Here's what you need to know today.

One of the men accused of killing a Wake County deputy has pleaded guilty to a federal charge after a prison escape.
Alder Marin-Sotelo and his brother, Arturo Marin-Sotelo, are both accused of killing Wake County Deputy Ned Byrd during a traffic stop in 2022.
Alder Marin-Sotelo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist or instigate escape after he ran from a Virginia prison. For that he faces up to five years in prison.
That charge is separate from the Byrd killing.

Your Weather Planner

Showers and storms will blossom this afternoon and evening around the region as a cold front arrives. The storms will first fire in the mountains by early afternoon and continue working eastward from there.

Damaging winds are a possibility with the storms today along with some hail. As is often the case this time of year, any storm is subject to produce lots of lightning as well as locally heavy rainfall.

The cold front then begins to slide just to our south tomorrow, but it will be close enough that I have left in the chance for some isolated showers and storms.

By Thursday, drier air behind the front takes over. That will set us up for some good holiday weekend weather. Daily storm chances will be quite low, and high temperatures, although quite warm, will be manageable.

Get the full forecast of areas around the state:
Charlotte | Triad | Triangle | Coastal | Mountains


Watch the latest local news and get your Weather on the 1s.

Around North Carolina

1. Who’s next?: N.C. political landscape shifts as Tillis won’t seek reelection

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis will not be seeking reelection. His eventual exit will leave a key U.S. Senate seat vacant heading into 2026. Tillis says it was a "not a hard choice" to leave his post and spend more time with his family at the end of his term. Democratic and Republican challengers are expected to mobilize and drum up support ahead of the primaries next year.

2. 8 charged in $21M Medicaid fraud scheme spanning Carolinas

Federal authorities announced charges Monday against eight suspects in a 7-year Medicaid fraud scheme spanning North and South Carolina that stole more than $21 million. The U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina also announced a Charlotte woman is facing charges of health care fraud and money laundering. The cases are part of a “national health care fraud takedown” that the Justice Department hailed Monday as the largest in history.

3. What does a polar bear do in the N.C. summer? Zookeepers work to protect animals, visitors in the heat

The North Carolina Zoo has shade and hydration stations so guests can see as much of it as possible during their visit, said Jennifer Ireland, a curator at the North Carolina Zoo. The zoo also offers ice treats to its 18,000 animals, which all have different needs, and they can move into air-conditioned habitats instead of staying outside in their usual enclosures.

Around The Nation

1. Senate's long day turns to night as GOP works to shore up support on Trump’s big bill

2. Trump to visit 'Alligator Alcatraz' on Tuesday, DeSantis says

3. Illegal fireworks cause more injuries requiring hospitalization, report warns ahead of July 4

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of the dental routine at one North Carolina practice, where new tools are helping dentists document and diagnose more efficiently and potentially catch problems sooner. The National Institutes of Health estimates that AI applications could reduce annual health care costs in the United States by $150 billion in 2026.