project is designed to become a nationwide effort that will
bring together the expressions of children of various ethnicities and cultures and
grow to embrace and exhibit the energy of today's youth. For more information
on this project and how to become involved, send an e-mail message to
Michael Yonas at myonas1@aol. com. 

----------------------------

Euclid Children Hand Over Gun

Ruby Lee Gamble
News Herald Staff Writer

WILLOUGHBY, OH, July 13, 1999.--A gun in the hand of any child is a
tragedy waiting to happen, but six Euclid youths showed that some kids are
responsible enough to make the right decision.

Tyeje Worthington, 7; Jevon Worthington, 12; Chayneil Brandon, 9; William
Brandon, Jr., 8; and Jarrell Minor, 7, all were playing last Wednesday near
their home, in the southeast quad-rant of Euclid, by the Community Policing
Mini-Station, when they spotted a gun in the bushes.

Jarrell said that is when he remembered what he was taught in school about
guns and took action.

"I ran in the house and had someone call the police," Jarrell said.

The youngsters reported the weapon to their 13-year-old baby-sitter, Andrea
Mann, who said she immediately called the police. By the time the police had
arrived, another unidentified young person had placed the gun in the trash.

"As soon as Jarrell told me that there was a gun outside, I called the police,"
Andrea said. "I believed him immediately because I knew he wouldn't play
about something like that."

Jarrell said he told the other children not to touch the gun, because that is what
he was taught in his Eddie Eagle training at school.

"The officers taught us if we see a gun we are to stop, don't touch, leave the
area, and tell the cops," Jarrell said.

Chayneil, William and Jarrell all had taken the Eddie Eagle class at their
elementary school. The course is taught by a community policing officer who
trains the students in gun safety.

Jevon said he was scared when the other child picked it up because he thought
he would fire it.

"I told him he should leave it alone and we all ran to the baby-sitter," Jevon
said.

The children were honored for their heroism Monday afternoon at the mini-
station. All of the young people, including the baby-sitter, received certificates
of honor as well as ice cream sundaes.

Charles G. Eduardos, community policing specialist, said what made these
children so special was the grave danger they all faced at the moment they
found the gun.

"That gun was loaded," Eduardos said. "That situation could have been a lot
worse, but because of the quick thinking of those children, things worked out."

Eduardos said police are continuing their investigation to determine where the
gun came from and how it got in the bushes.

"I am proud of the children," said Karen Minor, mother of Jarrell. "They
reacted so quickly which was the right thing to do. They didn't wait around.
They have been taught if there is a gun problem to call 911. I have tried to
teach them right from wrong so they will know what to do in a crisis."

Marqueda Worthington, mother of Tyeje and Jevon, said when she first heard
the news about the gun, the thought of what could have happened scared her.

"I was frightened by the thought that a gun could be laying around in the area
where they play every day," Worthington said. "The thought that they can come
across something like that--I am just proud that they knew what to do."

Mayor Paul F. Oyaski said the children's actions are an example of the fine
work the Weed and Seed Program is accomplishing in Euclid.

[Reprinted, by permission, from News Herald.]

----------------------------

NOWS
 
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and EOWS have entered into
a partnership to form the nonprofit National Organization for Weed and Seed
(NOWS). The mission of NOWS is to strengthen and support collaborative
Weed and Seed strategies through resource development, networking,
advocacy, training, and technical assistance. In early 1999, eight representatives
from Weed and Seed sites formed an advisory group to draft goals and
objectives for the developing organization.

Many advisory group members had been interested in and working toward
establishing a national organization for the past few years. They understood the
common need for a forum through which sites could connect with each other to
share experiences and resources and sustain the Weed and Seed movement in
the future.

The advisory group, which has become the NOWS Organizing Board, consists
of Chairperson Marisol Lopez, Mayor's Office, Rochester, New York; Vice
Chair Dick DeLaRosa, Gang Policy Manager, San Jose, California; Vice Chair
Franklin Simpson, Weed and Seed Coordinator, Las Vegas, Nevada;
Secretary Roberto Frietz, Weed and Seed Coordinator, Phoenix, Arizona;
Calvin Bird, CDC Executive Director, Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Gwen
Bolden, Executive Director, Gwen Bolden Youth Foundation, and Safe Haven
Coordinator, Los Angeles, California; Sean Cruz, Victory Outreach
International Church, and President and CEO, National Association of Safe
and Drug-free Workplaces, Portland, Oregon; and Beverly Watts-Davis,
Executive Director, San Antonio Fighting Back, San Antonio, Texas.


