Lindsay William-Ross

The body of a woman who had apparently been bludgeoned to death was discovered just after midnight today by a cleaning crew inside a rented room at the Olympic Hotel in the MacArthur Park area. The woman appears to be about 40 years old.

In today's Christmas Eve-eve Extra, Extra we've got Radio Free Silver Lakes Best of list, our contribution to the French fashion scene, a new life for a little lot in Hollywood, and more news of the day. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

The Wilshire Grand Hotel, at the corner of Wilshire and Figueroa, is closing its doors, and will be torn down and replaced by two new skyscrapers.

Headed out tonight? Don't forget that Metro is giving free rides on all Metro bus and rail lines tonight into the wee hours of Christmas Day, 9 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Is your flight headed out of Los Angeles International Airport today? Or are you picking someone up from the airport? If so, bring a heaping pile of patience, because today happens to be one of the busiest travel days of the year at LAX.

Tyler Okonma, a 20-year-old rapper who goes by the stage name "Tyler the Creator," created a ruckus on Sunset Boulevard last night when he was arrested for "allegedly vandalizing sound equipment and attacking a sound engineer at the Roxy nightclub in West Hollywood," according to KTLA.

Does the weather where people in the U.S. and around the globe live make them happy? That's what an iPhone weather app's "Happiness Index" seeks to determine. Weathermob has taken how users feel about the weather win their city and ranked the findings from most to least happy.

It's time for year in review posts, and while there are certainly more than a few everywhere on the web, today we were drawn to KCET's look back at 2011 in Los Angeles mural art.

PETA's president has written a letter to Damon Vix, one of the atheism advocates who is seeking equity in the Santa Monica's annual holiday display event, asking if he will relinquish a vacant "nativity scene" spot for a PETA sign.

Griffen Kramer, the 18-year-old Thousand Oaks High School quarterback found dead in October at a buddy's house, died of a heroin overdose, according to toxicology reports released by the L.A. County coroner's office.

In today's Extra, Extra we've got a Golden Girl tackling a new gig, knit goods and supplies are the bomb, a cat who can stop a baby crying, and more news bites of the day. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League reports that LAPD Chief Charlie Beck shared with the Police Commission "assaults on LAPD officers are up 26.7 percent this year compared with 2010. He noted that as assaults on police officers increase, so do the number of officer-involved shootings - up 58.8 percent this year."