Good afternoon! And happy new year! I watched 2023 roll in with my nephews, who went through multiple costume changes. One was dressed as Mario from “Super Mario Bros.” at one point, and the other was Spider-Man. Anyway, here’s what you need to know today.

1. What people in 1923 thought life would look like in 2023

Four-hour workdays, men curling their hair, people living to 300 and “watch-size radio telephones” were among the 2023 predictions from some, uh, big thinkers from a hundred years ago.

That’s according to Paul Fairie, a researcher and instructor at the University of Calgary who combed through old newspaper clippings.

Some of the predictions offer a window into what people were concerned about at the time, Fairie said. The foretelling of curly-haired men appears to come from “a general worry about anything that challenges gender norms,” he said.

Among the other omens uncovered by Fairie was a “Polar airline” that made flying possible from Chicago to Hamburg via the North Pole. And another foresaw a future without beauty contests because “there will be so many beautiful people that it will be almost impossible to select winners.” [NPR]

2. A plan to end cash bail in Illinois has been halted

The Illinois Supreme Court halted the abolition of the cash bail system on Saturday, just hours before a new law was slated to take effect, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

The end of cash bail is among the most controversial provisions in the SAFE-T Act, a sweeping package of criminal justice reforms.

More than 60 counties in Illinois sued to stop the overhaul of the bail system, arguing the law was unconstitutional. A Kankakee County judge last week sided with them, writing that “the appropriateness of bail rests with the authority of the court and may not be determined by legislative fiat.”

It’s unclear how long the temporary stay will remain in place and when the state’s highest court will begin hearing arguments in the case. [Chicago Sun-Times]

3. The Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin is in critical condition after collapsing on the field

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin remained in critical condition at a Cincinnati hospital after his heart stopped during a prime-time game against the Bengals on Monday.

Hamlin, 24, collapsed after finishing a tackle, and his teammates immediately signaled to the sidelines for help. Medical staff appeared to give Hamlin CPR before he was taken off the field.

In a statement, the Bills said Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and his heartbeat was restored while on the field. [NPR]

Hamlin’s collapse is “a reminder of the sport’s inherent risk,” reports The New York Times.

Football “centers on players crashing into one another on every down, and no amount of dollars, training and good intentions will change that,” the newspaper reports. “The best the N.F.L. can do is reduce risk, not eliminate it.” [New York Times]

4. Workers go on strike at one of the largest LGBTQ health providers in the Midwest

More than 400 employees today began a three-day strike at Howard Brown Health, one of the most prominent health care providers serving the LGBTQ community in the Chicago area.

The employees are protesting the organization’s decision to lay off 61 union workers amid contract negotiations.

Leaders of the new Howard Brown Health Workers United union say they were given assurances that union workers would not be laid off, and they have filed unfair labor charges with the National Labor Relations Board, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Howard Brown officials say the layoffs are part of a plan to close a $12 million budget hole while maintaining patient services.

The jobs impacted include clinical therapists, facility management employees and retail workers who staff thrift stores that benefit the nonprofit organization. [Chicago Sun-Times]

5. Chicago’s next growth spurt is shaping up in the north-northwest corridor

What we think of as “downtown” may be expanding, crawling up the North Branch of the Chicago River and toward areas like Wicker Park and Bucktown, reports my colleague David Roeder at the Chicago Sun-Times.

“There have been no official pronouncements, but the pattern is clear. Chicago’s next batch of new high-rises will be north and northwest of downtown,” Roeder writes.

Among the biggest is Lincoln Yards, a $6 billion plan to convert 53 acres of old industrial property into a “live-work megalopolis,” reports Roeder. And then there’s the $1.7 billion plan to replace the Chicago Tribune printing site with a Bally’s casino, a deal that’s fueling nearby developments.

“There’s a danger this new-age gentrification will widen the divide in Chicago, with privileged areas getting resources and other neighborhoods being left behind, but the die is cast,” Roeder reports. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Here’s what else is happening

• The bid of Republican leader Kevin McCarthy to become House speaker is in serious jeopardy. [AP]
• Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Chicago tomorrow. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• More than 3,000 young children accidentally ate weed edibles in 2021, according to a new study. [NPR]
• Here’s a look at the new laws taking effect in Illinois, such as a hike in the minimum wage. [NBC Chicago]

Oh, and one more thing …

You know what, I’m going to try and stay optimistic about this year. That might sound like a tall order considering the last three years — and how my job is doomscrolling the news for you five days a week.

But not everything is bad. We’ve got several cool-looking movies coming out this year, like John Wick: Chapter 4. Seriously, if you have not seen the John Wick movies, do yourself a favor and check them out.

The entertainment team at the Los Angeles Times put together a list of 19 movies they are most looking forward to, and yes, John Wick made the cut. So did the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Movie, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and the second installment of Timothée Chalamet wandering the sands of Dune. [LA Times]

Tell me something good …

OK, I can’t stop laughing about the 2023 predictions made by people in 1923. So I’d like to know, what do you think will happen in 2123?

I’ll go first. Child actors will be replaced by Muppets, a long overdue correction if you ask me. Chicago will be the American metropolis. And, you can take this to the bank, people will look back at 2023 and wonder what we were thinking.

Feel free to email me, and your response might be shared in the newsletter this week.