Gov. Butch Otter said he was prompted to write his recent guest opinion slamming press coverage of his budget proposals because “I would like to see some compassion, maybe that’s the word I’m looking for,” he said. “This is a tough, tough position to be in, and it’s not fun, and I’ve got to pick and I’ve got to choose. And when you make those choices you’ve got to live with them. They’re not fun”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

• Guv opposes Canyon air quality bill/Eye On Boise
• Otter wants flexibility on $71M fund/Eye On Boise
• Senate OKs measure calling for interstate wolf cooperation/Brad Iverson-Long, Idaho Reporter
• House OKs plan to protect hunters' identity/Dustin Hurst, Idaho Reporter
• Committee OKs fee hike for evasive species program/Dustin Hurst, Idaho Reporter

Question: Which governor of the past 25 years do you think could have handled the Great Recession better than Otter? Why?