web1_20th.jpg

WBS adds Sexton, Erkamps, Scarfo in trades; Elliott, Lindberg headed to Belleville

web1_121804875-97a638d584a54be383061b340adbe547.jpg

Trump odd man out as presidents assemble for Bush funeral

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Planned Parenthood will remain downtown in a new location with a new landlord who said no surgical abortions will be done on site.</p><p>Businessman Thom Greco confirmed he owns the 101 N. Main St. building that will be the new site for Planned Parenthood&#8217;s Wilkes-Barre Health Center in January. Planned Parenthood Keystone in Allentown announced the move Wednesday in a press release.</p><p>&#8220;I am a deeply religious man and practicing Catholic and I believe in protecting the health and well being of women and their families. I do not believe it is my place to dictate my religious belief to others,&#8221; Greco said in an email.</p><p>&#8220;Although I believe that the decision to end a pregnancy must be left to a woman, her family and her faith, I can share that surgical abortions will not be offered at this site,&#8221; he added.</p><p>Planned Parenthood&#8217;s interest in providing &#8220;safe, legal abortion services&#8221; at its rented 63 N. Franklin St. location reportedly was the reason behind the Kirby Health Center Board&#8217;s decision not to renew the lease.</p><p>The Greco property is around the corner from Planned Parenthood&#8217;s rented space in Annex One of the Kirby Health Center. The move will end a more than 80-year relationship with the Kirby Health Center.</p><p><strong>&#8216;Thrilled&#8217; to stay open</strong></p><p>&#8220;We are thrilled to share that our doors will stay open and patients in Wilkes-Barre will have uninterrupted access to the basic reproductive health care services they depend on and located just a block away from our current location,&#8221; Melissa Reed, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Keystone in Allentown, said in a press release.</p><p>Reed had previously said the closest provider of abortion services is 60 miles away in Allentown and Planned Parenthood made a presentation in September to the board to seek &#8220;approval for further exploration of adding this service.&#8221; But less than a week after the presentation, a letter was hand-delivered to the local staff with notice that the lease would not be renewed. No explanation was given for the board&#8217;s decision, Reed said.</p><p>Planned Parenthood has been looking for another location to provide reproductive health care services since receiving the board&#8217;s letter. &#8220;Any future determination regarding the inclusion of abortion services will be made only after we secure a new location,&#8221; Reed had said.</p><p><strong>Zoned for clinics</strong></p><p>A broker engaged by Planned Parenthood reached out to Greco who said the North Main Street building &#8220;was located in a zoning designation that permitted medical clinics.&#8221;</p><p>The state was a previous tenant in the building and moved out in September, Greco said. He said the lease with Planned Parenthood is for approximately 2,000 square feet of space and for five years with renewal options.</p><p>People depend upon Planned Parenthood for a broad range of services that include birth control, cancer screenings, sexual health education and Greco said he believes it&#8217;s important that they continue to be made available.</p><p>&#8220;I believe Planned Parenthood Keystone has an important place in our community and to interrupt it after almost 85 years would not be fair to our community,&#8221; Greco said in an email.</p><p>Supporters of Planned Parenthood and its local center organized a rally on Nov. 24 on Public Square. Pro-life advocates protested at it.</p><p>In the press release, Reed thanked the supporters, saying: &#8220;They have built a movement in their community and have shown together we are unstoppable.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL120418planned-parenthood1-5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Planned Parenthood Keystone in January will relocate its Wilkes-Barre Health Center to 101 N. Main St. from the current location on North Franklin Street. The move will end a more than 80-year relationship with the Kirby Health Center that reportedly decided against renewing Planned Parenthood&#8217;s lease after it inquired about providing abortion services locally. The new landlord said surgical abortions will not be done on site. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL120418planned-parenthood1-5.jpg</photo0><caption0>Planned Parenthood Keystone in January will relocate its Wilkes-Barre Health Center to 101 N. Main St. from the current location on North Franklin Street. The move will end a more than 80-year relationship with the Kirby Health Center that reportedly decided against renewing Planned Parenthood&#8217;s lease after it inquired about providing abortion services locally. The new landlord said surgical abortions will not be done on site. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Moving to new site; landlord says no surgical abortions</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Planned Parenthood staying in WB; new landlord: no surgical abortions