Turbeville says getting Lehigh cleaned up is working

New initiative is similar to Weed & Seed

"Bo Turbeville, chairman of what was called the Weed & Seed program out of the U.S. Dept. of Justice, says the name has been changed and more money has been included in the grants programs to help communities with problems with crime.

The Weed & Seed program has been successful in Lehigh for the last few years, Turbeville said.

"It has brought people together in the amount of cleanups of different communities and that is good. I think in the last few years we have had more than 500 people now who have worked together in the Weed & Seed initiative," Turbeville told a group of Chamber members last week.

Turbeville is chairman of the steering committee of the initiative that is now looking for a new name, from a local standpoint. He said it may become known as the Lehigh Acres Community Initiative or something like Lehigh Acres Cares.

"But what is changed is that we may be eligible for more money in grants to help our community. I think there is $40 million now available to communities that need help," he said.

In his update, he said Weed & Seed was an initiative that brought people together in Lehigh to pitch in and help each other clean up areas in designated areas where serious crimes have been reported.

The original Weed & Seed area, Turbeville said, was located from Lee Blvd. to Delaware to Leeland Heights to Richmond to Homestead Rd. and an area on Alabama Rd. to SR82. He said these areas had been pinpointed by the Sheriff's Office as the places where more serious crimes took place and needed attention from the community in addition to help from law enforcement. ...> MORE HERE <