Until recently, Merle had never set a paw on solid ground, never felt the kind stroke of a human hand and never tasted a dog treat.

The mild-mannered mastiff mix was bred to become a South Korean dinner entree.

But he was spared that fate by the Humane Society International, which recently rescued Merle and more than 250 other canines from a dog-meat farm in Wonju. Merle was among the first to arrive at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey.

The center is expecting to receive about 120 of the rescued dogs, which will be available for adoption. 

"We've had huskies, golden retriever, spitz, a variety of dogs from this farm," said Heather Cammisa, president at St. Hubert's.

Cammisa cautions anyone wanting to adopt one of the rescued dogs to keep in mind that they have spent their entire lives in cages. They will require training, understanding and love, she said.

The dogs are being rescued 11 weeks before South Korea celebrates Bok Nai, when large quantities of dog-meat "boshintang" stew are consumed.

Most South Koreans don't eat dog meat on a regular basis and young Koreans are particularly turning away from the practice. However, dog stew is widely popular during Bok Nai and served at thousands of restaurants specializing in the recipe.

"In our experience, many dog-meat farmers are keen to leave this business behind them, and come under increasing pressure from their children to end dog breeding and killing," Humane Society campaign manager Andrew Plumbly said in a news release.

The Wonju farmer is one such individual. He contacted the Humane Society last year and asked for help to get out of the dog meat business, Plumbly said.

The rescued dogs and puppies area being flown to shelters in the U.S. and Canada and will be available for adoption.

The Wonju farm is the fifth dog meat farm that the international charity has helped close down.

Here are the 10 things you need to know to start your day from your friends at NBC10.

TODAY'S TOP STORY

Worshipper Faces Manslaughter Charges in Deadly Church Shooting: A Montgomery County man who opened fire on another worshipper in a packed church during Sunday service has been charged with manslaughter. Mark T. Storms, 46, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, was charged Thursday with voluntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment in the death of 27-year-old Robert E. Braxton III. Storms shot Braxton inside Keystone Fellowship Church, a non-denominational church on Stump Road in North Wales, on Sunday morning, prosecutors said. The shooting happened in the church's sanctuary, which was filled with hundreds of worshippers for an 11 a.m. service. Witnesses told NBC10 churchgoers hid under pews as the altercation played out.

• MORE ON THE CHARGES

YOUR FIRST ALERT FORECAST  

Friday is expected to see a chilly start and occassional showers are expected on the dreary start to the weekend. Scattered showers are expected in the evening but then the rain should tapper off. Saturday should see a break from the rain but the rain is expected to return on Sunday with temperatures in the 50s. The rain is expected to continue on Monday and the sun should return by Tuesday. High Temp: 55 degrees. Get your full NBC10 First Alert forecast here.

WHAT YOU MISSED YESTERDAY

Coast Guard Rescues 3 from Sinking Fishing Boat: The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three men from a life raft after their fishing boat collided with a tug boat and sank six miles off the coast of South Jersey. The Coast Guard said the 42-foot Last Stand started sinking after it collided with the 78-foot Tug Dean Reinauer on Thursday off the coast of Cape May. Petty Officer 2nd Class James Pappas said the readiness and quick thinking of the crew of the Last Stand allowed them to abandon ship within 10 minutes of the collision. He says they "saved their own lives."

• MORE ON THE RESCUE
  

AROUND THE WORLD

Trump Disses Downingtown, Mayor Fires Back: After appearing at West Chester University on Monday, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump managed to stir up controversy on his way out of town with a tweet describing nearby Downingtown as "so sad!” Downingtown Mayor Josh Maxwell took offense and responded with a string of tweets condemning Trump and his negative portrayal of the town. The candidate's tweet featured a photo of an abandoned Downingtown paper mill, with Trump lamenting about Downingtown's once "vibrant" industrial past. Maxwell, a Democrat, rebuked Trump's assertions with a tweet of his own.  He accused the Republican front-runner of being uninformed, and explained that discussions had already begun about revitalizing that area prior to Trump's visit.

