By FāVS Staff
DOJ sues Troy over church permit denial
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the city of Troy, Idaho, alleging the small Latah County town violated federal religious liberty law when it denied a conditional use permit to Moscow-based Christ Church. According to the Justice Department, Troy violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act by rejecting the church’s application to operate in a zoning district that allows nonreligious assembly uses like clubs, museums and galleries, with the city citing opposition from the “great majority of city residents” in its denial.
The lawsuit alleges Troy’s decision was based on “discriminatory animus” against the conservative church, which has divided the Moscow community over its controversial beliefs and stated mission to “make Moscow a Christian town.” Troy City Attorney Todd Richardson called the complaint “misleading and incorrect” and asserting the denial was based solely on zoning violations, not religious discrimination.
Bishop Daly to lead Memorial Day service May 26
Bishop Thomas Daly, of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, will celebrate Memorial Day Mass on May 26, at 10 a.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery, 7200 N. Wall St.. The service, hosted by Holy Cross Funeral and Cemetery Services staff, will honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, according to an announcement.
Attendees are asked to bring their own chairs for the outdoor ceremony.
CAIR-WA condemns Microsoft for censoring Palestine-related terms
The Washington state chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned Microsoft on Thursday for censoring words including “Palestine,” “Gaza” and “genocide” from company emails. According to multiple employee reports confirmed by Microsoft, these terms inexplicably disappear when sent through the company’s email system.
CAIR-WA Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi criticized the tech giant’s actions as “literal erasure of Palestinians during the most important human rights issue of our lifetimes.” The censorship allegations come amid broader tensions at Microsoft, where the company has fired employees over the past six months for hosting a Gaza vigil, protesting Microsoft’s AI technology partnerships with the Israeli military, and interrupting executive speeches. A 2024 CAIR-WA survey found that 43.3% of Washington state Muslims reported workplace discrimination, with employment discrimination comprising 25% of the organization’s civil rights cases last year.
Anti-censorship library board members reelected
Three incumbent Latah County Library Board members won reelection by wide margins Tuesday, securing another term for representatives who have opposed book challenges and censorship efforts. Marci Miller, Annette Bay Pimentel and Rochelle Smith will continue serving after voters backed their positions on maintaining open access to library materials and services.
The candidates campaigned on keeping libraries accessible to all community members amid ongoing debates over book policies in libraries across Idaho and other states.
