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I will apologize now, the list got huge but this is pretty much all I found to hit the ground running as a newbie DM.
The more experienced folk could point to better stuff I hope to improve this list.

Played D&D and the AD&D way back when.
Did the 3rd edition, gave 4th a pass.
I was "forced" into DM'ing 5th edition for a group of 6 which was a challenge.
I will say I like the detail of 5th edition and everything seems to make a degree of sense.
I picked up "Hoard of the Dragon Queen" and in our one session we got through the first 2 "Acts".

I decided to go with the Act leveling up as a crutch... I am new!
BUT this guy makes a great deal of sense on how every second level and specific levels for that matter need more time since they start getting hairy to balance and adjust to.
http://theangrygm.com/how-to-xp-good/

So I had to "crash course" for a couple weeks to get going.
Some things I would suggest:

"Baisc Rules"
http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules
Overall reference aside from the actual player book and DMG.
https://5etools.com/5etools.html
https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Combat#content

OrcPub is my goto for character creation:
https://www.orcpub2.com/
I had to touch-up a few things but making links to images on the net and stuff to flesh-out the sheets was a boon, it even makes out some spell cards.

Speaking of Spell cards:
Just bit the bullet and grabbed the "Spell Cards Arcane" it covers pretty much everything.
https://www.flamesofwar.com/gf9online_store.aspx?CategoryID=13327
There are free ones on the net I am sure you can figure out.

I found what I view as a good player (or beginner DM) reference "cheat sheet":
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BwCtO5aw9n2LRl9CekVsZjJUd1k
Nice production of this one too:
https://gameslaboratory.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/DD-Player-Cheat-Sheet.pdf
A bit dense text but worthy as well:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2Fbq7v8pucJa293M2huakphRDQ/view

I feel this is the most useful reference sheets as a DM, I had found and I laminated them:
This is the most efficient for space and ease of reference:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/rpgdownloads.php?do=download&downloadid=1141
This is fast and gets the job done:
http://swshinn.com/dnd-5e/rules-summary/
Another good alternative:
https://olddungeonmaster.com/2016/06/17/dd-5e-dm-screen-portrait-version/
For having the tablet or laptop in front of me, this one has it all:
http://ceryliae.github.io/5edmscreen/

DM general physical "tools".
http://dmdavid.com/tag/photo-guide-to-dungeon-masters-tools-2/

I have a large kitchen table (seats about 8) with a galvanized metal surface (With a "pretty" distressed wood frame around it) so I have been creative with magnets and dry erase markers.

I STRONGLY suggest allowing and awarding use of "hero points" it allows heroic moments and allows the DM to avoid some really hard decisions when you think you may have "killed" the party.
It really helped award good gameplay as well (I had to write out my rules of what the merit would be and not be accused of any favoritism).
Some notes on their use: https://d-d-5e-road-test.obsidianportal.com/wikis/hero-points

An amazing "everything" use site for the overwhelmed DM:
http://donjon.bin.sh/
Yep, took a look again and got "lost" for 15 minutes.
This site is perfect for VERY quickly making a fast and dirty adventure in under an hour (I could see 15 minutes with some screen grabs) with lots of detail.

Party tracking sheets:
https://simplednd.wordpress.com/2016/05/24/dd-5e-party-tracking-sheet/
NEVER ask for "passive perception check" again unless you want to make the players nervous intentionally.

Encounter management (on-line)
http://kobold.club/fight/#/encounter-builder

I dug into much more but pretty much got what I needed with lots to spare.
Anyone have anything better to add: please let people know, I am trying VERY hard to keep my newbie DM work as painless as possible and I can focus on the narrative and less on the mechanics.
I found just getting crib sheets together and encounter tables figured out and the key NPC characters ready to play makes it go smooth.
Balancing combat with splitting parties, "forcibly" joined NPCs, "pickup" players joining or not showing up for combat and whatever else balancing act is brutal and an art form of it's own.

Many players were using their phones to keep track of their characters but found we all migrated to the some form of physical spell cards to keep in front of us.

Sticking my toe into the "version wars".
I have fond memories of AD&D, my best fun was playing "Against the Giants" module which oddly enough is reincarnated in 5th edition.
I had the added perspective of playing "Rolemaster" or "Rulesmaster" to some, made D&D in general seem highly accessable in comparison.
The damage charts we tended to use for "fun" in AD&D for natural 20 results.

Anyway, I see elements in 5th edition which has some lessons learned in it.
I was a huge fan of "James Bond" with it's "hero points" so it was nice to see included in 5th.
I still have all my books from 3rd edition as well, it was pretty good and see no issue with continuing on with it as well.
I heard and saw a bit of 4th and... it was not for me, it really depends on the person I guess.

I look at the latest edition similar like any game system I play that gets an update: new industry "standards" that come up and work are worth incorporating in.
Just like with our lively GW/40k discussions, the latest and greatest is the easiest to find players for typically and sees FLGS support more-so than a "dead" prior version.
As I had listed, the support for this version is fabulous and seems easier to go the way the wind blows so to speak.

I very much agree that yes, play what makes you happy!
I find 5th so much more accessable than trying to explain Thac0 or other fun stuff of that nature so teaching my kids and their friends (and their parents!) so much simpler than past rules.
The ideas no matter what version is ALL GOOD.
I am just happy that with D&D I have my kids reading the original Conan books, the Drizzt novels, Dragonlance and even "The Witcher" novel I have: they have found this land of adventure where anything can happen yet it has a known "physics".

