STREET TALK

It’s hard to believe that one out of every five adults is functionally illiterate. That’s a national statistic, but Gail Tom-linson of the Dallas Public Library says there’s no reason to indicate that the figure for Dallas adults is any different.

To combat the problem, the library is beginning a “Literacy for Dallas” program, which offers free tutoring to illiterate adults. The program gets under way this month, and a workshop has already been held to train tutors. For now, tutoring sessions are held at the Lake-wood, Polk Wisdom and Dallas West libraries.

The Dayton Hudson Foundation, which is affiliated with B. Dalton Bookstores, has granted $6,000 to the program, with the promise of another $6,000 as soon as the library can raise $12,000 from private donations. Tomlinson says that the library is printing cards to be displayed on area buses with the message: “If you know someone who can’t read these words, call 224-5586.” If you do, literacy coordinator Lee Shuey will be there to answer questions.

“If you can’t fight ’em, join ’em” may well be the battle cry for two former club owners who, after fighting it out on Lower Greenville last year, have joined forces to test the troubled waters of the Dallas entertainment scene once again. Although the duo behind the project is being tight-lipped about the details, an informed source says that a few national acts will be headed our way soon (the Pointer Sisters and Men Without Hats were two groups whose names were dropped). The new club, according to our source, will offer Top 40 music and rhythm and blues, with the main emphasis on being a dance club. The partners decline to divulge the name of the new venture until the mid-January opening date, but they say that it definitely will not end with an “o.”