Controversy Continues Over The Now-Halted Plans For Supervised Safe Injection Site

Alecia Reid reports.

THE VIRUS ARRIVES HERE ON CBSPHILLY.COM.MEANWHILE IN OTHER NEWSTHE CONTROVERSY CONTINUES,OVER THE NOW HALTED PLANS FORA SUPERVISED SAFE INJECTIONSITE IN PHILADELPHIA."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERALYCIA REID IS LIVE WITH MOREON THE SITE'S OPPONENT WHO SAYTHEY ARE NOT LETTING UPDESPITE NEWS THAT THE FACILITYWILL NOT OPEN UPRIGHT NOW,ALYCIA.REPORTER: CONSTITUTIONALHEALTH PLAZA SAY THEY HAVECANCELLED STATE HOUSE'S LEASETO ALLOW THE NONPROFIT TO OPENUP HERE IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA.BUT THE QUESTION, REMAINS,WILL THE MONEY, AND TIME THATTHE GROUP INVESTED IN OPENINGUP THIS SITE, NOW JUST GO TOWASTE, OR WILL THEY BEGIN THEPROCESS OF WORKING WITH THECOMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH ASOLUTION, OR LOCATION THATWILL WORK FOR EVERYONE.FLASH BACK TO WEDNESDAYMORNING LEADERS REPRESENTINGSAFE HOUSE ANNOUNCED THEYWOULD OPEN UP A SAFE INJECTIONSITE FOR ADDICTS TO USE UNDERMEDICAL SUPERVISION RIGHT HEREON SOUTH BROAD STREET.THEY CONFIRMED THE LOCATIONBUT REMAIN TIGHT-LIPPED ONEVERY OTHER DETAIL INCLUDINGHOURS OF OPERATION OR EVEN THEDAY THAT IT WOULD OPEN.THAT SENT LOCAL LEADERS ANDTHE COMMUNITY, INTO A FRENZY,AS WORDS LEAKED ABOUT THE FACTTHAT THEY WOULD OPEN UP ASSOON AS MONDAY.ONE OF THE MANY SHOWINGSFRUSTRATION WAS COUNCILMANMARK SQUILLA WHO WAS ALSO,CONSIDERING THE SAFE INJECTIONSITE WHILE VISITING A SITE INCANADA WITH MAYOR KENNEY TOEVALUATE THE OPTION.HE WAS SHOCK, HOWEVER A DEALWITH SAFE HOUSE WAS BEING MADEUNDER THE TABLE WITH THE ANYCOMMUNITY INPUT WHATSOEVER.THE LACK OF INFORMATION,CONTINUE FROM WEDNESDAY ANDALL OF THURSDAY, WITH AREARESIDENTS AND POLITICIANSANGRY THAT THEY WERE NOTHEARING ANY CONFIRMED DETAILSABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING, ORWHAT THEY SHOULD EXPECT.THE CITY COUNCIL PROMISEDFUTURE ACTION IN A HEARING ONTHURSDAY ALONG WITH THE U.S.ATTORNEY FILING A REQUEST FORA STAY IN FEDERAL COURT BUT ITWAS THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THESAFE HOUSE LEASE CANCELLATIONTHURSDAY NIGHT THAT ARE TOEDTHEIR PLANS TO OPEN UP, TOCOME TO A HALT.THERE IS NOT GOING TO BEANY DANCING AT CITY HALL.RIGHT NOW THEY ARE MAKINGDEALS TRYING TO FIGURE OUTWHERE THEY CAN MOVE THIS.I HEARD DIFFERENT SITES ALONGTHE STRIP OVER HERE WERE PLANAND LOOKED INTO AND STUFF LIKETHAT, THE MCDONALD'S MAYBEDOWN THE ROAD.WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP.WE ARE CLAIMING VICTORY, OKAY.WE WON THE BATTLE BUT WE HAVEIN THE WON THE WAR.WE WILL KEEP PRESSING ON.THEY TRY TO MOVE THIS ANYWHEREIN PHILADELPHIA.REPORTER: WE ARE TOLD SAFEHOUSE HAS A COMMUNITY MEETINGPLANNED FOR MARCH 10TH, BUTCOMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY THATTHEY WILL CONTINUE TO RALLYON, AND STAND UP PHILLY ISPLANNING TO RALLY HERE RIGHTIN FRONT OF THE CONSTITUTIONHEALTH PLAZA ON SUNDAY, AT3:00 P.M.WE WILL HAVE MORE DETAILSCOMING UP FOR YOU LATER AT4:00, FIVE AND 6:00 P.M.REPORTING LIVE FROM SOUTH