Heck, anyone who can point me to a "Pool of Radiance" module I would be in their debt (the original IS out there somewhere).
Fond memories those goldbox games of old by SSI.

Random events... or a means of "controlled chaos"?

1) I like to make selected / planned encounter tables, each may have some plot line or item to plant in front of the players. (They may or may not bite on it).
1a) They need to make sense according to the environment.

2) I like to use some of the tools I found of populating an "open world" within certain confines of an area that is reasonable unless they figure out a way to fly or shift planes.... (universe, not winged aircraft...).

3) Cities, towns, villages, ruins, dungeons, camps.... there are enough robust tools for making these VERY fast with a bit of tweaking.

4) Some means of advancing the party's notoriety which can increase some perk or event I would like to drop on them (and also seem to have a logical reason for it).

If the players seem to be getting into it a bit, best not to interrupt... I have had the oddest and some of the best role-play with the players ready to camp and slipping into character "off-time".
An encounter interruption of a minor sort sees a great deal of FURY on the poor creatures that dare interrupt (and I have to point out they were getting loud enough to be heard for miles...).

The players very much write their saga, I am finding as a DM I only have to prepare the book/canvas and flesh-out the responses to their actions.
I find if I have a "stable" of stuff I can draw from (named NPC's, wandering bands of critters, the local militia, Hunters and trappers... opportunities for trade or information of local areas... maybe point them to a shrine or ruin?).
Some NPCs become a well liked "hangers-on" for the party and have had a couple used to fetch and carry (for a price) and generally make role-play have more to it than killing and collecting stuff.

Really got my players latching onto the idea that the DM is not an opponent: he is there to help you write your story, presenting rainbows and fluffy clouds and candy will make for a different kind of game.

 Syro_ wrote:
Nice Talizvar, it's great that you've gotten your players realizing you're not their opponent. Do you have any past examples of advancing the party's notoriety increasing a perk or event? That sounds very interesting

Usually a way to try to make them "play nice" with the population I look at any witnesses to their exploits (that survive) or even enemies that escape that fill a pool of points till certain thresholds are met (talk about them in bars, to friends... they ARE small towns).

Again, I am starting a bit new with this edition but:
10-Free round at the tavern and a tip for "good" work for a group as well as a night stay..
20-Merchant found the area easier to travel largely due to them (reduced cost like 20%).
30-Local bigwig wants to help "sponsor" their efforts (give travel supply and horse/pony to help carry), but would like to check out something for him...
40-A local Paladin comes by to look at the party to understand what the fuss is all about while he is his way to deal with a quest... ("No, no, no, you will only get in the way...")
50-Intelligent critter/pet seeks them out and becomes a beneficial "hanger's on" (sometimes the party kills it out of stupidity despite best efforts). Usually a separate chart for what it is... damn folk killed the Fairy Dragon... it meant well (best roll ever!).
60-Local cult/gang tries to shake them down and is woefully unprepared but have good stuff on them after shaking down others.
etc...
This would be from the "good" tree while the "bad" would have it's counterpart:
10-Tavern brawl "We dont like you folk around here..." (great chance to loot some money)
20-Local merchants only let you speak to their hired body guards. BUT some local ruffians have some stuff to sell for a price or a favor.
30- Local bigwig has something a bit shady that needs being done BUt cross him and it will be... very bad.
40-Paladin tells you to tow the line or he will "deal with you" after his quest is done (maybe he needs some "help" with it... hehe)
50-Some critter that got it's mate killed by the party starts messing with them.
60-Local cult/gang is rather insistant on you joining their merry group... maybe an evening visit is in order.

OH! almost forgot, have the odd encounter where the "enemy" takes one look at them and runs... funny as heck the first time you do it... not to be repeated much.

I believe everything should reward and offer a carrot for some prepared adventure (rails with junctions?).
You do not have to have a cast in stone point system, it could just be a logical point in the story to the next level of escalation.

The DM guide itself can let you hand craft stuff, I am a bit of an ace with Excel so I am tempted to make some tables with some "=Rand()" statements.

Best story crutch I every had played: having the DM make for you your "nemesis".
My Thief started to get mental issues when it came to a certain Paladin (me: lawful evil), "You hear, chink, chink, chink.." GAH!!! He found me!!! RUN!"

Most creative split class ever: The character had a split personality. Needed two different character sheets. (same physical stats but mental stats were much different).
DM allowed it as well as it was played in a believable way, no regrets.

 gnome_idea_what wrote:
Talizvar the “enemies immediately run away” encounter only works as comedy when the party diesn’t block the exits and slaughter them while the nooks try to flee. Then it just creates paranoia for the players as they worry that they missed something, because “there’s no way the encounter is this easy.” Nemeses are are fun, but one for each player is a lot to track at times, and banding them together is contrived when each nemesis has different motivations and alignment.

Like I said, not something to do much more than once.
Though, you do raise the idea "The party hears one of them say before they run: "The boss said not to hurt them!!"".

Any ideas on what to do when my players end up completely destabilizing a city? Military disrupted, government leaderless and in shambles, and civilians scared and angry?

Escalation.
A more powerful regent comes looking for his vassal that had not reported in.
Completely and utterly outclass them and give them the "The way I see it, you owe me... I hate wasting resources." speech.

There is always someone more powerful it is just a matter of attracting their attention.
Oh look! A possible "Nemisis" thing AGAIN!