• MORE ON TRUMP

Police Bust NJ Weedman's Joint: A marijuana advocate dubbed NJ Weedman has been arrested again on marijuana charges after law enforcement raided his restaurant and cannabis temple. Ed Forchion was arrested Wednesday along with 10 other people after a raid of his business across the street from City Hall, officials said. Forchion opened a restaurant, NJ Weedman's Joint, and an attached cannabis church last year. He sued Trenton police last month, saying they infringed on his religious rights by shutting down the cannabis temple for staying open too late. Acting Mercer County prosecutor Angelo Onofri said Thursday that the narcotics task force had received information that Forchion was distributing marijuana and had received complaints from the community about "constant foot traffic in and out of the establishment at all hours.” Police say they found more than 1,100 grams of marijuana, 32 grams of edible marijuana candy, more than a pound of marijuana butter and a jar with $85 in it that said "Nothing is free donate.” Recreational marijuana is illegal in New Jersey.

• MORE ON THE WEEDMAN

SPORTS SPOT

Eagles Draft: The Eagles selected Quarterback Carson Wentz with No. 2 overall draft pick. Wentz says he's doing to do "what it takes to win." Get your full sports news at CSNPhilly.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

See more Top News Photos here.

THROUGH IGER'S EYES

@geechamarie snapped this cool photo of a man taking a walk.

Have an awesome Instagram photo you'd like to share? Tag it with #NBC10Buzz.

TODAY'S VIRAL VIDEO

Can you actually eat a bus? Watch the full video here.

Memorial Set for Arcadia University Student Killed in Turnpike Crash: A memorial for Arcadia University student Kelly O'Brien, killed in a Pennsylvania Turnpike crash Monday, will be held May 3, according to her former employer. The ceremony will be at the Community House, Main Street, in Moorestown, Michael Babcock wrote in an email Thursday. Babcock said O'Brien had spent last summer working at Wing King on West Camden Avenue, Morristown. He also said The Kelly O'Brien Memorial Trust Fund has been set up to help the family. O'Brien, 18, of Moorestown, died when a tractor-trailer fell onto her vehicle in the eastbound lanes of the Turnpike near Trevose Road around 2:50 p.m. Monday. She was driving in the left lane near mile-marker 350 when her 2006 Toyota and a big rig traveling in the center lane "made contact in a side swipe fashion," said Pennsylvania State Police. The entangled vehicles went off-road, partially up an embankment, where the trailer tipped onto the smaller vehicle, trapping O'Brien in her car, said police. Crews used a crane to lift the big rig off her car. O'Brien was a freshman at Arcadia and majored in Communications. Read more about the memorial here.

That's what you need to know. We've got more stories worthy of your time in the Breakfast Buzz section. Click here to check them out. 

A woman jumped into a car – with a noticeable problem – and made her getaway with another man after she shot a 43-year-old man along a busy corridor in Philadelphia’s Frankford section overnight.

Witnesses told investigators that the woman shot the man in his face, back and leg at Frankford Avenue and Margaret Street – in the shadow of SEPTA’s Market-Frankford El – around 12:30 a.m., said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.

"Upon police arrival they found a 43-year-old male laying on the sidewalk," said Small.

Medics rushed the shooting victim to Temple University Hospital where doctors listed him in stable condition.

"He is expected to survive," said Small.

After the shooting, the armed woman and a man in all dark clothing got into a gold or gray sedan with the driver’s side window covered with a plastic bag. Witnesses told police that car sped off west on Arrott Street.

Police poured over surveillance video as they searched for more clues.

No word yet on what led to the shooting.

"What's up Philly fans? It's Carson Wentz here. I'm excited to head out to Philly tomorrow and #flyeaglesfly, baby," that's how the Eagles new quarterback greeted fans in a video on the Eagles Instagram feed shortly after the Birds picked him at No. 2 overall in the NFL Draft Thursday night.

Wentz, 23, is expected to be in Philadelphia Friday to meet members of the organization and talk to the media for the first time.

You can watch his comment live on this page Friday night.

Police have no immediate plans to file charges in a Delaware high school bathroom brawl that left a teen dead, but the Wilmington police chief says the investigation is not over.

Detectives determined no weapons were used in the April 21 fight at Howard High School of Technology, Chief Bobby Cummings said Friday afternoon.

Amy Joyner-Francis, 16, fell unconscious after the brawl and was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died. An autopsy was performed, but the results haven't been released because the investigation is ongoing, the coroner said.

"These things take time," Cummings said of the investigation. "We are not at a position at this time to file charges."

Three girls, considered persons of interest, were suspended by school officials this week. They have not been identified.

Joyner-Francis complained of head and chest pain after the fight, involving at least two other girls, which took place in a first-floor women's room at the start of classes that day.

Afterward, the teen complained about head and chest pain. A school resource officer called 911 and Joyner-Francis lost consciousness before medics arrived. CPR was performed as she was flown to a nearby children's hospital.

