No suspects in Pullman Planned Parenthood arson probe

Nearly three months after the Pullman Planned Parenthood office was firebombed, police say there are no suspects in the case.

Pullman Police Cmdr. Chris Tennant said detectives followed lots of early leads to their logical conclusions, and in recent weeks the number of leads has diminished.

"It's kind of a waiting game at this point," Tennant said. "Solving crimes is not a linear thing, you can put in all the effort and not solve a thing."

He said the case remains active and one lead could offer detectives the information they need to move the investigation forward and make an arrest.

An award of up to $10,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest or conviction in the arson.

Tips and information can be given to police at (509) 334-2249.

While the investigation is moving slowly, Planned Parenthood officials have raised $225,000 of the $250,000 needed to repair their damaged facility - fenced-off and caution-taped on Southeast King Drive across from Safeway in Pullman.

Tanya Riordan, vice president of community outreach for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, said as of Monday repair of the facility was 70 percent complete, and Planned Parenthood hopes to have the facility reopened and in operation by the end of January.

Construction crews are working on the "finishing touches," Riordan said, painting and completing flooring, cabinets and light fixtures.

"They're ahead of schedule," she said,

Riordan said "Raise the Roof" fundraisers held at the Pullman Congregational Church and the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse in Moscow raised a total of about $15,000.

Also, the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund matched the first $20,000 of donations received from Washington universities' staff and alumni, and The Stranger raised $15,000 from donors across the country.

Riordan said the facility suffered more than $500,000 in damages, but couldn't give an exact number, as all items inside the health center were destroyed and some still need to be replaced.

She said the renovation will also include substantial security upgrades for the safety of patients and staff.

While Planned Parenthood's goal is to raise $250,000, Riordan said the organization will pay $250,000 out of its budget, and the remaining cost will be covered by insurance.

Planned Parenthood officials will be excited to get back to the health center, she said, since the temporary location is limited on space.

While Riordan said the group is fortunate to have the location, "it's not set up as a state of the art health facility like our health center."

They have seen a decline in visits.

"The number has definitely dropped," she said. "The space doesn't have the same capacity to serve as many patients as they once had."

The temporary facility at 745 N. Grand Ave., Suite 108, offers birth control, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, annual exams, cervical screenings and treatment, and education 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Josh Babcock can be reached at (208) 883-4630, or by email to jbabcock@dnews.com.