The work of NOWS and its Board is being supported by NCPC, a private,
nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent crime and build safer, more
caring communities. 

With the hard work of the NOWS Board members and support from NCPC,
a vast array of services and products have been made available to Weed and
Seed communities in the 6 months that NOWS has been in operation. To
ensure sites have up-to-date information, NOWS has sent out a number of
ALERTS--briefings on issues of particular relevance to Weed and Seed sites.
These briefings are sent by e-mail or fax to all site contacts (more than 1,200)
listed in the NOWS membership database. NOWS sent a Congressional
Briefing Kit to sites in early May, providing information on how to contact
members of Congress and how to involve them in Weed and Seed work in
local communities.

NOWS has also issued Program, Practice, and Policy Briefs that focus on
creative approaches or critical issues for Weed and Seed members. The first
four Briefs were:

o "The Jason Network," featuring the Winston-Salem Police Department's
response to repeat juvenile offenders.

o "The Boston Gun Project," focusing on the model and successes of the
Boston Gun Project, a collaborative effort between Harvard University, the
Boston Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the
U.S. Attorney's Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, and the Suffolk District Attorney's Office.

o "Partnership for a Safer Cleveland," describing this independent nonprofit
organization dedicated to increasing safety through collaborative educational
and programmatic efforts.

o "Drug Courts," describing the use of drug courts as an alternative to criminal
courts to provide supervised treatment, drug testing, and transition programs for
drug offenders.

NOWS took over the Weed and Seed Best Practices publication for fall 1999,
writing articles on community policing efforts in San Jose, California; law
enforcement in Salt Lake City, Utah; neighborhood revitalization in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania; the Prevention Through the Arts program in Syracuse, New
York; and examples of the benefits of networking across sites.

Additional "hands-on" work NOWS has done with Weed and Seed sites
includes participating in the Northeast Regional Weed and Seed Meetings,
connecting Oklahoma vicinity sites with a free Youth As Resources training
opportunity, and conducting a pilot training of "Community Wealth Enterprises"
with 14 Weed and Seed sites in central Florida, which developed ways to link
citizens and/or corporations with the Weed and Seed mission. Early in the year
2000, Weed and Seed sites will have the opportunity to obtain training on the
topic of teens, crime, and community works. This train-the-trainer workshop
will be offered free of charge to Weed and Seed site teams in five regions.

Thanks to the linkage between NOWS and NCPC, all Weed and Seed sites
have become members of the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, a
nonpartisan group of more than 125 national, State, Federal, and community-
based organizations united to encourage individual citizens and citizen groups to
take action to prevent crime. It is hoped that this membership will help Weed
and Seed sites strengthen the alliances and working relationships they may have
with their State-level crime-related associations and will link sites more closely
with national partners.

Who can join NOWS? Any and all Weed and Seed sites. Simply call Marilyn
Morey at the NOWS office, 202- 261-4174. Multiple representatives from a
Weed and Seed site may be listed in the NOWS database. Every person in the
database will receive information, ALERTS, articles, and briefings distributed
by NOWS. 

NCPC will manage NOWS at its headquarters:

National Crime Prevention Council
1700 K Street NW., Second Floor
Washington, DC 20006-3817 

----------------------------

Northwest Austin's Weed and Seed Gang Task Force Scores a Big Success

P.J. Brand
Supervisory Special Agent
FBI Joint Task Force on Gangs

During the late evening hours of May 7, 1999, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) Joint Task Force on Gangs (JTFG) and members of the
Chicago Police Gang Investigation Section executed a search warrant on a
second-floor apartment and garage in the Austin District of Chicago, Illinois.


This cooperative law enforcement action resulted in confiscation of 41
kilograms of cocaine, with a street value in excess of $4 million, along with
approximately $440,000 in cash. Also recovered were two handguns--a
semiautomatic Intratec 9 mm Luger and a Ruger .44 magnum revolver.
Arrested and charged with numerous Federal drug violations were three
residents of the Austin District, ranging in age from 25 to 42. All were
suspected street gang members.

