Otter's speech upbeat, but acknowledges tragedies

Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's State of the State speech had a more upbeat flavor than editions he's given during the depths of Idaho's economic malaise.

But the Republican governor acknowledged Monday that for some families, 2012 was a year of tragedy.

Six members of the military died: Lance Corporal Kenneth Cochran of Canyon County; Sgt. Daniel J. Brown of Twin Falls; Spc. Chris Workman of Rupert; Spc. Cody Moosman of Preston; Spc. Ethan Martin of Bonners Ferry; and Pvt. 1st Class Shane Wilson of Kuna.

Meanwhile, Anne Veseth, a young U.S. Forest Service firefighter from Moscow, was killed in August fighting a wildfire in Clearwater County.

Otter cited Veseth's sacrifice as he announced an effort to create four new state-affiliated volunteer firefighting organizations, with about $400,000 in public funding from Idaho.