Second Planned Parenthood Clinic Opens in Omaha - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |

Second Planned Parenthood Clinic Opens in Omaha

Jonathan Athens

OMAHA (KPTM)--Abortion-provider Planned Parenthood opened it's second clinic in Omaha today but it's Chief Executive Officer said 97 percent of the services it will provide will be preventative care.

People who spoke with Fox 42 are divided over the clinic opening up.

"It's against God's plan for this country," said Lucy Koshiba. "We shouldn't be killing babies."

"I see nothing wrong with it. I don't know why there's a controversy," said Kristie Mayne.

The new clinic is the fifth in the area and will be the third to provide abortion services.

Abortion remains a hot button issue in Omaha. This past August pro-life activists rallied to stop the clinic from opening. Activists vowed to gather petitions objecting to Planned Parenthood's intent to open up another clinic.

Denny Hartford, a pro-life activist said today: "It's always a sad day when Planned Parenthood moves in and opens up shop in a community."

Hartford is Director of Vital Signs Ministry. He said his followers intend to protest through prayer and educate people going to the clinic about the realities of abortion.

Fox 42 took a look at abortion rates in Nebraska. According to statistics from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, abortions in the Cornhusker state have plummeted 60 percent over the past 20 years---from 6,346 in 1990 to 2,551 in 2009.

Of those 2009 figures, just over 50 percent of the women said they did not use birth control; just over 15 percent reported their birth control failed.

In only three cases, the mother's life was in jeopardy.

Planned Parenthood of Nebraska CEO Jill June said she thinks the drop is due to greater availability of contraceptives.