This was not the first successful investigation conducted by JTFG in Austin.
JTFG also conducted the 1995-1999 "FlySwat" investigation of the Traveling
Vice Lords and their ties to seven corrupt police officers, which had a great
impact on the Austin community. The Task Force was the recipient of the local
Ida B. Wells' Weed and Seed Asset Forfeiture Funds, which resulted in the
1994-1997 "WellCap" investigation of Lawrence McCarroll, leader of the
Gangster Disciple gang in control of heroin distribution at the Wells housing
complex; eight members of his organization were federally convicted of
conspiracy and drug-related charges, and McCarroll was sentenced to 33
years in Federal custody.

Chicago's Austin District Weed and Seed is a sponsor of the FBI's JTFG,
comprising gang specialists from the Chicago Police Gang Unit, police officers
from the Chicago Housing Authority Police Department, and FBI agents. 

----------------------------

National Night Out 1999

Congratulations Houston/ Harris County, Texas!

Houston/Harris County was selected as the top-ranked Category 1 Area
(population greater than or equal to 250,000) and received the SC Johnson
National Night Out 1999 Award.

The Houston/Harris County National Night Out drew 61,685 people, including
more than 100 attendees of the Weed and Seed 1999 National Conference,
Communities of the New Millennium.

For highlights of 1999's grand event, visit www.natw.org. Planning for National
Night Out 2000 on August 1 is under way!

----------------------------


Winners

HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo Awards Honolulu Weed and Seed

Andrew Cuomo, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), presented the Weed and Seed initiative in Honolulu,
Hawaii, with 1 of 100 "Best of the Best" Best Practices Awards at a special
ceremony on July 24, 1999, in Kansas City, Missouri. Honolulu's Weed and
Seed initiative, recognized for its outstanding and innovative uses of community
resources, was selected from more than 3,000 Best Practices submissions from
across the country. U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Steven Alm
accepted the award on behalf of the community. Present were Weed and Seed
partners from the police department, city management, and the target
community. "The Best Practices Awards are HUD's equivalent to the Academy
Awards, given for an outstanding performance in service to American people,"
said Cuomo.

A HUD Best Practice is defined as a program or project, management tool, or
technique that generates a significant positive impact on those it is intended to
serve; can be replicated in other areas of the country, region, or local
jurisdiction; demonstrates the effective use of partnerships among government
agencies, nonprofit organizations, or private businesses; and displays creativity
in addressing a problem and demonstrates effective leveraging of resources.

The Weed and Seed initiative focuses on providing a safer environment for
residents and businesses in the Kalihi-Palama/Chinatown area of Honolulu and
has been successful in reducing crime by more than 50 percent in one of
Honolulu's highest crime areas. Weed and Seed partners include HUD's
Honolulu field office, the local U.S. Attorney's Office, the Housing and
Community Development Corporation of Hawaii, the city and county of
Honolulu, Aloha United Way, and the Honolulu Police Department. Honolulu
was awarded Weed and Seed Official Recognition in 1998. Visit
www.HUD.gov/bpawards/index.html for more information on HUD's Best
Practices Awards and a listing of 1999's Best Practices winners. 

San Antonio Resident Wray Hood Wins National Award

Norma Rabago
Director of Communications
San Antonio Fighting Back of United Way

It may not have been the Publishers Clearing House van that pulled up to Wray
Hood's door, but it was just as exciting. Neighbors and friends gathered on the
front lawn of Hood's home to officially notify her that she was the recipient of a
reputable national award. 

"We are just so proud of Wray Hood and the Coliseum/Willow Park
Neighborhood Association for their successful crime prevention efforts," said
Willie Mitchell, San Antonio Fighting Back (SAFB) Board Chairperson. "Wray
Hood is truly a crime prevention hero." 

Hood was one of seven winners of the National Crime Prevention Council
(NCPC) Ameritech Awards of Excellence in Crime Prevention. Winners were
chosen from more than 100 nominations submitted to NCPC from across the
country. Hood was the only winner from Texas. SAFB Executive Director
Beverly Watts-Davis was notified 2 weeks prior to the official announcement
that Hood was a recipient of the award and was asked to plan a surprise
announcement that included family, friends, and colleagues.

SAFB nominated Hood for the successful efforts of the Coliseum/Willow Park
Neighborhood Association under her leadership from 1993 to 1997. The
Association worked with city and State agencies to have more than 50
abandoned duplexes torn down and replaced with a new subdivision, Coliseum
Oaks. Hood now serves as the community liaison for the Association. The
Coliseum/Willow Park neighborhood is part of the San Antonio East Weed and
Seed target area.

