Couple’s presents probably were a hit

The elderly couple caught driving through rural Nebraska with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of marijuana in their vehicle? They were simply spreading holiday cheer, they told authorities.

Patrick Jiron, 80, and Barbara Jiron, 83, were pulled over Tuesday during a traffic stop by deputies with the York County sheriff’s office, who then made a shocking discovery: The Jirons had 60 pounds of high-grade pot in their pickup truck, authorities said.

The couple, from northern California, told authorities they were en route to Vermont, and that “the marijuana was for Christmas presents,” Sheriff’s Lt. Paul Vrbka told the York News-Times.

When deputies pulled over the Jirons along Interstate 80, they smelled “raw” marijuana and conducted a probable-cause search — discovering the weed in boxes in the pickup topper, Vrbka told the newspaper.

Authorities estimated the marijuana was worth about $336,000.

The Jirons were taken in on charges including possession with the intent to distribute, according to the newspaper. While multiple states have legalized marijuana, Nebraska has not.

Fast-food chain counting on munchies

As California prepares for legal recreational pot on Jan. 1, the fast-food chain Jack in the Box is partnering with a digital media company backed by rapper Snoop Dogg on a new “munchie” meal aimed at cannabis enthusiasts. While marijuana’s connection to fast food is well-established, Jack in the Box will become the first national chain to explicitly embrace the drug.

The “Merry Munchie Meal,” which will be available at three California locations for a week in January for $4.20, features two tacos, french fries, onion rings, five mini churros, three chicken strips and a small drink. The price isn’t random: The number 420 is used as a code by potheads.