4th of July Travel Solutions | Patch PM

Stories to talk about tonight:

Here's How to Avoid Awful Traffic This 4th of July in Virginia

It's almost the 4th of July, and that means lots of families are heading out of town to places like Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks -- and the Virginia Department of Transportation wants to help you beat the traffic.

VDOT has created the "Travel Trends" map that can help you figure out the best travel option no matter where you're going during the 4th of July holiday, according to a statement from the agency. >>> Read more.

Hot Car Deaths Soaring in 2016: National Safety Council

Hot car deaths are soaring this year, according to the National Safety Council.

July and August are the peak months for hot car deaths and so far this year, there have been 16 heatstroke deaths, including a Northern Virginia toddler who died in April, after being left in the back seat for seven hours by the mother's boyfriend. The latest hot car death took place June 21 in Texas. >>> Read more.

Police Officer Rescues ‘Lucky’ the Pug Monday in Alexandria

• This little furry guy got loose near police headquarters Monday and was scooped up by a police officer.

Metro Will Slash 500 Jobs

• Metro is facing a budget crunch that is forcing it to do away with "non-essential" positions.

'WOW' House: Take a Video Tour Through This McLean Mansion

• This house on Old Tolson Mill Road is going for $2.4 million.

Patch PM shares a few of the day’s must-read items from our Virginia and D.C. network. The Patch community platform covers 31 communities across the region.