The girl's death left the high school community reeling. Students held vigils and mourned their friend's death and parents flooded school officials with calls about student safety. The school held two nights of parent meetings to allay parent's fears.

Cummings did not say when police may wrap up the investigation, but assured the community that it would be thorough.

Police departments in New York and New Jersey said that a nationwide smash-and-grab gang might have moved into the region to pilfer from cars and steal women’s purses.

Police in Rockland and Bergen counties have both issued alerts about the so-called “Felony Lane Gang,” a crime network that is supposedly active in at least 35 other states and targets purses and wallets left in cars to get bank cards and cash.

One Paramus, New Jersey, woman who asked to not be identified because she fears for her safety told NBC 4 New York believes that thieves with the syndicate shattered the window of her car as she took her daily walk with a friend. Witnesses told her the thieves ran out of a car with license plates from Massachusetts.

Paramus police were called to investigate after the smash-grab and determined that the robbery had the hallmarks of the gang.

Surveillance footage from a similar burglary attributed to the Felony Lane Gang in Massachusetts showed a man smash through the front window of an SUV before opening the door and stealing items from inside.

Thieves have also been blamed for thefts in Nanuet, New York. One woman, Lori Cowen, said that five cars at a little league baseball field were hit on Sunday.

Cowen said she’s not going to stop going to the park because of the thefts, but she is being more alert.

“We came back the next day and said we weren't going to let that stop us,” she said.

Representatives with the crime-fighting consulting firm Wynyard Group told NBC Washington earlier this month that the gang stakes out places like parks, shopping centers and day cares, then smashes windows to get at any purses and wallets before heading to the bank to try to cash checks or withdraw money. They often use the furthest lane out at a bank drive-thru in order to avoid detection.

Matt Melton, a senior consultant with the group, said the gang has been moving north from South Florida over the last 10 years.

"You take a step back and you realize it’s a national organization that’s costing Americans tens of millions of dollars," Melton said.

Police in Massachusetts said the sophisticated crime organization recruits members from across the nation. Even though they're brazen, they're hard to track down, police tell NECN.

"They use rental cars in various people's names. Oftentimes the females who are doing the check fraud may or may not be from the area, and if they are from the area, often they don't know the people they are working for -- maybe by first name or have limited contact information," Medway Police Det. Matthew Reardon told NECN.

Authorities say dozens of suspected drug dealers are behind bars after a massive drug sweep in west Philadelphia and its suburbs.

Police fanned out on Thursday to serve more than 100 arrest warrants during a bust that police say is the culmination of a six-month investigation into dealers who sold drugs on Darby Borough's streets.

Darby Borough Police Chief Robert Smythe says the drug sweep sends a message that police aren't going to tolerate drug sales on the borough's streets.

Police say officers issued 248 arrest warrants and made nearly 200 undercover purchases of drugs during the investigation. More than $48,000 worth of drugs was seized during the probe.

Malfunctioning traffic lights left motorists fending for themselves as they came off the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia Friday morning.

The lights at 8th and Vine, which regulate traffic onto Vine Street or the Vine Street Expressway (Interstate 676), began malfunctioning before 7 a.m. [[377561341, C]]

More than 90 minutes later, motorists coming off the bridge battled it out to get past the malfunction.

The traffic light issued continued through the morning rush before being resolved later in the morning.

The Walt Whitman Bridge could be a better option for drivers crossing from New Jersey into Philadelphia.

The earth shook in western Pennsylvania Friday morning during a natural gas line explosion that could be felt up to 6 miles away, left a gaping hole in the ground and sent one man running for his life as the intense heat burned his body.

The 36-inch gas line blew around 8:30 a.m. Friday in Salem Township, about 30 miles east of Pittsburgh in Westmoreland County. The injured man, who was hospitalized for severe burns, lived in a home about 500 yards away.

"He was in the home by himself. He heard a loud noise; he compared it to a tornado. And he started running up the roadway, and a passerby picked him up," said Fire Chief Bob Rossetti. "The heat was so intense it was burning him as he was running."[[377572801, C]]

Some residents called for help, saying they thought an airplane had crashed, while others said it felt like an earthquake.

"I didn't know if it was a plane or what," said Scott Filipiak, who was driving in the area. "It darn near blew me off the highway!"[[377576331, C]]

First responders from Forbes Road Fire Department saw a massive fireball as they drove toward the scene, but the fire was so hot, Rossetti parked a quarter of a mile away, thankful the area is relatively remote.