"Thank you so much, everyone. I just want to say that this award means that
we just have to roll up our sleeves and work that much harder," Hood said after
Mitchell presented her with a bouquet of roses, two plaques, and a dozen
balloons.

Ameritech Awards guidelines require that winners be successful in at least four
of the following crime prevention areas: overcoming hardships or limitations to
prevent crime; creating a crime prevention policy or program that has endured;
developing a novel crime prevention policy, program, or funding strategy;
forging crime prevention partnerships; spurring citizen action; demonstrating
results of crime prevention efforts; and influencing community, State, or national
policy.

"Ameritech is proud to honor these winners," said William Boag, Director of
Corporate Contributions for Ameritech. "These seven individuals represent the
best in our communities." 

NCPC and Ameritech established the Ameritech Awards of Excellence in
Crime Prevention in 1997 to honor ordinary individuals who have done
extraordinary things to prevent crime and build safer, more caring communities.

In a letter of endorsement sent to NCPC as part of Hood's nomination, District
2 Council Member Mario Salas wrote, "I am not only proud of her
accomplishments but more importantly I am grateful for her efforts. It has been
a great honor to know Ms. Hood and to work with her as we strive to maintain
the peace and tranquility of our community." An awards program to recognize
the winners was held November 4, 1999, at the National Press Club in
Washington, D.C.

For more information on the Ameritech Awards of Excellence call 202-261-
4165 or visit www.ncpc.org/power99/amtech.htm. 

----------------------------

Does your neighborhood include any award-winning residents? In-Sites would
like to learn about the people in Weed and Seed sites who receive local or
national awards in recognition of their achievements in their communities. Please
send an e-mail to askeows@ojp.usdoj.gov or a letter to EOWS telling us about
your local winners.

----------------------------

Initiatives

Students Make a Pledge Against Gun Violence

Students in a growing number of school districts today enter school through
metal detectors, are banned from carrying book bags, and are monitored by
sophisticated video systems. Many schools are doing away with lockers
altogether. In Houston, Texas, an elementary school now requires visitors to
use a doorbell to enter the school.

Sadly enough, we closed this century with gun wounds being the second most
common cause of death among 10- to 24-year-olds and 13 percent of our
Nation's students saying they know a student who has brought a gun to school.
Despite heightened public attention following a surge in gun violence in
America's schools, overall school crime rates are declining, according to the
1999 Annual Report on School Safety prepared jointly by the U.S.
Departments of Education (ED) and Justice. The number of firearms found in
U.S. schools dropped by 30 percent in 1997-1998 compared with the
previous school year, according to a recent ED report.

"I am pleased that crime has gone down in schools across the country and that
students continue to be safer in school than out of school," U.S. Attorney
General Janet Reno said. "We need to continue these efforts which have
contributed to this decline and take further steps to address those areas where
improvement is necessary. There is nothing more important than making sure
that our schools provide our young people with safe learning environments."

----------------------------

"I will never bring a gun to school; I will never use a gun to settle a dispute; I
will use my influence with my friends to keep them from using guns to settle
disputes.

"My individual choices and actions, when multiplied by those of young people 
throughout the country, will make a difference. Together, by honoring this
pledge, we can reverse the violence and grow up in safety."

----------------------------

While school districts across the country and Federal and State agencies study
the causes of violence in schools, students themselves are making strides in
increasing participation in their own resolution. The fourth annual Day of
National Concern about Young People and Gun Violence, held October 21,
1999, brought heightened awareness to the cause of securing safety in
America's schools. Thousands of school districts nationwide participated in this
prevention effort by dedicating the day to activities focused on the community. 

In 1998, the effort was celebrated by 1 million students signing the "Student's
Pledge Against Violence" (above). While the number of school slayings
decreased in 1999 (24 total in 1999, down from 40 in 1998), the number of
student pledges almost doubled. Close to 2 million students signed the pledge in
1999 (compared to 1 million in 1998) and many schools extended the 
awareness-building tradition from 1 day to several weeks. 

