All posts tagged: Idaho

An Episcopal camp offers queer Christians an affirming haven in Idaho

An Episcopal camp offers queer Christians an affirming haven in Idaho

Published by Sam Flores

(FāVS News) — The Episcopal Diocese of Spokane, Washington, has maintained Camp Cross — a 130-acre property on the west side of Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho — for more than a century. Each week throughout summer, the church hosts themed retreats, from Arts and Music Camp to Clergy Camp. One of those retreats is Queer Camp, a session for LGBTQ+ people and allies of all ages that the church has hosted since 2024. Its third year will run Aug. 28-31. “My hope is folks can know there is a place where they can be Christian and be their full self,” said camp director Alex Flannagan. “It’s not conditional, no one’s trying to change you, you’re fully welcome.” Idaho ranks low compared with other states in legal protections for LGBTQ+ people, according to Equaldex data, but the Episcopal Church in the region has marked its history differently. The Episcopal Church has historically supported LGBTQ+ expression in the Inland Northwest region. In 2025, under the direction of Bishop Gretchen Rehberg, the diocese became a major sponsor of Spokane …

A Pentagon List Overhaul Puts Mormon Church’s Christian Identity Back in the Spotlight

A Pentagon List Overhaul Puts Mormon Church’s Christian Identity Back in the Spotlight

Published by Sam Flores

The Pentagon’s revision to its list of Christian religions this week has reignited a nearly 200-year-old debate: Is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a Christian denomination? Most Latter-day Saints do see themselves as Christians. But there are many prominent Christian clergy and scholars who disagree, citing core differences in how they view God and the Trinity and revere a scripture that is not part of the two-testament Christian Bible. Utah U.S. Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis, both Republicans and Latter-day Saints, challenged the Pentagon’s exclusion of their faith from its list of Christian religions. It was part of the Department of Defense’s recent effort to significantly pare down a list of more than 200 religious affiliations that troops could choose from, deleting categories such as atheists, Unitarian Universalists, pagans and Wiccans. “Latter-day Saints are among the most patriotic, service-oriented individuals in our country,” Curtis posted on X in defense of his faith. “They are also unequivocally Christian — just look at who is in the name of the Church.” He also …

Bill Cassidy; Ebola; Musk vs. Altman; Idaho airshow : NPR

Bill Cassidy; Ebola; Musk vs. Altman; Idaho airshow : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Good morning. You’re reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today’s top stories Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana lost his bid for reelection on Saturday. He is one of seven Republican senators who voted to remove President Trump from office after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Cassidy finished last in a three-way primary. His failure to advance further illustrates Trump’s strong influence over the Republican Party. A two-term Republican, Sen. Bill Cassidy lost his reelection bid in Louisiana after voting to convict President Trump after the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Annie Flanagan for NPR hide caption toggle caption Annie Flanagan for NPR 🎧 Cassidy said this campaign should focus on the future rather than the past, but many Republican voters felt that voting to convict Trump was a betrayal, NPR’s Sam Gringlas tells Up First. Cassidy attempted to repair his relationship with Trump supporters while maintaining his independent streak. But …

Two Navy jets appear locked together in horrifying mid-air collision | US | News

Two Navy jets appear locked together in horrifying mid-air collision | US | News

Published by Sam Flores

The Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho has been placed on lockdown following a plane crash on Sunday. Two aircraft reportedly collided in mid-air before plummeting to the ground during the Gunfighters Air Show. The jets involved are believed to be two Boeing EA-18G Growlers. Shortly after the incident, Mountain Home Air Force Base issued a statement on social media. In a post they wrote, “An aircraft incident has occurred at Mountain Home Air Force Base during the gunfighter skies air show. “Emergency responders are on the scene. An investigation is underway and more details will be released as they become available.” The base’s statement did not include information regarding the condition of the pilots involved. However, the Associated Press reported that all four crew members escaped the crash unharmed. Eyewitnesses on social media reported observing four parachutes descending after the collision, indicating crew members had ejected prior to the jets colliding. Footage captured thick, black smoke billowing into the air moments after the two Navy jets struck one another. The Gunfighter Skies Air …

Four crew members ejected after military jets crash during US air show

Four crew members ejected after military jets crash during US air show

Published by Sam Flores

All four crew members were safely ejected after two navy jets crashed during an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. The collision involved two US Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington, said commander Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet. The jets were performing an aerial demonstration when the crash occurred, Ms Umayam said in a statement. She said the four crew members were being evaluated by medical personnel and the crash was under investigation. Read more from Sky News:Funding for Trump’s White House ballroom in jeopardyFinnish divers arrive in Maldives – as search for bodies continues Videos posted online showed four parachutes opening as the aircraft plummeted to the ground near the base around 50 miles (80km) south of Boise. No one at the military base was hurt, said Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho, which helped to plan the air show. Mountain Home said in a social media post that it was locked down following the …

Overflowing Idaho Prisons Are Sending Women With Good Behavior to ‘The Hole’

