Cityview | Central Iowa's Independent Weekly

The Lawman

Madrid’s police chief moonlights in the Midwest’s cage-fighting scene

f you’re the drunken-brawling sort, the type given to aiming Jack Daniels-inspired barroom haymakers in the direction of cops, Madrid, Iowa, is a city you’ll want to skip.

The police chief there, a former farm boy with a gift of gab that would rival the seed-hatted old boys at the grain elevators, would much rather talk you down than fight you.

But if the donnybrook breaks, Rick Tasler, 32, is ready to throw. In addition to leading a team of six law enforcement officers as chief of police in Madrid, Tasler, a Jefferson native, is a cage-fighting enthusiast, a mixed-martial-arts expert who spends spare time and weekends battling inside the octagon. With a tattoo of a police badge on his chest (which one can see because fighters battle sans shirts), Tasler goes by the cage name of “The Lawman.”

A hot item about chili and bad taste at Channel 13

Sharon Mueller was irked. She is running for the City Council seat owned by Tom Vlassis, and it’s an uphill fight. So she seemed quite put out when she wasn’t asked to be a judge in the third annual Chili Cookoff that the Des Moines Waterfront Farmers’ Market has scheduled for Oct. 31. “Chili Cookoff to be Judged by Des Moines City Council Candidates,” said the headline on the Waterlandblog.com Web site. Mueller fired off a post to the blog:

“I happen to be a City Council Candidate in Ward #1 and haven’t been invited to any of these events. Is there a reason for that, and if so, could I be there, as well. I am trying to meet as many folks as possible, even though [Tom] Vlassis has been in office for 20 years. Thanx, sharon.”

It turns out there is a reason Mueller wasn’t invited. The Waterfront Farmers Market is in Des Moines, Wash., which is just outside Seattle and which has its own council election coming up. Read More>>

CJC Jazz Hall welcomes Miget, Perowsky; CIBS benefit set

Des Moines has a long, rich history of jazz music. So much so that during last week’s Des Moines City Council meeting, it prompted Mayor Frank Cownie to proclaim Sunday, Oct. 25 as “Des Moines Jazz History Day.”

That same day, the Greater Des Moines Community Jazz Center will further celebrate the Capital City’s jazz legacy by hosting its ninth annual Jazz Hall of Fame Reception and Concert at Adventureland Inn in Altoona. The non-profit CJC will induct local musician-educator Susie Miget and Des Moines native and saxophonist-arranger Frank Perowsky into its Hall of Fame. Special Recognition Awards will go to bandleader and reed player John Morgan and the Talerico Family — longtime owners of restaurants that support local live jazz music; while student-drummer Ben Poppen will receive the Bobby Dawson Award for his ongoing work with the monthly CJC jam sessions.

“We’ve inducted more than 30 members into the Jazz Hall of Fame,” said John Krantz, Des Moines jazz pianist and CJC volunteer who created the Jazz Hall of Fame in 2001. “That tells you how much talent there is in Des Moines.” Read More>>

Catching up on our Latino scene

“Des Moines’ restaurant scene reflects the vibrancy of our Latin American community. New places open so fast, even in this economy that I had to spend an entire week catching up. Fortunately, all these hard working restaurateurs stay open seven days a week.

Restaurante El Comalito joins a small group of Salvadoran specialists. Spanish language soap opera played loudly on a television ignored by mostly male customers who packed the place on my first visit. Somehow, a single friendly waitress managed quick, flawless service without falling behind on the story line. Five good salsas were offered with chilies dominating all. Crisply fried plantain empanadas were nicely dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Pupusas (corn pancakes) were stuffed with soft white cheese, loroco (a vine flower), and Central American style chicharron (finely ground pork, not rind as in Mexico). They were served with fresh curtido (slaw) and a carroty salsa. Scratch made tacos, burritos and sopes were stuffed with one’s choice of meats, including the house’s magnificent chopped carne asada, as tender as pot roast. Drinks included a homemade hibiscus flower “Jamaica.” All plates were garnished nicely with carved radishes, cilantro, halves of lime, etc. Read More>>”

Vikings 33-31 victory over the Baltimore Ravens

As much as Game Day dislikes like the Minnesota Vikings, it’s hard not to pay respect to a team that is currently undefeated behind the ageless Brett Favre. The Vikings (6-0) pulled out a 33-31 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The win proved the Vikings are on a mission this year, but the road won’t be easy as this week they head to Heinz Field to take on the Super Bowl defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.