By FāVS News Staff
Idaho
Idaho Faith-Healing Law Linked to Preventable Child Deaths
Pro-Publica produced two stories this week on the religious exemption offered in the state of Idaho that allows parents to withhold life-saving treatment to their children on the basis of their belief in faith-healing. One of the articles discusses the evolution of Idaho’s stance from once requiring parents to provide lifesaving medical care to children, with laws dating to the 1880s, to now offering such an exemption, which started in the 1970s into the present.
In the second article, ProPublica examined death records and found at least 15 babies and children from the Followers of Christ sect died between 2015 and 2025 from treatable illnesses. Experts said many deaths were preventable, including newborns who died from pneumonia and infections. Despite repeated efforts to change the law, Idaho lawmakers have preserved the exemption. Critics, including medical professionals and law enforcement officials, argue the protections allow needless suffering and preventable deaths.
Groups urge Congress to reject Idaho toxic waste dump land swap in defense bill
Nearly 100 national and regional organizations are urging Congress to strip a provision from the Senate’s defense spending bill that would transfer 700 acres of historic Shoshone-Bannock Tribal lands in Idaho to mining company J.R. Simplot for an expansion of a radioactive waste dump. The provision, authored by Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, and advanced by Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., would revive a land exchange that federal courts have repeatedly struck down as a violation of the tribes’ treaty rights, most recently in 2025.
Opponents, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and Snake River Waterkeeper, warn the expansion would further contaminate the Portneuf River and threaten downstream salmon runs through the Snake and Columbia rivers. The existing 500-acre waste stack, part of the Eastern Michaud Flats Superfund site, already holds millions of tons of phosphogypsum, a radioactive byproduct of fertilizer production linked to elevated arsenic, cadmium and selenium in nearby groundwater. A similar provision was left out of the House version of the bill.
Eastern Washington
Uchtdorf, Andersen minister to Spokane members after wildfires
Two apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited Spokane on Sunday to comfort members affected by three wildfires that burned thousands of acres, displaced tens of thousands of people and destroyed hundreds of homes in the area. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Neil L. Andersen met with about 1,300 Latter-day Saints from multiple stakes at the Spokane Washington North Stake center, with others joining by broadcast. The two also toured burned neighborhoods and visited with families who lost their homes.
During the meeting, Uchtdorf told members their suffering had not gone unnoticed, saying church leaders’ hearts reached out to them upon learning of the community’s losses. The visit came as part of a broader church effort to support wildfire survivors in the region weeks after the disaster.
ShineFest 2026 returns Friday with Colton Dixon and Kutless lead singer
ShineFest 2026, the rescheduled listener appreciation worship concert, takes place Friday, Aug. 28, at 6 p.m. at the Lilac Bowl in Riverfront Park. The free, non-ticketed community event will feature performances by Colton Dixon, Jon Micah Sumrall of Kutless, Mountains in the Sea and Riley Anderson. Gates open at 5:15 p.m., with RSVP early entry beginning at 4:30 p.m. The event also includes food vendors, nonprofit ministry booths and opportunities to support local food banks through donations of non-perishable food. A Kids Health Fair runs from 4 to 6 p.m. Families are encouraged to bring water and their own seating. A suggested donation of $15–$20 per person helps cover production and artist expenses, while children 6 and under and ministry leaders attend free.
Spokane County GOP adopts new values platform and controversial resolutions
The Spokane County Republican Party approved a new platform and 20 resolutions at its Saturday convention, establishing stricter expectations for candidates seeking party endorsement. The platform places greater emphasis on Christian faith and Biblical principles while retaining positions on marriage, abortion and individual liberty.
The resolutions address election security, taxes, data centers, weather modification, geoengineering and wildfire investigations. One measure would bar endorsed candidates from accepting official endorsements from Democratic officials unless the Democratic Party meets “disavows … ‘Democratic Socialists’ or Communists,” reported The Spokesman-Review. Supporters, including resolution committee leader Al Merkel, said clearer standards would strengthen the party’s identity. Critics argued some measures create divisive “purity tests” that could limit the party’s appeal.
The convention also featured debate over the party’s diminished political influence and how Republicans should respond to progressive policies in Spokane and Washington state.
Western Washington
Matt Calkins resigns from Seattle Times after dispute over women’s sports column examining transgender participation
Former Seattle Times sports columnist Matt Calkins resigned after 11 years, saying the newspaper declined to publish a column examining transgender participation in women’s sports. The column featured two Washington student-athletes who support maintaining separate athletic spaces for biological girls.
Calkins said editors cited his failure to notify them in advance, while he viewed the decision as part of a broader pattern involving columns that challenged prevailing newsroom perspectives. He referenced previously unpublished pieces dating to 2020 on topics including women’s soccer pay, cancel culture and policing.
Calkins said the newspaper’s editorial approach had become incompatible with his work as a columnist. He later published the disputed column independently on Substack. Calkins said he respects his former colleagues and described his departure as a considered decision rather than an emotional reaction.
Editor’s note: This roundup was condensed from longer articles and press releases using AI tools, then edited and fact-checked by FāVS staff prior to publication.
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