Overflowing Idaho Prisons Are Sending Women With Good Behavior to ‘The Hole’

Published by Sam Flores

On the nearly four-hour drive from a southeast Idaho prison, Kristine Scott was optimistic. One of 15 women transferred on April 3 to a minimum security prison in Boise, Scott was told she’d work at the community reentry center and live in one of the least restrictive facilities in Idaho’s prison system. But when the women arrived at the South Idaho Correctional Institution, Scott said staff told them there weren’t enough beds available in the dorms. Instead, she and five other women were led to a segregated housing unit usually reserved as punishment for inmates who violate the rules or pose a safety risk — a unit known to prisoners as “the hole.” For 23 hours a day, the women were confined in pairs to small cells with only a bunk bed, sink and toilet, said Scott, who is serving a four-year sentence for drug possession. Every morning at 7, Scott and her roommate were handcuffed and taken to what women described as a 4-by-5 foot cage outdoors for an hour of recreation. Except for …

Idaho Christians push back on transgender bathroom law

Idaho Christians push back on transgender bathroom law

Published by Sam Flores

(FāVS News) — The predominantly Christian Idaho Legislature recently passed a law banning transgender people from using sex-segregated bathrooms that align with their gender identity, but some Christian leaders in the state argue that the law is not Christian-like at all. The statute, which goes into effect in July, requires transgender people to only use bathrooms, changing rooms or similar facilities that align with their sex at birth — no matter what gender they identify as.   Although the measure was passed in March by legislators who start many meetings with a Christian prayer, not all Christians believe the law represents their faith.  “To hear that the state was actually trying to roll us back in history, instead of move us forward into a spirit of inclusion, was incredibly disheartening,” said Josh Lee, senior pastor with Boise First United Church of Christ.  The bill doesn’t only affect government spaces like city halls and libraries, but also applies to privately owned places that are generally open for the public, such as stores and religious venues.  Pastor Bob Lewis …

Dirk Kempthorne, former Idaho governor and U.S. Interior secretary, dies at 74 : NPR

Dirk Kempthorne, former Idaho governor and U.S. Interior secretary, dies at 74 : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Department of the Interior Former Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, testifies during a joint House Subcommittees’ hearing of Oversight and Investigations, and of Energy and Environment, regarding the role of the Interior Department in the Deepwater Horizon disaster, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, July 20, 2010. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP hide caption toggle caption Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Former Idaho Gov. and U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has died at age 74, his family said in a written statement Saturday. Kempthorne died Friday evening in Boise, the statement said. No cause was given. He had been diagnosed with colon cancer last year. “Beyond his public service, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose greatest joy came from time spent with family and the people he met along the way,” his family said. “He had a rare gift for truly seeing others — remembering names, stories, and the small details that made each person feel known and valued.” Kempthorne, a Republican, was elected mayor of Boise in 1985 at age 34, and he was credited with revitalizing …

Idaho Transgender Bathroom Bill Is the Strictest in the Nation and Likely Veto-Proof

Idaho Transgender Bathroom Bill Is the Strictest in the Nation and Likely Veto-Proof

Published by Sam Flores

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho lawmakers passed a sweeping bathroom ban Friday, approving legislation that would make it a crime for transgender people to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity, even inside privately owned businesses. If Republican Gov. Brad Little signs the bill, Idaho will have the strictest bathroom ban in the nation, subjecting people to time behind bars if they knowingly enter a bathroom, locker room or changing area that does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and sentenced to a year in jail for a first offense, or a felony with up to five years in prison for a second offense. Private businesses are included in Idaho’s bill At least 19 states, including Idaho, already have laws barring transgender people from using bathrooms and changing rooms that align with their gender in schools and, in some cases, other public places. The LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Movement Advancement Project’s tracking of the laws shows that three other states — Florida, Kansas and Utah — …

US Issues First Commercial Construction Permit for a Nuclear Reactor in Years to a Wyoming Project

US Issues First Commercial Construction Permit for a Nuclear Reactor in Years to a Wyoming Project

Published by Sam Flores

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Wednesday approved its first construction permit for a commercial nuclear reactor in eight years, one that will allow a Bill Gates-backed company to build a sodium-cooled reactor in western Wyoming. TerraPower filed for the permit in 2024 and construction is now set to begin within weeks. Completion of the up to $4 billion plant is targeted for 2030, according to TerraPower. Microsoft co-founder Gates, who is eyeing nuclear generation as a power source for the electricity-hungry data centers behind artificial intelligence, is a founder of TerraPower and its primary investor. “We have spent thousands of manpower hours working to achieve this momentous accomplishment,” TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque said in a statement. The TerraPower plant is set to be built near a coal-fired power plant that is being converted to burn natural gas outside Kemmerer, a town of about 2,500 people some 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of Salt Lake City. Gates and his energy company are seeking to develop a next-generation nuclear plant that would “revolutionize” how …