Board considers serving beer, wine made in state

COLUMBUS (AP) -- Would a porter or a catawba go better with that cream puff?
The board that oversees the Ohio State Fair last week asked staff for proposals on serving Ohio-made beer and wine at this year's event -- in hopes that new Gov. Ted Strickland will be more friendly to the idea of opening the fair to tippling than the previous administration was.
Officials will consider safety as well as potential revenue and the marketing boost to the state's breweries and wineries, spokeswoman Christina Minier said.
The Ohio Expositions Commission last considered beer and wine sales in 2003.
Member David Corey said he never spoke directly to former Gov. Bob Taft about the idea, "but you could look at the administration's policies and you kind of knew that they probably wouldn't go for something like that."
Former first lady Hope Taft was prominent in several causes to fight alcohol-related problems.
Other events at the Expo Center on the fairgrounds have sold alcohol, as have concerts held at nearby Crew Stadium during the fair. Nearly all the country's largest fairs allow alcohol sales.
"We're not breaking new ground here," said Robert Boggs, newly appointed director of the Department of Agriculture who's a nonvoting member of the commission. He said the sales could be confined to a separate pavilion.
Traditionally, such proposals are up to the governor to approve, Boggs said.