The first Day of National Concern was in 1996, established by a Presidential
Proclamation urging all Americans to commit themselves to helping the Nation's
youth avoid violence. Each year increasingly more students make a strong
collective statement renouncing the violent use of guns by signing the pledge.
The Day of National Concern initiative is certain to maintain its momentum. For
more details about 1999 activities and information on how to participate in the
year 2000 effort, visit www.pledge.org or send an e-mail to
mlgrow@microassist.com.

The 1999 Annual Report on School Safety is available by calling 1-877-4ED-
PUBS. 

CHIP Enrolls More Than 1 Million Children

The U.S. Department of Justice, in cooperation with other Federal agencies
and nonprofit groups, has made a commitment to provide health insurance to as
many eligible children as possible. Recent efforts supported by the Federal
Government such as 5 Goals for Kids and the Back to School Campaign are
broader initiatives stemming from the Children's Health Insurance Program
(CHIP) law passed by Congress in 1997. Surveys reveal that since 1998 close
to 1 million children have acquired health insurance through CHIP in 43 States
and U.S. territories. However, much work remains to be done in 2000. In an
October 1999 address, President Clinton announced that more than 10 million
children remained uninsured nationwide. Today many families are not aware
that their children qualify for free or low-cost health insurance. 

The Children's Health Insurance Program is the most significant improvement in
access to health care for children since the creation of Medicaid in 1965. CHIP
is a State-Federal partnership program that gives States three options for
covering uninsured children: designing a new children's health insurance
program; expanding current Medicaid programs; or a combination of both
strategies. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has
now approved CHIP plans for all 50 States, 5 U.S. territories, and the District
of Columbia. Additionally, 28 amendments to CHIP plans have been approved
to enroll even more children. It is estimated that more than 2.6 million children
will be covered by September 2000. To help State and local outreach efforts,
President Clinton and the National Governors' Association recently launched
the Insure Kids Now Hotline, 1-877-KIDS-NOW, and the Insure Kids Now
Web site, www.insurekidsnow.gov. 

The Insure Kids Now Hotline is a national toll-free number that parents or
other interested persons can call and be automatically routed to the proper
agency in their State for information about free or low-cost health insurance for
their children.

The Insure Kids Now Web site offers information on children's health insurance
coverage in each State or territory, information on how to apply for coverage,
and guidelines for determining whether families qualify for a free or low-cost
plan. For a more detailed review of CHIP, see the HHS Web site
www.os.dhhs.gov/news/press/. 

The Millennium Green Project


Weed and Seed cannot take credit for dreaming up the name "Millennium
Green." However, EOWS is joining numerous Federal offices and agencies to
participate in the Millennium Green project, a national, interagency initiative of
the White House Millennium Council to encourage the creation of healthier,
more livable community environments for the year 2000 and beyond.

Millennium Green is a national project of the White House Millennium Council,
led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in partnership with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the
U.S. Department of Justice. Millennium Green will highlight the many worthy
environmental endeavors already in operation and foster the creation of many
new efforts across the country to preserve our Nation's treasures.

For the Millennium Green project, a coalition of citizens, businesses, and
nonprofit and government organizations will embark on community and
environmental improvement activities over the year 2000. EOWS will provide
information about activities that Weed and Seed neighborhood residents can
participate in to improve the quality of life in their communities, including
planting gardens where vacant, debris-ridden, and dangerous lots now stand.
One activity, coordinated by the nonprofit America the Beautiful Fund, will
provide flower and vegetable seeds to plant 2,000 Millennium Gardens at
schools, community gardens, parks, and libraries and along roadsides,
riverbanks, and main streets in all 50 States.

Goals of Millennium Green

In 2000-2001, Millennium Green will strive to:

o Plant or adopt one tree for each person in the United States.

o Establish 2,000 Millennium Gardens across the country.

o Encourage corporate America to plant, adopt, and/or protect one tree or
community garden for each employee and client during 2000-2001.

o Encourage corporate America to work with national, State, and local tree
planting, garden, and conservation groups.

Free seeds are available to make the millennium green through the America the
Beautiful Fund. During the millennium year (January 1 to December 31, 2000),
the White House will lead a national millennium program with the theme "Honor
the Past--Imagine the Future" that will engage Americans in a wide variety of
activities and initiatives designed to highlight our heritage, celebrate our
creativity, and shape our future. For more information and to order seeds for
your community, contact America the Beautiful Fund at 202-638-1649. 

