$1M in Pot Found During Traffic Stop | Patch PM

Stories to talk about tonight:

Gold Coin Dropped in Kettle Boosts Salvation Army's Holiday Efforts

With donation efforts lagging across the region, Salvation Army volunteers in Montgomery County were thrilled Saturday when they found that a generous donor had left a solid gold coin in a red kettle outside the Giant food store in Cabin John. >>> Read more.

Van Crammed with $1 Million Worth of Weed Says Police

A speeding van stopped on Interstate 27 in Clarksburg gave out a funny smell, which police determined was the odor from a million dollar's worth of marijuana crammed inside the vehicle. Authorities say the rental van driven by Steven M. Tosi, 53, of Los Angeles, California, was filled with about 250 pounds of weed; he faces criminal charges for the possession and trafficking of the drug. >>> Read more.

Owings Mills 9-Year-Old Delivers Ravens Pep Talk

A pint-sized celebrity paid a visit to the Under Armour Performance Center recently ahead of Ravens-Eagles game. Zion Harvey, who made history last year as the first child to receive a double hand transplant, told the Baltimore team that he wanted them to "destroy" their Philadelphia opponents. >>> Read more.

Giant, Wegmans, Safeway Christmas Eve, Christmas Day 2016 Store Hours

• Need a last-minute item for your Christmas celebration? Check our guide to store hours before you leave the house.

Olympians Part of Proposed Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame

• U.S. Olympic athletes from Montgomery County who competed in the Rio 2016 games thanked residents for their support Monday.

Movie Inspires $50,800 Lottery Win By Germantown Man

• A Germantown man who won more than $50K in a Maryland Lottery game says he'll spend his winning on home improvement projects.

In Burning Car Rescue, Two Saved by 'Quick Thinking': Level Fire Company President

• Two people who heard a crash and rushed to the rescue on MD 136 at MD 22 helped save two victims inside, officials said.

Burn Victim Found Dead on the Ground in Capitol Heights: Police

• Police are trying to figure out what happened to a severely burned man found in a public area.

103 Maryland Commute Times Ranked First to Worst

• U.S. Census surveys looked at the time it takes to get to work for 103 communities. We've ranked the trips from first to worst.

Former Star Athlete and Father Guilty in 3-Month-Old's Death

• Adou Louis Kouadio of Silver Spring was convicted of second-degree murder for brain injuries that led to the death of his infant son.

Patch PM shares a few of the day’s must-read items from our Maryland network. The Patch community platform covers communities across the state.