Good morning. Here is a look at the top headlines as we start the day.
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2 Dallas officers helped nightclub magnate who laundered money, allowed drug sales, feds say
Cash flowed through Alfredo Navarro Hinojosa's nightclubs, and on some weekends, so did hundreds of baggies of cocaine, according to a federal indictment filed this week.
Two Dallas police officers used their positions to benefit Hinojosa, his 40 clubs across North Texas and his illegal activities, which included money laundering and profiting from customers who bought drugs at his businesses, according to the indictment.
Hinojosa; the officers, who worked for him while off duty; and eight others were indicted.
The officers, who have since left the department, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI before this week's indictment. They face up to five years in prison.
Court records allege that the officers used their law enforcement jobs and connections to keep Hinojosa, 57, and his employees out of trouble and attempted to impede local and federal criminal investigations.
Crime: Four women have been assaulted while walking home in Oak Lawn and Uptown in last 14 months, police say.
Courts: The former mayor of Princeton pleaded guilty this week to threatening a woman with a gun.
Robbery: Dallas police are looking for a man with a cross tattoo on his cheek who robbed a Chase bank in Dallas on Monday.
After Texas and Vegas killing sprees, House votes to expand concealed carry and Senate eyes bump stocks
A survivor of the Las Vegas massacre tearfully pleaded with senators Wednesday to ban bump stocks, the device the killer added to his rifles so he could gun down scores of concertgoers in minutes. And the head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the agency will review its decision to allow the unregulated sale of the devices.
Lawmakers are grappling with conflicting approaches to gun violence. Two of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history took place 35 days apart this fall, claiming more than 80 lives.
The House voted Wednesday afternoon to let gun owners use a concealed carry permit from their home state anywhere in the country.
Politics: If federal funding doesn't come through, Texas may have found a way to extend the Children's Health Insurance Program a few more weeks.
Who will Dallas' next sheriff be? The controversy has already begun
Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez resigned Wednesday to run for Texas governor, but it will be at least two weeks before she is replaced.
County commissioners will probably vote on an interim sheriff at their Dec. 19 meeting, said Commissioner John Wiley Price. That person will be in charge until voters elect a new sheriff in November, who will serve the rest of Valdez's term through the end of 2020.
In the meantime, the department will run under the same command staff, spokeswoman Melinda Urbina said. Operations will be led by Valdez's second-in-command, Executive Chief Deputy Jesse Flores, and her third-in-command, Chief Deputy Marian Brown.
Commentary: Can a former sheriff and a TV reporter help turn Texas blue? Stay tuned, writes columnist and editorial writer James Ragland.
Dallas police: Could hiring spree by Fort Worth police dash Dallas' hopes for recruits?
Also: One of Dallas' deputy police chiefs has been named Galveston's police chief, officials announced this week.
Photo of the morning
Presley Plunkett, 6, has her face painted by Margaret Clauder during the Holiday DeLights at Fair Park in Dallas on Tuesday. For more holiday events in D-FW, visit GuideLive's Holidays page.
Around the site
Border Patrol: Federal investigators have questioned two brothers in connection with the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent last month, according to a court document filed in New Mexico.
Business: Irving-based Exxon Mobil will open eight gas stations in Mexico this week as part of a plan to invest $300 million in the next decade across the border.
Fire: Unprecedented fire danger could make things worse in Southern California as wildfires rage.
Road closures: Those traveling to downtown Dallas in the next few days should be aware of road closures as the city prepares for the BMW Dallas Marathon.
Totally Texas: Melania Trump and Karen Pence tried Whataburger during their Hurricane Harvey relief tour in South Texas.
Finally,
For years, Victory Park was home to the American Airlines Center and not much else. Visitors to the area could see a Dallas Mavericks or Dallas Stars game, or catch a superstar musician in concert. But other than a few restaurants located within walking distance, Victory Park had not been victorious in bringing foot traffic to the area, despite its excellent location near Uptown and downtown Dallas.
Get a new vision of Victory Park in your head, folks. Restaurateurs engaged in an extensive overhaul of Victory Park say that as many as a dozen new restaurants are coming to Victory Park, with eight expected to open by summer 2018.
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