Autocrats (Benito Mussolini, Napoleon III) have long built and reserved urban space for displays of their own power. In downtown Washington, we have a new daily battle for the right to public space taking place on the sidewalk and street outside Trump’s hotel.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • Homeless advocates pan Mayor Muriel Bowser’s shelter reforms. [WCP]

  • Despite court challenge, McMillan is set to break ground next week. [WBJ]

  • Blasphemy: A Va. school system pulls Huck Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird. [AP]

  • Road closures this afternoon for the National Tree Lighting. [WTOP]

  • Wind blew roofing off a D.C. apartment building. Ten were evacuated. [Fox5, Twitter]

  • Halloween-like Christmas monster parade planned on H Street. [Borderstan]

  • Taxi nearly falls into ravine after driving off Rock Creek Parkway. [Borderstan]

  • Historic 1930s gas station architecture exists, and we have it here in D.C. [WAMU]

  • An argument for adding express bus service on 14th Street now. [GGW]

  • Ten are hospitalized after a seven-vehicle crash on I-295 this morning. [WJLA, NBC4]

  • Ohio State attacker purchased a knife in D.C. in November. [NBC4]

RECENT CITY PAPER STORIES TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE OF YOUR DAY:

LOOSE LIPS LINKS, by Liz Garrigan (tips? lgarrigan@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Neighbors in VP-elect Mike Pence’s ’hood troll him with gay pride flags. [WJLA]

  • Metro GM Paul Wiedefeld unveils 2017 laundry list of improvements. [WAMU]

  • Va. Gov. Terry McAuliffe launches verbal grenade at Metro chair Jack Evans. [Post]

  • But look how helpful Evans is. [Twitter]

  • Tomorrow’s D.C. Council hearing on the DGS shakeup will be closed. [Post]

  • Business thinks the Council is going too far on salary history bill. [Post]

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

  • Political theater is set to take over D.C. in the next year. [Post]

  • How the new Mt. Pleasant house venue OTHERFEELS came into existence. [DC Music Download]

  • Local theater is needed now more than ever. [DC Theatre Scene]

  • Artomatic returns to Crystal City in 2017. [DCist]

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

  • D.C. named the hottest food city in America. [Zagat]

  • Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley steps away from Ripple and Roofers Union. [Post]

  • This Columbia Room cocktail has old books as an ingredient. [Washingtonian]

  • Checking in with The Dabney one year into business. [Eater]

  • Community, the upscale diner, finally opens in Bethesda. [Bethesda Beat]

HOUSING COMPLEX LINKS, by Andrew Giambrone (tips? agiambrone@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • A shopping center and luxury condos are planned for Fannie Mae HQ. [UrbanTurf, Post]

  • Construction is about to start in earnest at Walter Reed Army Medical Center site. [WBJ]

  • D.C. Council committee advances bill designed to curtail housing discrimination. [DCist]

  • More on why it’s hard to be a first-time homebuyer in D.C. [Greater Greater Washington]

  • Almost 150 apartment units and retail are proposed for site in Union Market. [UrbanTurf]

  • Study finds D.C. has fourth most transient population for U.S. metro areas. [Curbed DC]

A morning roundup of news, opinion, and links from City Paper and around the District. Send tips and ideas to citydesk@washingtoncitypaper.com.

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