"Coming around the bend, and it looked like you were looking down into Hell," Rossetti said. His team doused a few houses with water to keep them from igniting.

[[377607941,C]]

The blast left a big hole in the ground with what appeared to be part of the pipeline, sticking out. The home closest to the explosion was destroyed. No one was there at the time.

"It burned the telephone poles off. It looks like a bomb went off."

Emergency responders evacuated businesses and homes within one mile of the explosion in the area where Routes 22 and 819 intersect, according to The Tribune-Review.

Texas Eastern Transmission owns and operates the natural gas line, according to the Associated Press.

Texas Eastern Transmission owns and operates the natural gas line, according to the Associated Press. The company’s emergency response team, along with the state’s police fire marshal and investigators from the Department of Energy will assess damage and let people know when they can go back home.

76ers rookie Jahlil Okafor knows a thing or two about being a high draft pick in the city of Philadelphia. Apparently he also knows a thing or two about fine Philly cuisine. 

Okafor reacted to the Eagles selection of quarterback Carson Wentz by tweeting at the North Dakota kid to hangout and get a cheesesteak.

It took less than an hour for Wentz to respond and seemed to be keeping his newfound wealth close to his vest.

[[377583301, C]]

Could this be the budding friendship of two Philadelphia sports besties?

NBC10 digital producer Dan Stamm has completed eight Blue Cross Broad Street Runs (including one in a downpour) and 10 marathons (some in the rain). He has also completed numerous 5Ks, half marathons and other distance runs in a variety of conditions from cold to scorching heat.

I don’t consider myself an expert but I know a thing or two about running, and even running in the rain thanks to my experiences. Here are a few tips (from myself and the experts at Runner’s World) for Blue Cross Broad Street Run participants not used to dreary conditions or not used to running 10-miles drenched.

Manage expectations: With rain comes slipperier roads and likely slower times. If you don’t quite hit your goal, don’t beat yourself up, look behind you, you still beat plenty of people.

Wear the right clothes: Heavy clothing light sweatpants and shirts might keep you warm but they get heavy as they get wet. I suggest wearing light tech material clothing and running tights if you want to stay warm – the tighter the item, the less likely you will chafe. A hat – ideally a waterproof cap – can also help keep the rain out of your face and your head warm.

Wear the right socks: The moisture could increase your chance of getting blisters so wear socks that wick moisture away and also place some anti-chafing agent on problem spots on your feet.

Protect from chafing: Talking about chafing (it's a dirty word)... Use a petroleum-based product or an anti-chafing cream that can withstand the moisture and prevent chafing – target arms, inner thighs, feet, bra lines and nipples with the lube. I personally also bandage my nipples to prevent irritation.

Stay hydrated: Just cause it’s raining and a little chilly doesn’t mean you don’t need to stay hydrated. Be sure to get water and Gatorade from the stations along the way. Also, drink fluids starting the day before the race.

Get out of the wet clothes: Once you cross the finish line and grab your well-deserved medal, be sure to change into drier clothing as quickly as possible. Pack a pair of comfortable sandals in your checked bag and take off those running shoes and wet socks post-race.

Stay Calm: It’s rain, you’ve seen it before, you’ll see it again. Smile, stick your tongue out if you want, and enjoy the trip down Broad Street.

Keep an eye out for Dan Stamm and the rest of the NBC10 Team at the 2016 Blue Cross Broad Street Run.

Running? Cheering on a runner? Watching from the comfort of your couch? We've got everything you could possibly need for Sunday's 10-miler, right here, in one place. 

Before we get to the race (if you're running or not), feel free to check out the 2016 Blue Cross Croad Street Run Health & Wellness Expo presented by Einstein Healthcare Network and get a chance to meet your favorite NBC10 personalities.

NBC10 and Telemundo62 will broadcast the Blue Cross Broad Street Run (so be sure to set your DVR for Sunday morning if you're running)! You can also watch it streamed live on the NBC10 app and on the NBC10 mobile site.

Here are some tips for people running the race or watching from home or the side of the road.

Race Day Forecast:

• NBC10 First Alert Neighbohood Weather

Tips for Running in the Rain:

• Beware of Chafing
  

SEPTA Detours:

• SEPTA's Detours for the Blue Cross Broad Street Run

Spectator Info:

• Where are the best places to watch the race?

Results:

• Blue Cross Broad Street Run Race Results

A Philadelphia man threatened to chop up his parents with a samurai sword before getting into a confrontation with officers at his Juniata Park home, police said.