----------------------------

Weed & Seed Photo Gallery

For the Millennium Issue of In-Sites, EOWS sorted through hundreds of
photographs submitted by Weed and Seed sites in 1999 and selected
unpublished photos that portray the spirit of Weed and Seed. They are the
images from our community. Whether the photos capture the concentration on
the face of a young man serving in the color guard at a Mobile Community
Outreach Police Station (MCOPS) ceremony in Washington, D.C., or a
woman jumping up in excitement at a rally in Arkansas, they are images
portraying the diversity, spirit, strength, and accomplishment that emanate from
the Weed and Seed community. We hope that you enjoy these photographs as
much as we do and that you will send us new photos in the coming year. 

----------------------------

The EOWS Community Training Broadcast Series: "Domestic Violence and
Sexual Abuse" 

Domestic violence is a serious crime that often results in severe injury and even
death. In the United States in 1996, women were the victims of 840,000
incidents of rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault at the hands
of an intimate partner, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The
percentage of female victims killed by intimate partners has remained steady at
about 30 percent since 1976. 

As domestic violence awareness has increased, it has become evident that
abuse can occur within a number of different types of relationships. Laws in
many States cover incidents of violence occurring between married couples, as
well as abuse of children and elders by family members and abuse between
roommates, dating couples, and those in lesbian and gay relationships. EOWS's
satellite broadcast on Thursday, February 17, 2000, explored these issues and
their impact on community health. Special attention was given to what
communities can do to prevent domestic violence. 

This broadcast is Part III of the EOWS Community Training Broadcast Series.
On Thursday, April 20, 2000, EOWS will broadcast Part IV, "Community
Policing: Experts Speak Out." To order free tapes of Weed and Seed satellite
broadcasts, please contact your EOWS Program Manager. 

----------------------------

Conference Corner

Weed and Seed Regional Meetings Series a Success

EOWS hosted a series of 12 regional meetings to help sites develop FY 2000
budgets and begin or continue regional peer-to-peer coordination. These
meetings replaced the grant application meetings sponsored regionally in the
past and were intended to help attendees prepare their FY 2000 funding
applications in accordance with U.S. Department of Justice requirements. 

Program development was coordinated by representatives from each region
with the assistance of EOWS Program Managers. The National Organization
for Weed and Seed (NOWS) provided additional program support. 

Meeting Program

Each regional meeting covered core topic areas, including grant budget
development and management, asset forfeiture funds budget development and
management, and training and technical assistance. Additional topics were
developed by site meeting coordinators to reflect the needs of the sites within
the region. Presenters experienced in specific practices, such as coordinating
with Federal agencies, or in trends, such as community-oriented lawyering,
were available for the regional meetings on request.

The first regional meeting was held in Albany, New York, October 19-21,
1999. This meeting for the Northeastern Region (comprising Connecticut,
Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and
Rhode Island) began at 1 p.m. on Tuesday and commenced at 12:30 p.m. on
Thursday to provide 2 full days for meetings yet accommodate morning and
afternoon travel (eliminating extra nights' lodging expenses). The outline for the
Albany Regional Conference proved successful and was repeated for the other
meetings held nationwide. 

EOWS will continue to coordinate and support training conferences throughout
the year. The regional meetings promoted intensive peer-to-peer mentoring to
help sites achieve the goals of their strategies, and sites are encouraged to
continue this dialog throughout the year. If your site would like to become
involved in planning future meetings for your region, contact your EOWS
Program Manager. 


----------------------------

Program Manager: Sharron Fletcher 
202-305-2358
States: Alabama, Georgia 
Date: January 10-12, 2000
Location: Savannah, Georgia

Program Manager: Robert Hendricks 
202-305-1909
States: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas
Date: January 19-20, 2000
Location: Houston, Texas

Program Manager: Faith Baker 
202-305-2586
States: Florida, U.S. Virgin Islands
Date: February 9-11, 2000
Location: Tampa, Florida

Program Manager: Stacy Larsen 
202-616-3556
States: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, South
Dakota, Washington
Date: February 16-18, 2000
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota

Program Manager: Romia Ray 
202-307-6031
States: Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C.
Date: February 16-18, 2000
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Program Manager: Eric Chin 
202-305-2723
States: Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia
Date: February 22-24, 2000
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

Program Manager: Sharron Fletcher 
202-305-2358
States: Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee
Date: February 22-24, 2000
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Program Manager: Ila Blue 
202-305-2713
States: California, Hawaii
Date: February 23-24, 2000
Location: San Diego, California

