Q & A

Q I moved to Dallas from Minneapolis three years ago thinking that its climate would be great for my health. Instead, I seem to have a non-stop case of hay fever, 12 months of the year. Now a friend tells me Dallas has the worst kind of climate for allergies. What are you folks down here not telling prospective immigrants to the Sunbelt?

A Gesundheit! You’re missing those long hard winters that froze all the plants you’re allergic to. Actually, Dallas is no better or worse than most places in the country for allergy sufferers, according to allergist Dr. William Sellars. You’re in bad luck if you’re allergic to cedar, especially if you live on the south side of town. (There’s not much cedar to be allergic to in North Dallas.) The pollen count is about average, but tree spores are high, and like most places in the central plains of the United Slates, Dallas gets a lot of wheat and grain mold when the wind comes sweeping down the plains. On the other hand, air pollution is low and asthmatics find Dallas’ climate favorable. Granted, you’d be better off taking your sinuses to Arizona, but do you really miss those Minnesota ice storms?



Q How is Love Field doing financially since commercial aviation moved out to D-FW Airport?

A The city manager’s office says Love Field is doing quite well and in fact is making money. The airport’s income flows from landing fees, fuel fees, concessions, such as parking, as well as leasing space to Llove and various offices. Love Field’s income exceeds the debt service on the airport’s bonds, which will be paid off in 1987, and its maintenance charges.

Q The Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike is finally a free thoroughfare. Will the Dallas Toll road ever eliminate its toll?

A Don’t hold your breath: Turnpike Authority spokesmen say the Dallas North Tollroad is still not far enough along on its basic payments even to make a decent guess as to when tolls might be lifted. Even when the road does catch up with its upfront costs, inflation may force continued tolls to support higher salaries and operating expenses.

Q After all his well-publicized troubles, Duane Thomas seems to have disappeared. Any word on his whereabouts?

A An update for those who saw Duane chatting with Cosell several Mondays ago: according to the manager, he’s no longer with the Dallas continental restaurant, Papillon, where he was employed for a few months. Last year he did some counselling and workshop planning for the Cedar Youth Program at the Dallas County Community Action Center. As for his current activities and plans, we couldn’t find him, and his mother wouldn’t tell us.



Q Some friends who live in Tyler get movies piped into their TV on a special channel on a subscription basis. Why doesn’t Dallas have a “home box office” channel.

A Tyler is what is known as a “remote” area in the TV business – a town too far from major network affiliates in Dallas, Houston or San Antonio to receive direct television transmission. So programming is piped to the area via cable. Since the hardware is already in place, special subscription programming channels such as the “home box office” are relatively inexpensive to set up. Dallas, of course, has three major network affiliates within her city limits, meaning no cable is necessary. Without the cable hardware, specialized programming channels are almost prohibitively expensive. At that, the would-be cable TV entrepreneur would have to receive licensing from the city and approval from the FCC – both complex matters. Assuming he had the money and the governmental sanction, there still would be no guarantee the Dallas market would support a “home box office” channel. Dallas utilities department head Tom James indicates there has been no substantial interest shown by cable companies in the Dallas market during the past five years.



Q Whatever happened to Donald Johanos, conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra some years back?

A Johanos, who left the Dallas Symphony in 1970, is now associate conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony.