| Good morning, Chicago. I grew up in Lake County, Indiana, and I recall seeing remnants of a more prosperous, bygone era while driving through Gary. The decline of the once-thriving steel industry was a major contributor to the city’s economic downturn. But the story doesn’t end there. As a councilwoman for the city writes today, Gary has the makings for a major comeback. That includes the Nippon Steel takeover of U.S. Steel — if the Japanese company is forward-thinking, she says. In an op-ed, she urges the firm to invest in clean technology to ensure a sustainable future for the Gary steel plant. A local pastor has thoughts to share about the acquisition of Gary Works as well. Nippon has inherited a legacy soaked in exploitation of Black workers and shouldn’t squander the opportunity to do better than its predecessor, he writes. I also encourage you to check out today’s two editorials. The Tribune Editorial Board considers how the G7 is representative of the regrettable transformation of the United States’ relationships with allies from friends to frenemies, and it reports with chagrin that an appallingly low percentage of 13-year-olds read for pleasure today. Speaking of relations between nations, foreign affairs columnist Daniel DePetris notes that a tentative peace deal being struck between the U.S. and Iran is the easy part. If we want sustained peace and a new nuclear agreement, that’s going to require a lot more sweat and savvy. And of course, don’t miss our letters from readers, especially the first two on America’s upcoming 250th anniversary. We’ll be back tomorrow. — Colleen Kujawa, opinion editor Submit an op-ed | Submit a letter to the editor | Meet the Tribune Editorial Board | Subscribe to this newsletter | 
