A judge recently dismissed an eviction notice served to the St. Mary's Health Center Medical and Dental Clinic in Wilmington, N.C., WECT reported Sept. 4.
Volunteers at the center said they received a notice from the Basilica of St. Mary in April telling them to vacate the building by July 1 with no explanation. Laura Vinson, executive director at the clinic, said the center had to stay open past the deadline because the staff couldn’t find a place to relocate and because the center still had patients to serve. The clinic was then served with an eviction notice in August.
The pastor of the Basilica of St. Mary released a statement Aug. 27 explaining that the church needs the space occupied by the clinic to expand its Catholic school. He also said the church wanted to allow the clinic to stay until the end of the year, but that the request was met with "inadequate response."
Ms. Vinson confirmed to WECT that a judge dismissed the eviction in small claims court, allowing the clinic to continue operating while working with the church on a new timeline.