Ivan Encarnacion, 40, allegedly started arguing with his elderly mother and father in the kitchen of their home along the 4300 block of K Street around 11 a.m. Thursday. The argument escalated to Encarnacion grabbing a bat before heading into the basement to get the sword, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.

Encarnacion's 81-year-old mother told police that he charged at her and said "I am going to chop you into pieces." He allegedly grabbed his 78-year-old father by the neck and demanded cash. Police said the father gave him two $5 bills and Encarnacion threatened to chop up him as well before running outside.

The parents called police; officers arrived a short time later to find Encarnacion in front of the house with the sword in its sheath. When officers told him to drop the weapon, he instead unsheathed it and charged officers, police said.

An officer fired his Taser, hitting the man. But he was able to pull the prongs from his chest and run back into the house, police said.

The SWAT team was called in to negotiate with Encarnacion. After a short time, he surrendered to police. No one else was hurt.

Encarnacion is charged with three counts of aggravated assault, possessing an instrument of crime, terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and related offenses. Attorney information for Encarnacion was not immediately available.

New Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz is giving his first press conference to media at his new home, Lincoln Financial Field, in South Philadelphia.

Wentz didn't take long to begin actively courting Eagles fans on social media.

And he's already making friends with fellow Philly pro athletes.

Basketball superstar Steph Curry seems to be everywhere these days. At the White House with President Obama, on the cover of a parenting magazine and now on a brand of heroin.

SEPTA police confiscated a set of heroin-filled dime bags emblazoned with Curry's name and face in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood on Tuesday.

The stamp, as the branding is called, is like a logo drug dealers use to market the potent opioid to drug-addicted people. They can be named after companies (like Facebook), objects, feelings, or in Curry's case, people. These stamps come and go quickly, with dozens being sold at a time across the area, narcotics officers say.

NBC10 explored the tragic world of heroin and opioid addiction in the Philadelphia area and beyond in the in-depth investigation, Generation Addicted. Learn more about the issues people face and the new strategies being employed to help people get treatment here.

A SEPTA police officer came across the Curry stamp after stopping an 18-year-old man at Kensington Avenue and Somerset Street around 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestel said.

The officer stopped the Hammonton, New Jersey, man after seeing blood on his hands, Nestel said. He was arrested and the drugs were taken as evidence.

Nestel tagged the Golden State Warriors point guard when tweeting a photo of the drugs saying: "Thinking Steph Curry wouldn't be happy that he is this week's brand for heroin in Philly."

That's probably an understatement.

NBC10 reached out to Curry's reps to get his thoughts about the stamp, but we haven't heard back. A spokeswoman for the Golden State Warriors had no comment.

A Strawberry Mansion man convicted to 62 years to life in prison for a 2006 shooting that left a child paralyzed from the neck down is seeking a retrial.

A judge did not rule in the case of Raheem Collins, now 30, but scheduled another hearing for June.

The victim, Jabar Wright, who was 6 years old when he suffered a bullet wound to the head in an ambush shooting on Westmont Street, was not in court, but his mother Alicia Wright was.

"We count every day as a miracle, so to be here, and fight this 10 years later is hard," she said.

Five months after he allegedly fired at a police officer in a small central Pennsylvania town, the suspect in a traffic stop gone terribly wrong is in custody, according to police.

Trev Bowies Jackson, 24, was arrested Friday in the Strawberry Mansion section of Philadelphia by U.S. Marshals, Northern York County police said in a statement.

At the time of the shooting in late November last year, police allege Jackson is the suspect seen in dramatic police car dash camera video shooting point-blank range at the head of Officer Lynn Anderson. Somehow, Anderson wasn't struck with a bullet, and he scrambled away as the shooter then gets back in his car and drives off.

In the moments before the shooting, Anderson asked the suspect to get out of the car and put his hands behind his back, the video shows. The suspect then opened fire.

"On November 23, 2015 an arrest warrant was issued charging Jackson with criminal attempt – criminal homicide," Northern York County police said in a statement Friday. "During the course of the investigation, Marshals developed information that Jackson had fled the area and was hiding out in the city of Philadelphia. Task Force Marshals from Harrisburg teamed up with Marshals from Philadelphia in locating and arresting Jackson. On April 29, Deputy U.S. Marshals, Task Force Officers and Philadelphia Police Department Swat, located and arrested Jackson without incident in the 2600 block of North Stanley Street in Philadelphia."