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The Big Story

Investigation finds police K-9 died of heat exhaustion in 'tragic accident'

A police K-9 in Rowan County died of heat exhaustion in April, the Rowan County Sheriff's Office said Thursday, following a three-month investigation. 

K-9 Kantor died on April 4 while his handler was off duty and out of town. A teenage family member left the dog in a car with air conditioning, but the car's engine shut off, the sheriff's office said. 

"We have concluded that this was simply a tragic accident," deputies said in a news release.

Your Weather Planner

Coverage of showers and storms was a little lower on Thursday, and severe weather wasn't as big of an issue for us. Friday, we stick with the hot and humid weather with a better chance for scattered storms. 

Temperatures will be a few degrees warmer on Friday, and scattered showers and storms will be a little more numerous. Severe weather looks unlikely, but a few storms will produce gusty wind, very heavy rain and lots of lightning. We're looking at low to mid-90s from the Piedmont over to the coast with cooler numbers again in the western region and right near the beaches. 

We repeat the process again on Saturday with more heat, humidity and scattered storms.

Get your full forecast:
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Around North Carolina

1. Carowinds says cracked column on closed roller coaster will be replaced

The amusement park called in the Swiss engineering firm that built the Fury 325 after the fractured column was noticed Friday. The ride, which opened in 2015 and is billed as the nation's longest steel roller coaster, was closed for safety reasons.

2. Durham Tech program making health care mobile

The lab is run through community partnerships with other medical groups and agencies who identify areas of the community in need of services. It has served 2,000 patients in three years. The lab offers basic health screenings and preventative services.

3. 12 Bones does barbecue with a twist and a story

A smokehouse in the mountains has sat residents, tourists and even President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama during a campaign stop in 2008. 12 Bones says it is neither western nor eastern North Carolina barbecue. The smokehouse also offers Texas-style brisket.

Around The Nation

1. Biden touts economic record in deep red South Carolina

2. OceanGate says it's suspending commercial, exploration operations after Titan disaster

3. United Methodists lose one-fifth of U.S. churches in schism driven by growing defiance of LGBTQ+ bans

Editor's Pick - Sisters changing the history of former slave plantation farm

Hidden amongst the sea of green on the outskirts of Durham is a farm that many people would never know is there. The farm used to be part of the Snow Hill Plantation. Two sisters have formed the land into a community garden for residents. Delphine Sellars and Lucille Patterson hope to own the land outright later this year.