Today is the fourth day of 2023 and the 15th day of winter.

T ODAY’S HISTORY: In 1896, Utah was admitted as the 45th U.S. state.

In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson presented the “Great Society” plan in his State of the Union address.

In 1995, the 104th U.S. Congress convened with Republican majorities in both the House and Senate for the first time since the Eisenhower presidency.

In 2004, NASA’s Spirit rover landed on the surface of Mars.

In 2010, the 2,717-foot Burj Khalifa opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as the world’s tallest building.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Louis Braille (1809-1852), Braille alphabet inventor; Don Shula (1930-2020), football coach; Floyd Patterson (1935-2006), boxer; Dyan Cannon (1937- ), actress; Doris Kearns Goodwin (1943- ), historian; Patty Loveless (1957), singer-songwriter; Michael Stipe (1960- ), singer-songwriter; Dave Foley (1963), actor/comedian; Julia Ormond (1965- ), actress; Kris Bryant (1992- ), baseball player; Derrick Henry (1994), football player.

TODAY’S FACT: Medicare, one of the largest reforms passed as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society initiatives, insured 83 million Americans in 2021.

TODAY’S SPORTS: In 2003, the Atlanta Falcons upset the Green Bay Packers, 27-7, in the wild-card round of the playoffs. It was the first playoff loss at Lambeau Field in Packers history.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “Good leadership requires you to surround yourself with people of diverse perspectives who can disagree with you without fear of retaliation.” -- Doris Kearns Goodwin TODAY’S NUMBER: $1.5 billion -- estimated total cost (in U.S. dollars) of the Burj Khalifa project.

TODAY’S MOON: Between first quarter moon (Dec. 29) and full moon (Jan. 6).