Word: parenthood
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...Illinois today, a federal judge is expected to hear an intriguing argument in the abortion debate. At issue: Is Aurora, Ill., a city of nearly 175,000 about an hour's drive west of Chicago, trying to stop Tuesday's scheduled opening of the nation's largest Planned Parenthood clinic because of political pressure from anti-abortion activists? Or was the clinic's true nature - that is, its Planned Parenthood genesis - not readily apparent to city officials when they originally approved permits for the building? Or is it a bit of both? The case is already one of the most...
...applied to build a 22,000-square-foot clinic on land zoned for medical use. The design's details included surgical rooms and various security features, such as bullet-proof glass. Construction proceeded. In July, however, local newspapers reported that Gemini is, in fact, a subsidiary of Planned Parenthood's local branch. Still, in August, the city routinely issued a temporary permit allowing the $7.5 million clinic to open on Sept. 18 with just two relatively minor provisions: install more exit signs, as well as glass at service counters. There seemed to be little legal questions about...
...course, Planned Parenthood is not just a company. And abortion opponents in this historically conservative suburb abutting cornfields were outraged. An assortment of groups, including churches, organized around-the-clock protests outside the clinic, which is tucked between a supermarket, a Blockbuster Video, and a cluster of upscale homes. The debate embroiled this city as has few other issues: City council meetings began drawing hundreds of abortion opponents...
...amid the outcry over alleged inconsistencies in the application and testimony of Planned Parenthood's executives, Aurora city officials announced on Aug. 30 that the clinic's opening would depend on a fresh review of its building permit. "These concerns were raised once this became high-profile, and people began looking back at the process," says Carie Anne Ergo, the city's spokeswoman. Last Wednesday, the city told Planned Parenthood it "had no intention of allowing you to open for business," according to court documents. On Thursday Sept 13, Planned Parenthood responded with a lawsuit in U.S. District Court attempting...
...sides of the debate have started calling "Ground Zero." Some simply prayed on the sidewalk behind the clinic. Many carried signs reading, KEEP ABORTIONS OUT OF AURORA. Cheryl Hartnett, a 52-year-old Aurora retiree, said her "heart broke" when she learned the clinic is owned by Planned Parenthood. "There will be political consequences" for city officials, she warned Saturday, surrounded by a clutch of protesters. Meanwhile, people who live in the homes near the clinic are fearful of potential violence. For much of the weekend, police officers stood guard in front of the entrance to a subdivision behind...