Program Manager: Eric Chin
202-305-2723
States: Illinois, Michigan
Date: February 27-28, 2000
Location: Detroit, Michigan

Program Manager: Robert Hendricks
202-305-1909
States: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah
Date: February 27-29, 2000 
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Program Manager: Ila Blue
202-305-2713
States: Minnesota, Wisconsin
Date: March 6-7, 2000
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

----------------------------

Web sight

In recent months the U.S. Department of Justice has updated and redesigned its
Web site to offer a more user-friendly gateway to the resources available from
the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). EOWS recently surveyed Weed and
Seed site coordinators to discover how they use the Internet and what
resources they search for. Many coordinators stated they wanted more
information on funding opportunities; below are a few Web sites that may be of
interest.

The Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education (OPCLEE) is
an OJP program office designed to increase the number of community police
officers with advanced education and training. OPCLEE also works to reduce
local costs of hiring and training new officers. The Police Corps Web pages,
located at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/opclee, provide information on funding
provisions and eligibility requirements. OPCLEE also provides scholarship
funds to dependent children of law enforcement officers killed in the line of
duty. For OPCLEE application information, visit
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/opclee/funding.htm.

Community-oriented policing, a fundamental part of the Weed and Seed
strategy, is a valuable resource for many communities. Sites will want to visit the
Web page for the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services at www.usdoj.gov/cops. The site features news and press
releases, information about current funding opportunities, a grantee list, and
career opportunities.

In November 1999, CrimeStat was released and made available for free
through the National Institute of Justice's Crime Mapping Research Center.
This computer software provides statistical tools to aid law enforcement
agencies and criminal justice researchers in their crime mapping efforts. Visit
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/cmrc/whatsnew/welcome.htmll to download a free copy.
While there, check out The Beat Book, mapping software designed for officers
to use on laptops in their cars or at substations. 

----------------------------

Conference Corner Announcements

The EOWS Law Enforcement Conference will be held in New Orleans,
Louisiana, May 30-June 2, 2000. This conference will provide core element
training on the role of law enforcement in implementing the Weed and Seed
strategy. Registration materials are available online at
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows. The deadline to register is April 20.

The Weed and Seed Special Emphasis Conference will be held in Miami,
Florida, September 6-8, 2000. This conference will highlight best practices
from Weed and Seed sites across the country. Information will be posted on
the EOWS Web site as it becomes available.

----------------------------

EOWS News

Congratulations

EOWS would like to congratulate all of the sites awarded Official Recognition
this year (see below). We welcome new sites to the Weed and Seed family and
look forward to seeing your efforts culminate in a positive change for your
community. We also thank our veteran sites for their continued efforts to make
Weed and Seed successful in their communities and for mentoring developing
sites. 

Farewell

The entire Weed and Seed community will surely miss EOWS Program
Manager Susan Tashiro. Susan worked closely with sites in the Western United
States for 21/2 years. In November 1999, Susan left EOWS for the Justice
Management Institute (JMI) in Washington, D.C. She will relocate to
Colorado, her home State, with JMI in early spring 2000. EOWS wishes her
much success in her new position.

EOWS Welcomes the Following Sites Awarded Official Recognition in 1999

Alabama
o Montgomery
o Selma

Alaska
o Anchorage

Arizona
o Flagstaff
o Winslow

Arkansas
o Texarkana

California
o Compton
o Oxnard (Second Site)

Connecticut
o Stamford

Florida
o Alachua County
o Homestead
o Orlando (Expansion Site)

Georgia
o Albany
o Cobb County
o East Point
o Macon

Illinois
o Village of Washington Park

Louisiana
o Algiers-Bywater
o La Fourche Parish
o Queensborough/Ingleside

Maryland
o Salisbury

Massachusetts
o Brockton

Minnesota
o Frogtown

Mississippi
o Tupelo

Missouri
o Independence

New Jersey
o Orange

New York
o Jamestown
o Poughkeepsie

North Carolina
o High Point
o Southeast Raleigh

Ohio
o Cincinnati
o Toledo-Lagrange
o Youngstown

Pennsylvania
o Homewood (Pittsburgh)
o West Philadelphia

Rhode Island
o Providence

South Dakota
o Rapid City

Tennessee
o Humbolt
o Memphis

Texas
o Aldine (Harris County)
o Ferguson Road Initiative
o Richmond
o South Dallas
o Texarkana

Virgin Islands
o Estate Bovine
o St. Croix

Wisconsin
o Racine

The Weed and Seed Grant Application Kit is now available. Contact EOWS at
202-616-1159 to order a copy.

