Nebraska Planned Parenthood to Open Abortion Center in Lincoln

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   May 13, 2011   |   12:51PM   |   Lincoln, NE

The Planned Parenthood abortion business announced today it is consolidating two centers in the state capital and will merge them into one and begin doing abortions in the city that is home to the University of Nebraska.

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, which is based in Iowa but runs abortion centers in both states, said it has completed the purchase of a new building to house the merged Lincoln centers and the new facility is expected to open late Fall and will do abortions and offer some legitimate medical services for women.

“The new facility will allow us to expand services and provide quality care for more women, men and families in Lincoln,” President and CEO Jill June told AP.

The affiliate of the national Planned Parenthood abortion business previously announced it would expand in Nebraska with new facilities in Grand Island, Fremont, North Platte, Hastings, Norfolk and Kearney. Responding to the decision, the state legislature passed a bill prohibiting webcam abortions of the kind the affiliate uses in Iowa where women are denied an in-person meeting with a physician before being given the dangerous RU 486 (mifepristone) abortion drug that has killed several women in the United States and injured at least 1,100 more.

Julie Schmit-Albin, Executive Director of Nebraska Right to Life, told LifeNews.com pro-life advocates will continue opposing Planned Parenthood in Lincoln as they do currently.

“Planned Parenthood of the Heartland is feeding off of their parent organization’s new business model for the nation,” she said. “That model involves closing old facilities and consolidating into larger, mega centers, ostensibly to provide more services.  But another part of the new business model is that every Planned Parenthood must offer abortion.”

“As long as Planned Parenthood of the Heartland continues to provide surgical and chemical abortions, pro-lifers will remain a presence outside their facilities,” Schmit Albin added. “Lincoln Right to Life has had a consistent peaceful, prayerful presence outside Planned Parenthood’s South Street abortion facility ever since it opened in 1995. We are certain that Lincoln Right to Life’s sidewalk counselors and others will continue at the new facility, in whatever capacity they can.”

The new facility, according to the Lincoln newspaper, will be the first floor of an office building at 5631 S. 48th St., on the northwest corner of 48th Street and Old Cheney Road. That is the former site of the Veterans Administration benefits office. The current locations at 22nd and O streets and 37th and South streets will remain open until the new facility debuts, June explained.

It will be “a large, modern, beautiful state-of-the-art” health center, she told the Lincoln newspaper, saying it would be an 18,000 square foot center. She says Planned Parenthood currently has 6,000 customers at the Lincoln centers.

“We find it to be an ideal location,” she said. “We’re very, very excited about this important step forward in Lincoln.”