THE ESSENTIALS

DRIVER’S LICENSE

To obtain a valid Texas driver’s license, which is legally required after 30 days of residency, an out-of-state newcomer must [1) apply for a license at one of the many Department of Public Safety testing stations; (2) produce a certified copy of his or her birth certificate or a valid out-of-state driver’s license: (3) pass a written examination; (4) pass a driving skill test if the out-of-state license has expired; (5) undergo an eye test to determine if corrective lenses are needed; (6) be 18 or older. Persons 16 or 17 years of age may be licensed only if they have completed a certified driver-education program. For information, call 226-5370.



VEHICLE REGISTRATION

Out-of-state vehicles may be registered for Texas license plates at substations of the count)’ tax assessor’s office, which are located throughout Dallas County.

To establish Texas residency, you must (1) have your vehicle’s serial number verified through an inspection at a service station or car dealership; (2) surrender your out-of-state title: (3) apply for registration within 30 days of moving here; (4) pay a $15 new residents’ fee, plus a $10 tide fee and the cost of your license plates (based on the model year for cars and gross weight for trucks), which are required on the front and rear of your car. Subsequent registration may be handled by mail. For more information, call 749-8621.



AUTO INSPECTION

All vehicles registered in Texas must be inspected for safe-ty every 12 months. The fee for an inspection sticker, which is applied to the lower left-hand comer of the windshield and shows the number of the month in which the inspection was performed, is $7.75 for car models up to 1979. $10.50 for 1980 and newer models, plus the cost of any repairs necessary to bring the vehicle up to established safety standards. Inspection stations are located at various service stations, dealerships, and garages.



VOTER REGISTRATION

You must be (1)an American citizen; and (2) 18 years of age. You must have a permanent residential address within Dallas County. It takes 30 days from the date of ap-plicauon to become a registered voter. Voter registration can usually be handled by filling out a form and returning it at least 30 days before an election to Election Department, Records Building, Dallas 75202. For more information, call 653-7871.



TAX EXEMPTION

Every homeowner living within an independent school district in Texas has the right to claim an exemption of $5,000 per year of the total assessed value of his house. Op-tional homestead exemptions may be offered by individual city or county governments. To qualify, you must have title to the property on January 1 of the tax year. An affidavit claiming the homestead exemption must be filed between January I and April 30 with the Dallas County Appraisal District. For more information, call 631-0910.



POST OFFICE

For zip code information, call 647-2996 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. For general information, call 741-5508 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.



DALLAS MAPSCO

It’s not just a map of Dallas streets, it’s a bible for Dallasites new and old. MAPSCO is published in book form and is reissued and updated each January. MAPSCO is sold at office supply companies, bookstores, and selected grocery and drug stores. Suggested retail: $17.50.



TRANSPORTATION

For information on city bus routes or Hop-A-Bus, call DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) at 979-1111.

The Dallasf/Fort Worth International Airport, 574-6720. provides service for most major airlines. Love Field Airport, 670-7275; Addison Airport, 248-7733; and Red Bird Airport, 670-7612. also service the area.



TIME AND TEMPERATURE

Call 844-(any four numbers) to obtain the correct time and temperature.



WEATHER REPORT

Call National Weather Sen-ice at 654-0116 for weather information.



HELPFUL NUMBERS

Emergency-Police, Fire, Ambulance…911

Dallas City Council Offices…670-4050

City Manager’s Office…670-3302

Mayor’s Office…670-4054

Consumer Protection Action Center…744-3600

Belter Business Bureau ofMetropolilan Dallas..220-2000 City of Dallas Traffic Tickels

and Court Information…747-3800

Garbage and Trash Collection…747-2600

Housing and Neighborhood Services…670-3615

Park and Recreation…670-4100

County Clerk…653-7131

Street and Sanitation Service…747-2600

County Assessor-Taxes…653-7011

Broken Water Mains…670-8543

Tejas Utilities…653-1311

Lone Star Gas Company …741-3750

Wattr Department…651-1441

Water Department-Emergencies…744-5005

THE STATE FAIR



For a youngish city short on tradition, the yearly two-Keek ran of the State Fair fits a raid. If the Mansion on Turtle Creek is luxury, style, aid sophistication, the fair is the opposite of re-fiiwwrt unabashedly crude, loud. and gaudy. It’s a delicious assault on the senses, from the pandemonium of the Midway during Tens-Oil weekend to the stomach-flipping rides like The Zipper and The Avalanche Express, which will leave you nauseated, giddy, or screaming for more. The freak shorn have been toned down in recent years, a welcome concession to enlightened Sinking. But some things at the fair- never change, among them the wondrous junk food. Try at least a Fletcher’s Corny Dog, a Belgian waffle, corn on the cob, and sausage on a stick. The fair is a time to laugh, swig beer, and actually feel good about spending a king’s ransom in quarters to win a six-inch stuffed carrot with eyes.