----------------------------

Mark Your Calendar

March 25-28

The 13th National Youth Crime Prevention Conference will be held in Atlanta,
Georgia. This annual conference is organized by the National Crime Prevention
Council and Youth Crime Watch of America to educate youth and adults about
preventing crime, violence, and drug use and to provide youth with a forum to
express their visions as today's and tomorrow's leaders. Visit
www.ncpc.org/youthcon for more information, or call 202-466-6272.

March 29-April 2

The National Center for Women in Policing will hold Meeting the Challenges of
the 21st Century: Opportunities for Women in Law Enforcement in Baltimore,
Maryland. Approximately 6,000 individuals are expected to attend to learn
about innovations in policing, increasing and empowering women in policing,
and professional development. Exhibitors will include Office of Justice
Programs representatives for the National Institute of Justice, the Bureau of
Justice Assistance, and the Office for Victims of Crime. For more information,
please call 323-651-2532.

April 20

The next segment in the EOWS Community Training Broadcast Series,
Community Policing: Experts Speak Out, will be broadcast. EOWS Director
Stephen Rickman and leaders from law enforcement agencies across the
country will present guidelines for community policing to a live national
audience. Contact Jeni Cox, 972-309-4609, at the Law Enforcement Training
Network for information on how to connect to this live broadcast.

See Conference Corner on page 20 for a complete calendar of EOWS regional
meetings. Another conference resource is the recently launched National
Criminal Justice Reference Service Calendar of Events conference database
(eventcalendar,ncjrs.org), which offers a comprehensive list of conferences,
workshops, seminars, and other events relating to juvenile and criminal justice
and drug control policy. Use the calendar to identify events to attend or to
avoid scheduling conflicts with your own events.

----------------------------

Congratulations to Weed and Seed Recipients of the 1999 Director's
Community Leadership Award

Awarded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of
Justice

Donald Dade, Executive Director
Coalition for the Redevelopment of Unified Community Involvement and
Leadership, Inc. (C.R.U.C.I.A.L.)
Buffalo Weed and Seed
Buffalo, New York

Robert H. Harrison, Chief of Police, City of Texarkana
Texarkana Weed and Seed
Texarkana, Arkansas

Wayne E. Rawlins, Executive Director
Miami/Miami-Dade Weed and Seed
Miami, Florida

----------------------------

Mailbox

EOWS receives hundreds of queries from the field each month. Our Mailbox
section provides a forum in which to answer questions and share comments.
Via this shared line of communication, Weed and Seed sites can keep
themselves informed and up-to-date--so we need you to participate! E-mail
your questions and comments to askeows@ojp.usdoj.gov or mail them to
EOWS, 810 Seventh Street NW., Washington, DC 20531.

Weed and Seed Listserv

"I understand there is a listserv that distributes news and updates about Weed
and Seed to subscribers. How do I get my name on the distribution list?

Donya Phillippe
Query sent to askeows@ojp.usdoj.gov

To join the listserv, send an e-mail to melina@ilj.org The e-mail must be sent
from the address to be added to the distribution list and the subject line in the
header must contain the words "Weed and Seed Listserv." Subscribers to the
Weed and Seed Listserv will receive information about Weed and Seed
electronically.
 
Weed and Seed Promotional Materials

"Does EOWS have any informational pamphlets on Weed and Seed that sites
may distribute to businesses in the target area to inform them about Weed and
Seed?"

Dow Croyle
U.S. Attorney's Office
Dallas, Texas

Sites should contact their EOWS Program Manager and request a copy of the
overall strategy Fact Sheet or reference the EOWS Web site
(www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows). It is recommended that each site create a Fact
Sheet or brochure reflective of its own strategy. EOWS can provide details on
the overall history and implementation of the Weed and Seed strategy, but it is
important for sites to highlight the unique aspects of their individual strategies to
the members of the communities, including local businesses. In the past year,
sites have been very creative in tailoring information to suit the mission of their
marketing plan. EOWS now presents these materials in its exhibit at
conferences across the country to give sites examples of the possibilities of self-
promotion.