In response Wyoming Republican Cynthia Lummis urged Minnick to take a leading role in management of our nation’s forests. “President Obama has appointed a number of czar-type positions,” Lummis said, “And I would encourage President Obama to make Representative Minnick the ‘forest czar’ to address bark beetle issues”/Rocky Barker, Idaho Statesman. More here.

• Thursday Morning Coffee/Treasured Valley
• UI goes into bighorn damage control a bit late/Kevin Richert
• Ripley: Trust your family's health care to government?/Trish & Halli
• The language of God/Clayton Cramer
• Nice to have that backup/Fort Boise
• Transforming America/Free In Idaho!
• Crapo is undecided? Riiiiight/IdaBlue
• A nativist backwash/Randy Stapilus

Question: Has your view of Democrat Walt Minnick changed since he took office?