Victorville mayor vows to fight Planned Parenthood over plans to open new clinic

The mayor of Victorville has pledged to fight plans by Planned Parenthood to open a “reproductive health center” in his city.

Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties has begun negotiations to occupy a 10,000-square-foot building that was once the site of a Chuck E. Cheese’s pizza restaurant in Victorville.

Planned Parenthood currently operates six “clinics” in Orange County and two in San Bernardino County. Its nearest facilities to Victorville are 40 miles away in San Bernardino and 25 miles away in Upland, both of which perform abortions. 

But, according to the Victorville Daily Press, Planned Parenthood officials say “there are no immediate plans to perform abortions at the Victorville location.”

“I don’t believe them for a second,” Victorville Mayor Ryan McEachron told the Daily Press. “I am 100 percent against it and I will fight it even if it costs me personally.”

McEachron, the newspaper reported, “is vowing to do everything in his power to stop the project because of Planned Parenthood’s willingness to provide that service at some of its nearly 800 health centers nationwide.”

While Planned Parenthood says it is still considering other locations in San Bernardino County, representatives of Planned Parenthood have already met with Victorville city staff members at the former Chuck E. Cheese’s site, the Daily Press reported.

Whether the mayor will be successful in his efforts to stop Planned Parenthood from coming to Victorville remains to be seen.

“The mayor may face an uphill battle, however, since his city’s code currently allows for medical offices in the area,” the Daily Press reported. “That means ‘there is no city discretion regarding the use, according to state law,’ Bill Webb, planning director for the Victorville, said in an email.”

Nonetheless, McEachron told the newspaper, he will seek at a minimum a public hearing before the city’s planning commission on Planned Parenthood’s plans.

The last abortion clinic in Victorville was operated by now-deceased abortionist Dr. Joseph Durante, who closed the Victorville location in 2004 “for lack of business.” The clinic, said the Daily Press, “drew protests over the 11 years it was open and right up until it shut down.”

READER COMMENTS

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 2:41 AM By D Balch
A man…politician no less…with integrity, honor, and courage. He’s willing to stand by his convictions “even if it costs me personally” he says. Oh, if there were only more politicians and leaders willing to actually sacrifice to do what is right. He states that he will “fight” this. God bless him!

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 5:31 AM By JMJ
I pray that he will be successful, as we had the same problem here in Fitchburg, Mass. and we lost because of city hall and it’s clowns. Of course, ‘pp’ will be doing abortions, but, for now, it won’t be surgical ones. God have mercy on us. +JMJ+

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 6:01 AM By PatC
God bless Mayor McEachron. Let’s pray that the good citizens of Victorville support the Mayor in his efforts to keep these baby killers out of their community. Absolutely nothing good can come from Planned Parenthood’s expansion drive.

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 6:36 AM By Jo Ann Reyes
Thank you Mayor McEachron for standing up to this horrible disease of abortion. Stand strong and I will pray for you as I know others will pray as well.

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 6:41 AM By Life Lady
The mayor could possibly garner a lot of support from the pro-life community, and continue to permit public protest of this proposed facility to open in the first place. I hope someone in the area takes up that task. There are a lot of teens in that area, it’s no wonder PP is interested.

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 6:44 AM By Janet
Our prayers are with you Mayor McEachron. God bless you.

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 6:51 AM By Noel
” I will fight it even if it costs me personally.” How many times do you hear that?!? More like “I’m against abortion, but you know, I have to obey the law.” God bless Mayor McEchron. We need more like him.

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 7:51 AM By Lynn
Since God is the sole judge of our actions, I have no doubt that He is watching and pleased with this man who stands up for the sanctity of life as each fetus in the womb becomes life NOT TISSUE the moment of conception, with the heart being the first organ to develop. A beating heart is life. Thank you May McEachron as God will reward you! for the lives you will save.

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 8:24 AM By MD
God Bless Mr. McEachron. He is acting more like a citizen of God’s world than a politician. Praise God.

Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2012 8:25 AM By OneoftheSheep
Yes, we want jobs. Life-affirming jobs. I stand with Mayor McEachron in his efforts to block this death-promoting agency from “nesting” in Victorville. Let’s seek a true abortion: the extirpation of such places from our communities. “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.”-Thomas Jefferson.