Cityview | Central Iowa's Independent Weekly

Fantasy of Chevelle’s

‘Sci-Fi Crimes’ rooted in reality

Rumors of Chevelle’s abduction by aliens have been greatly exaggerated, despite the title and song selection of the melodically crunchy rock band’s latest album, “Sci-Fi Crimes,” featuring tunes like “Roswell” and “Highland’s Apparition.” If anything, the band’s new album is grounded in earthly matters informed by aliens, UFOs and sci-fi junkies.
“The record is more about people who have had sci-fi crimes perpetrated against them,” said drummer Sam Loeffler, who is joined by singer-guitarist-brother Pete Loeffler and their brother-in-law-bassist Dean Bernardini [who replaced brother Joe Loeffler in 1995].
The album’s title was inspired by some off-road adventures in Australia with a friend who believes in UFOs, Loeffler said. Read More>>

On the town

Cityview brings you updated nightlife images, trivia and bar specials from the metro area's hottest spots. See More>>

Arkansas State (1-2)

vs. #13 Iowa (4-0)

Game Day is all about personal responsibility. All about it. Therefore, we absolutely do not own up to stating that we were wrong last week in our prediction that then-No. 5 Penn State would beat Iowa. Tell us that a Nittany Lion receiver didn’t beat an Iowa safety for a 79-yard touchdown on the first play of the game. And that Penn State didn’t win the battle of gaining less yards (62) after that play. Oh, and unless we drank too much Kristallweizen that night, weren’t the Hawks beaten in number of interceptions thrown by the quarterbacks (3-2), too?

Smashburger

reinvents the burger

In the middle of the Great Depression, super salesman Elmer Wheeler advised the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration “Don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle.” Those words served FDR well and became advertising’s dominant mantra through most of the 20th century. Sizzle-shopping consumers entered the 21st century knowing very little about their actual food: “Mommy, where does Polysorbate 60 come from?” Today, much Depression era “steak” has become fast food burger that can come from more than 100 cows, which can come from several different countries. Fast food consumers know way more about their favorite corporation’s trademarked clown than they know about the actual meat he sells. So, normally I scoff when a new corporate franchise comes along. Smashburger, though, was too intriguing to resist. . Read More>>”

Head East

When it comes to economic development across the state, cities like Iowa City, Coralville and Council Bluffs are blueprints for success. In central Iowa, West Des Moines has become an icon with destinations like Jordan Creek Town Center and West Glen Town Center. But while areas west of Des Moines receive much of the publicity for growth, the communities of Eastern Polk County have quietly and steadily raised in the ranks with new construction in the private and public sectors, despite economic slowdowns elsewhere. Cities like Pleasant Hill, Bondurant, Mitchellville and Altoona have become “The New East Side,” and a growing number of residents and visitors are heading in that direction... Read More>>

A poll, a party, a fight, lots of names – but no toasters

Quashing a rumor: It is not true that now that West Bank owns the Glen Oaks golf course the eighth hole is becoming a drive-through. …

“The real question for Terry Branstad is will he make it out of the Republican primary?” That was Democratic state chairman Michael Kiernan on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” over the weekend. And he’s right. The news in the latest Rasmussen Poll is not that if the election were held now Branstad would drub Gov. Chet Culver by 20 points — 54 percent to 34 percent — but rather that Bob Vanderplaats would beat the governor by four points, 43 percent to 39 percent. That’s stunning. Branstad is a conservative — he passes all the right’s litmus tests on guns and gays and abortion and marriage, but he just doesn’t talk about it. But Vanderplaats has made those issues the centerpiece of his campaign... Read More>>