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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On Tuesday, the D.C. Council initially approved a police body-camera bill that would make most footage from the cameras available to the press and public. However, after a compromise was reached last month, the current version of the legislation includes exemptions for footage shot in private residences or captured in domestic violence incidents.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • Relatives of Alonzo Smith, who died while in special police custody at the Marbury Plaza Apartments in Fairlawn on Nov. 1, held a vigil last night at which they demanded to know how exactly he died. [Post]
  • Woodrow Wilson High School was evacuated Tuesday after a teacher confiscated a gun from a student. Police arrested and charged the unidentified student with illegal possession of a gun. [NBC4]
  • Under a new D.C. Council bill, certain retail and restaurant employers would have to give their workers 21-days notice of their work schedules, and compensate them if their shifts were changed thereafter. [City Desk]
  • Booming development in Shaw, a “neighborhood remade for young urbanites,” goes national. [NYT]
  • If you just can’t wait until panda cub Bei Bei officially goes on display in mid-January, you can enter an Instagram competition organized by the National Zoo in order to glimpse him on Dec. 19. [DCist]

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

  • Hummus, More Than a Condiment: New fast-casual spot Little Sesame will serve hummus bowls as main dishes.
  • Masks and Blasters Prohibited: The Smithsonian is barring viewers from bringing certain items to its IMAX screenings of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. “Light Sabers must be soft plastic to be permitted.”
  • “ORANGE TEAM!”: D.C. Councilmember Vincent Orange’s latest campaign signs are green—but that doesn’t seem to have much to do with Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Green Team.

LOOSE LIPS LINKS, by Will Sommer (tips? wsommer@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • D.C. Council backs body camera compromise bill. [Post, DCist, WAMU]
  • David Grosso introduces public financing bill for small campaign donors. [Times, WAMU]
  • Don’t read too much into Vincent Orange‘s sign colors. [LL]
  • Exelon exec talks Pepco takeover. [WAMU]
  • Orange pushes bill for shift workers. [City Desk]
  • Preschool waitlists threaten DCPS pipeline. [GGW]

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

  • National Capital Planning Commission asks Smithsonian to take down tacky new Renwick sign. [Post]
  • What to see at this year’s AFI European Union Showcase. [DCist]
  • Don’t bring your Star Wars masks and blasters to The Force Awakens screenings at the Air and Space Museum. [Arts Desk]
  • James Smithson never set foot in America, and four other weird facts about the Smithsonian’s founder. [Express]
  • The Kennedy Center raises prices of concessions. [Post]
  • The Magnificent Intentions Music Festival celebrates D.C. music (just don’t call it a “local music” festival). [Bandwidth]
  • New releases from local artists you may have missed over the holiday weekend. [DC Music Download]

YOUNG & HUNGRY LINKS, by Jessica Sidman (tips? jsidman@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Where to buy holiday baked goods [Eater]
  • Aaron Silverman raises $2.1 million for the buildout of his second restaurant, Pineapple and Pearls. [WBJ]
  • 15 pre-theater menus in D.C. [Zagat]
  • The Pretzel Bakery is upgrading to a larger space with calzones and cheese bombs. [Post]
  • Hawthorne opens on U Street NW next weekend with the chef from Mothership. [PoPville]
  • How The Red Hen‘s Mike Friedman spends a day in Takoma Park. [Thrillist]
  • Greek eatery Yamas coming to Adams Morgan. [Borderstan]

Correction 10:25 a.m.: This newsletter originally misidentified the location of the Marbury Plaza Apartments. They are located in Fairlawn, not Anacostia.