Good morning, Chicago. I’m going to admit something that is embarrassing. I don’t know how to swim. It has something to do with “Jaws” and my mom not knowing how to deal with a daughter afraid of letting go in the water enough to float because she’s afraid a shark is lurking in the depths.

I saw myself as I read today’s op-ed by Michael McColly. McColly is an enthusiastic Lake Michigan swimmer, but he acknowledges that many people in Chicago don’t know how to swim — and that race and access are a part of that. His op-ed is a lovely meditation as well as an education. Please don’t miss it.

Pairing beautifully with his essay is an op-ed by U.S. tennis star Lindsay Davenport. She makes the case for more women getting involved in sports, weaving in compelling statistics as well as finer points about quality of life. Also in commentary, foreign affairs expert Daniel DePetris argues that Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can’t ignore anymore how U.S. politics have changed regarding support for that country.

If you’re wondering what’s on the collective mind of the Tribune Editorial Board, it’s pensions, CPS and ballot questions. The board cheers the mayor for committing to a needed pension payment but jeers another millionaires tax referendum coming to our ballots this fall. It proposes some advisory questions of its own.

The Bears and their (maybe) move to Hammond are on the minds of our readers, so be sure to take a look at our letters to the editor as well.

May the rest of your week go swimmingly. We’ll be back tomorrow.

— Colleen Kujawa, opinion editor

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