Bartender's $5K Thank You | Santas Help Families, Homeless | Christmas Eve Mall Hours | News Nearby

Patch has community sites across Maryland. Here are some of our top posts from the past 24 hours.

• Missing Hoggle Kids: Dad, Grandmother React to New Pictures
• Man Pointed Gun at Officer When Fatally Shot: Prince George's Police
• How to Track Santa from North Pole to Maryland on Christmas Eve
• Columbia Man Dies After Double Shooting: Police

Bartender Gets $5K Thank-You from Customer He Saved

A customer of the Oakville Grille and Wine Bar in Bethesda was so grateful when the eatery’s bartender saved him from choking that he sent a special thank-you note. Tucked in the card was a check for $5,000 made out to bartender and savior Darko Stankovic. The 67-year-old diner began to turn blue and a hostess called 911, while Stankovic, a former lifeguard, rushed over and successfully performed the Heimlich Maneuver to save the choking victim. »»Read more.

Bel Air Santas: Police Give Gifts to Families, Homeless

Police in Bel Air said they made a list and checked it twice while shopping for local families for the holiday. Officers recently went on a spree at Toys R Us and Target to buy gifts for two local families, with support from the Explorers program. »»Read more.

Teachers Write 710 Thank You Notes at Havre de Grace High School

Staff at Havre de Grace High School wanted to thank students for their accomplishments and contributions to the school community. So, teachers hand-wrote thank you notes to the more than 600 students at the school, telling them they appreciated everything from students' academic prowess to comedic relief. »»Read more.

• Electrocuted Man 'Dies,' Saved By CPR and Paramedics
• Celebrity Chef's AG Kitchen in Silver Spring to Close Friday
• National Park Service Raising Some Fees for 2017 in DC Region
• 2 Severn Youths Charged With Animal Cruelty: Police

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• Pellet Stove Fire in Havre de Grace Caused $10,000 in Damage: Officials
• Tanker Driver Identified in Deadly I-95 Crash in Baltimore
• Wawa Armed Robbery Doesn't Go As Planned
• Columbia Mall Hours for Christmas Eve 2016
• Anne Arundel County Mall Hours for Christmas Eve 2016
• Bethesda Area Mall Hours for Christmas Eve 2016
• Rockville Area Mall Hours for Christmas Eve 2016
• First Responder Charged with Arson in Bowleys Quarters Blaze: Police

»Photo courtesy of the Bel Air Police Department.