Good morning. Whether you were attending a mass at a certain American League ballpark, protesting downtown or just enjoying the warmth and relatively clear air in your backyard, we hope you had a good weekend.

Today, though, the editorial board walks you through one very interesting idea to make things a bit better in this state. Take a look. We know pensions put many people to sleep, but keeping them on track and reigned in is crucial to the future of Illinois. And this particular set of ideas might surprise you.

Our architecture columnist Edward Keegan weighed in this weekend on an interesting museum building. And if you happen to be a young woman, you won 't want to miss another of today's Opinion pieces: it explores the disturbing rise in cancer diagnoses among that demographic.

On a much lighter note, we contemplate the demise of the penny today, too, and as city and suburban kids start their long breaks, a longtime school administrator has some thoughts on what shape the summer should take for students.

Finally, you likely saw the news over the weekend about the sentencing of former House Speaker Michael Madigan; we offered our view on all that Sunday, as you might expect. But we also published a gallery of remarkable cartoons from our Scott Stantis, who has been drawing Madigan's actions, and then troubles, for years. Check them out.

Hope your week gets off to a great start.

— Chris Jones, editorial board editor

Submit an op-ed | Submit a letter to the editor | Meet the Tribune Editorial Board | Subscribe to this newsletter