Thanks for giving more people a chance to help an artist out

Thanks to the Sun-Times, WBEZ and freelance writer Mark Guarino for the recent article about musician Dean Schlabowske's health crisis. My wife and I became aware of his situation a few weeks ago because of a post on the Mekons Facebook page. But this was the first mainstream media coverage that I'd seen. It puts a spotlight not only on Deano’s personal situation, but also the harsh reality that musicians and artists across disciplines lack an adequate safety net for addressing life-altering events like this. My wife and I have donated a couple of hundred dollars to the GoFundMe campaign, and we urge other local music fans to do so.

Dean has not only been a mainstay of the alt-country/Americana music community for decades, he holds the distinction of having been a huge presence in the wine business here in Chicago. He may be remembered by customers at Wine Discount Center (now Vin Chicago), Sam’s in Lincoln Park and his own shop on North Avenue. Vinophiles who benefited from his expertise over the years may also want to help out.

Godspeed Dean and to your wife, Jo. You two have a tough row to hoe. But there are many of us pulling for you.

Mark Stanley, Irving Park

Pritzker’s Texas two-step

There are plenty of uplifting stories stemming from the midterm elections, as American voters repudiated the corruption, incompetence and just plain meanness of the current president and his minions. But for me, the one that stood out for delicious irony and well justified comeuppance was the article reported by the Sun-Times' Tina Sfondeles.

I knew that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had been roundly defeated. But I didn't know that his defeat was assisted by the large donation Gov. JB Pritzker made to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa. I well remember the busloads of poorly clothed, bewildered migrants that Abbott sent without notification to Chicago in the middle of winter. Basic human decency required our political leaders in the city and state to take care of these poor people. Not being possessed of basic human decency, Abbott was proud to demonstrate his cruelty to make political points with like-minded officials in Washington, D.C. Thank you, Gov. Pritzker for using your wealth to present this MAGA monster with the humiliating defeat that he so richly deserved — a defeat to a Latina, by the way. Thank you also, Ms. Sfondeles for pointing this out.

Jim Bruton, Avondale

He can’t help himself

Donald Trump claims the Oval Office, with his garish gold additions, is a national monument akin to the White House. We've seen how he's respected that true monument — the people's house — by destroying the East Wing for his ballroom. Trump poses there and at the reflecting pool, pushing aside the fact that he got us into a war that he can't navigate and an inflationary spiral that has hurt all Americans. It's doubtful if the midterm results will change his conduct. There's always a new low for our president.

Philip S. Witt, Northbrook