Jessica P. Ogilvie

After slipping out of a pair of handcuffs and running from a courtroom, a defendant died when he fell off a three-story balcony in a Long Beach courthouse. City News Service reports that the man, whose name hasn't been released, was being sentenced after being convicted of domestic violence.

City Councilmember Ed Reyes is holding a community meeting tomorrow evening to get input on a draft of the city's proposed Mural Ordinance. The ordinance would allow murals to be painted on private property (imagine that!).

A drunk driver caused not one, but two accidents in Hollywood yesterday morning, leaving one person dead and two others injured, including the driver himself. The 21-year-old man who was behind the wheel of a Toyota Matrix first hit a taxi at Hollywood and Argyle, and fled the scene.

In tonight's Extra, Extra, a group of bold San Pedrans brave the chilly New Year's ocean, Gwyneth Paltrow has some truly thrilling ideas for hangover cures, and Oscar season is upon us. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

Police are searching for a suspect who shot a woman as she left a nail salon in the 1500 block of South La Cienega at about 10:30 this morning, reports City News Service. It's not clear what the motive was for the attack, or if the woman was robbed or otherwise harmed before or after being shot. She was taken to Cedars-Sinai and treated.

After getting a call from a suicidal man on the 110's 5th Street overpass, police officers arrived at the scene and were able to pull the would-be jumper to safety. The man, whose name hasn't been released, was straddling the railing over the freeway at about 12:30 this morning.

I think we all learned an important lesson last night, amirite ladies? If you want to upstage someone who's announcing their divorce on reality television, what you have to do is appear practically naked in every scene. Thank you, Brandi, for that immeasurably useful bit of information.

As the caucuses in Iowa caucuses heat up, somebody in Los Angeles wants to let the world know that they support Republican contender Ron Paul -- a street artist in Beverly Hills slapped a painting of the candidate at the bottom of a statue, with the title "Consistency."

In describing the way he plans to do business for the remaining 18 months of his term to the Daily News, Mayor Villaraigosa recently likened himself to a chihuahua. And no, he didn't mean that he nips at your heels or has a surprisingly ferocious bite, or even that he regularly gets carried around in a handbag.

Minka Disbrow's name has been making the rounds in local and national news for the past few days, and for good reason -- the 100-year-old San Clemente woman is opening up about meeting her daughter for the first time, 77 years after giving her up for adoption.

Put down that chicken nugget and cast aside your mascara -- CHP is cracking down on all forms of distracted driving this weekend. KTLA reports that officers will be patrolling streets and freeways from 6 a.m. today till 6 a.m. tomorrow, and they'll be in both marked and unmarked cars.

There's a big increase in law enforcement looking for drunk drivers this holiday season, so if you do actually want to "Avoid the 100" and not get a DUI after toasting the New Year, AAA of Southern California is offering a pretty sweet deal: the Tipsy Tow, which provides a one-way ride home for inebriated motorists.