NewsChannel5 reports that Judge Peggy Foley Jones issued a 48-hour temporary restraining order on Monday to keep the hospital open. The emergency room, admissions, and other parts of the hospital will stay open for at least 48 hours.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich is leading the way to keep the hospital open. He held a town hall meeting on Monday at Our Lady of Lords on East 55th and Broadway, with possible plans to save St. Michael.

According to Kucinich, there's no financial justification for the closing. He says that the hospital has been making money, increasing its patient census and serving the community. Kucinich has filed a lawsuit to stop the closing.

"We're very confident that if a broad range of actions is taken, we have a chance to save the hospital," Kucinich said.

Primary Health Systems, the same company that shut down Mt. Sinai Hospital at University Circle two weeks ago, owns St. Michael. The company is also planning to shut down Mt. Sinai Medical Center East in Richmond Heights at the end of the month.

According to NewsChannel5, before the restraining order, PHS had already stopped accepting new admissions, and the emergency departments would have shut down within 48 hours.

But the Broadway neighborhood has no intention of doing nothing while St Michael closes its doors, WEWS reports.

According to NewsChannel5, another hearing will be held on Tuesday, to possibly extend the temporary restraining order.

"We are determined to take all possible steps to make sure this hospital is protected," Kucinich said.

On the eve of the "Super Tuesday" primary election, the congressman, who is up for re-election, is leading the charge to save the hospital.

Area residents, such as the Skrha family, hope that Kucinich can pull some strings to keep the hospital open. Dr. Joseph Skrha and his wife, Betts, met at the hospital years ago when it was called St. Alexis, as did Betts' parents. Their children, including former ward councilman John Skrha, were born here.

"They've killed this hospital," Joseph said. "It's a little sick. It has little problems, no question. But you don't kill somebody just to get rid of it."

For Virginia Pignatore, the closing of St. Michael Hospital is also personal, so much so that she planned to take a bus across town to the community meeting to fight it.

"If my mother got sick tonight, God forbid, and needed surgery tomorrow, what would happen?" Pignatore said.

Her mother has been a patient at St. Michael Hospital at least a half-dozen times over the last 30 years. It's the only hospital where her doctor practices.

"It's the most terrible thing I ever heard of," Mary Pignatore said. "What happens to me if I gotta run?"

People in the Broadway neighborhood and the city have expressed their concern over and over again -- no one wants another hospital to close, WEWS reports.

Mary, who will turn 83 this year, would like to see 100.

"But how will I live to be over 100 if they close the hospital?" she said. "I'll be dead."

Related Stories:

• March 6, 2000: St. Michael, Mt. Sinai East To Close
• January 2, 2000: Mount Sinai Closes Trauma Center
• March 17, 1999: Mount Sinai Medical Files For Bankruptcy