Opinion Roundup: Severe weather serves as an important reminder

Recovering from the tornadoes (Winston-Salem Journal) -- Thank goodness the students and teachers in Yadkin County’s Courtney Elementary rode out Wednesday’s tornado without injury, as did most of the others across our area who faced the freight-train winds. Damage to the school’s gym was among many hits the winds rendered across four counties.

TAYLOR BATTEN: Gianforte just the latest to assault the First Amendment (Charlotte Observer column) -- Greg Gianforte’s attack on the Guardian’s Ben Jacobs was an assault on the First Amendment. It follows ones by Tom Price, the FCC and Donald Trump.

TAYLOR KNOPF: Acupuncturists Stick It to Opioids (N.C. Health News) -- North Carolina acupuncturists want to help solve the state’s opioid addiction problem.

KIRK ROSS: Time to rally to UNC center’s defense (Durham Herald-Sun column) -- UNC’s Center for Civil Rights is in the crosshairs because it has the temerity to sue organizations and entities that deprive North Carolinians of their civil rights.

Food stamp purge could benefit from study, compromise (Wilson Times) -- Some state legislators want to turn away federal funds that provide free meals for Wilson County schoolchildren.

TOM LOONEY: NC Missing at New York’s Billion Oyster Party (Coastal Review) -- At a New York celebration of oysters, North Carolina was absent despite being ideally positioned to compete in the growing shellfish aquaculture market.