Listen up, D.C. Today is the first day of early voting. Find voting centers and hours here; but keep in mind the case for waiting until the last possible second.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • Police are investigating three homicides over the weekend. Two 19-year-old men, Malik McCloud and Antonio Dixon, were killed in separate shootings Saturday, WTOP reports. A third man, Marc Anthony Bolden, 28, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in a vehicle in Northwest D.C. So far, no arrests have been made. There have now been at least 134 homicides in D.C. in 2018.

  • The Trump administration could narrow the definition of gender under federal law, effectively excluding transgender individuals from civil right protections. The revisions would define gender as a permanent, biological trait based on a person’s genitals at birth, according to a memo obtained by the New York Times.

  • D.C. United completed its miraculous turnaround from last place to a spot in the playoffs yesterday afternoon in front of a sold-out Audi Field. “But we’re not done yet,” says midfielder Paul Arriola. 

LOOSE LIPS LINKS, by Mitch Ryals (tips? mryals@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • To kick off the first day of early voting in D.C., WAMU has put together a comprehensive voters guide. [WAMU]

  • The Post editorial board announced its endorsements over the weekend, throwing its support behind Dionne Reeder over incumbent Elissa Silverman in the At-large Council race, and Petar A. Dimtchev over Mary Cheh in the Ward 3 race. [Post]

  • Sherwood suggests that this “is really an example of the editorial board’s continuing ‘all in’ for Mayor Bowser.” [Twitter]

  • And how did the Post decide to use the word “caustic” to describe Silverman? [Twitter, Twitter]

  • Michael Bekesha, a self-described “urban Republican,” is trying to unseat D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen in Ward 6. Bekesha wrote in Ohio Gov. John Kasich for president in 2016, counts the late Sen. John McCain among his idols, and supports the Council’s repeal of voter-approved Initiative 77. “There’s no accountability when one party is in power,” says Bekesha. [Post]

YOUNG & HUNGRY LINKS, by Laura Hayes (tips? lhayes@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Critic Tom Sietsema likes D.C.’s newest sushi option, Nama. [Post]

  • Bindaas rolls out a chai menu. [DC Refined]

  • About the burger meat you’re eating at fast food restaurants. [WBJ]

  • Another location of Buredo closes. [PoPville]

  • The new Netflix show for foodies that people are raving about. [Eater]

ARTS LINKS, by Matt Cohen (tips? mcohen@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • For your knowledge: Competitive bell ringing is a thing. In D.C. [Post]

  • Local electro-pop band Color Palette discusses musical influences and approach to songwriting. [DCist]

  • Maryland’s newest music festival includes Steve Aoki, Tyga, and … horse racing. [Washingtonian]

  • The Scene Report: Listen to new tunes from April + Vista, Black Alley, Team Familiar, and other locals. [WCP]

HOUSING COMPLEX LINKS, by Morgan Baskin (tips? mbaskin@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Looks like Ward 3 will get its homeless shelter after all. [WCP]

  • Todd Bol, the Wisconsin man responsible for popularizing the Little Free Library, died last week. [Post]

  • The city is looking for people to develop urban farms on two plots of District-owned land. [Curbed]

  • The transformation of Ivy City. [Urban Turf]

SPORTS LINKS, by Kelyn Soong (tips? ksoong@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • A win is a win, and the Washington football team held off rival Dallas Cowboys, 20-17, to improve to 4-2 in the season. [USA Today]

  • An energetic crowd gathered at the Entertainment and Sports Arena to watch four mixed martial arts fighters—Louis Taylor and Abus Magomedov for middleweights; Ray Cooper III and Magomed Magomedkerimov for welterweights—qualify for the Professional Fighters League championship on Dec. 31 in New York. [MMA Junkie]

HAPPENING TODAY, by Kayla Randall (tips? krandall@washingtoncitypaper.com)

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