State News Roundup: Ryan reportedly on the short list to be Romney's VP candidate

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As Republican Mitt Romney gets closer to announcing a vice-presidential choice, there’s a growing debate over whether he should pick Janesville Congressman Paul Ryan. The House Budget Committee chairman has crafted two federal budget plans over the last two years that would have sharply cut federal spending had they passed. And Washington political analyst Charlie Cook says Ryan’s proposals to overhaul Medicare and other entitlements are quote, “dangerous” to the G-O-P’s prospects of winning back the White House. But Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker says voters are looking for somebody with courage. And Walker says Ryan could easily be portrayed as someone who’s serious about cutting the national debt, instead of the liability that Democrats and some Republicans consider Ryan to be. Ryan has not commented on Romney’s vice-presidential search. But he does say he wants a national debate on his budget overhauls. Ryan says the G-O-P ticket needs to distinguish himself from President Obama, and Democrats whom he said have offered nothing but the status quo. __________________________________________________________________________

Two polls were released yesterday that give President Obama a five-to-six-point lead over Republican Mitt Romney in Wisconsin. The latest Marquette Law School survey shows that the Democrat Obama leads 50-to-45 percent. Earlier in the day, a poll from Quinnipiac University, C-B-S News, and the New York Times showed Obama up 51-45 in the Badger State. The results are similar to polls released in July. Marquette had Obama up by eight points at that time. Public Policy Polling had the president up by six, and Rasmussen Reports had him up by three. In the Marquette poll, 50-percent of the 12-hundred Wisconsinites surveyed approved of the president’s performance – and 46-percent disapproved. The same poll showed that 48-percent had an unfavorable view of Romney, while 36-percent rated him favorably. Marquette pollster Charles Franklin says it’s a clearly a factor that’s holding the Romney campaign back in Wisconsin.

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It’s shaping up to be another big year for the Wisconsin State Fair. The weather’s been great for the 11-day expo in West Allis. And the fair’s marketing manager, Kristi Chuckel, said last Sunday’s crowds were the biggest for a single day in 10 years. Over 125-thousand people showed up that day. She says the fair tries to bring in 850-to-900-thousand each year – and she believes they’ll reach the top end of that goal by the time the fair ends on Sunday. Last year, over 911-thousand people attended. It was the first time in at least a decade that the total attendance exceeded 900-thousand. Earlier this week, the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Meat Products’ Auction raised a record amount of 90-thousand dollars. A bone-in ham from Ray’s Market of Colby was the best-in-show, and it sold for 87-hundred-dollars. The consortium that bought the ham donated it back, and it was re-sold for another 18-hundred. The funds from the auction go to the U-W Extension, in support of over 100-thousand Wisconsin 4-H members.

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Wisconsin’s dry grasses and fields could get a little green today. Showers and isolated thunderstorms are in the forecast statewide. The National Weather Service said a low pressure system across southern Wisconsin brought rain early this morning to central-and-southern areas. And a larger low-pressure system in northern Minnesota is expected to swoop down into the Badger State today, with scattered rain expected statewide. Brisk winds are expected, especially tonight when a fresh dose of cooler air is pumped in. The showers will head eastward out of the state tonight, and then a clear-and-dry weekend is in store. Today’s highs are expected to be around 70 statewide – and we might not see 80 again until early next week.

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Grape tomatoes sold in Wisconsin have been recalled by an Iowa grower, because they might contain salmonella. Menno Beachy of Cresco Iowa announced the recall yesterday for one-pint containers of its Certified Organic Grape Tomatoes. The product in question was sent to a distributor in Minnesota, and were shipped to stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan between July 26th and Monday. Minnesota’s agriculture department collected samples from the distributor, and found them to be contaminated. No illnesses have been reported. Those who bought the Menno Beachy organic grape tomatoes are being told either throw them away, or take them to the stores where they bought them to get refunds.

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