Empty Nest - April 2023

Appen Media Group

April Special Section

PEXELS

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Not tan? Labrador overweight?

POMC might be the answer!

Brought to You by - Brent Taylor, MD, Premiere Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta Are you pale? Is your labrador overweight? Then this is the article for you! Proopiomelanocortin (POMC for short) is a remarkable hormone that your brain makes and that may unlock our ability to regulate body weight and even help us get a tan without going in the sun.

If we break apart POMC’s name, pro-“opio”-“melano”-“cortin” comes from the fact that POMC is cut apart by enzymes into three main smaller proteins. First, POMC is broken into opioid hormones that regulate pain, satiety (feeling full after eating) and response to exercise. Second, POMC is broken down into melanocyte stimulating hormones that affect skin pigmentation, sexual behavior and satiety. Third, POMC is broken down into adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), a cortisol-regulating hormone that affects blood sugar, responses to stress and the immune system.

To think like a doctor, imagine what could go wrong if any one of these proteins isn’t working due to a disease. In fact, a mutation in POMC has been linked to increased interest in food and obesity in labrador retrievers and might explain why your labrador is overweight. Many labradors have been found to have a mutation in beta-endorphin, which is one of the opioid hormones that POMC is broken down to form. Beta-endorphin is also famous as a protein that contributes to the “runner’s high” – the feeling of wellbeing that we get with exercise.

Similarly, low POMC has been found to make affected humans constantly hungry.

To think like a pharmaceutical scientist, imagine the medical (or cosmetic) potential of developing medicines that affect our responses to pain, our sense of well-being, whether we feel hungry, blood sugar levels, immune system health, sex drive and how tan our skin is. Just one of these functions has incredible pharmaceutical potential. University of Arizona researchers got to work on the tanning applications of POMC in the 1980s and developed a synthetic form of melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) which became known as “Melanotan” (aka afamelanotide, aka Scenesse) and now is best identified as “Melanotan I.” As an aside, Melanotan II is another synthetic hormone similar to MSH, but it is not FDA approved for any use, has more sexual and satiety effects and has periodically received

coverage in the popular press as the “Barbie Drug.”

Melanotan I causes the pigment producing cells in your skin – the melanocytes – to produce more melanin. Melanin is an important defense against ultraviolet radiation.

The problem is that we normally make melanin in response to ultraviolet light exposure after a lot of damage is already done. Increasing melanin before sun exposure sounds very appealing.

Is Melanotan I ready for the masses?

Not yet…

The package insert for Melanotan I points out that carcinogenicity studies have not been performed.

These studies are often required for FDA approval. Melanotan I gained approval under special circumstances for a very specific condition called erythropoietic protoporphyria – a skin disease in which people are so sensitive to sunlight that their quality of life is severely affected. The FDA sometimes issues special approval of medications used for “Orphan” diseases when no other treatments are available and when the number of patients affected is so small that the cost of fully testing a medicine would stop it from coming to market.

We do not have enough data on Melanotan I to help us know if it is appropriate for sunless tanning.

Carcinogenicity studies have not been published. Long term safety studies have not been published. Melanotan increases blood pressure, and long term effects on cardiovascular health would likely not be known for decades. Case reports of individuals who developed melanoma while using Melanotan cannot know whether Melanotan had a role in causing the melanoma because they are simply case reports and not case-controlled or placebo-controlled.

So where do things stand? Some individuals are purchasing Melanotan I and II illegally, as these chemicals are part of the steroid and tanning-bed using weightlifting community. They are purchased at great personal risk because of all the above unknowns in addition to the problems with purity and safety when illegal substances are procured. For the rest of us, the pharmaceutical companies are still hard at work. They are actively testing similar compounds to identify medicines with fewer side effects. There is reason to hope that in the future a pill may allow us to develop a tan before going on vacation and better protect ourselves from the sun. In the meantime, traditional sun safety measures are best… and our labradors will remain fat and happy!

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Misconceptions about active Adult 55+ living Brought to you by - Outlook Gwinnett Assumption: Active Adult and Independent Living are the same thing Reality: FALSE! Active adult communities serve as choice-based option for individuals 55 and better who may not be ready for the needsbased services and amenities of a traditional senior living community.

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How does Medicare work when I travel?

Brought to you by - Senior Source Medicare Solutions With spring in full swing and the summer travel months upon us, many of us will be traveling stateside or to a foreign country. An important part of planning is understanding how your Medicare insurance coverage works outside of where you live.

This will vary depending on your type of plan.

If you have Traditional Medicare and a Medicare Supplement Plan, you may see any doctor or hospital in the United States that accepts Medicare, either for emergency or non-emergency care. Coverage outside of the United States is not covered by Traditional Medicare; however, your Medicare Supplement plan will provide emergency coverage outside of the United States.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage will depend on your network type, typically a PPO or an HMO. A PPO style network will give you national coverage for emergency, urgent care and non-emergen-

cy services. An HMO style network would only provide for emergency and urgent care services outside of your plan’s service area (typically the county or a group of counties around where you live). For foreign travel, the Medicare Advantage plan will provide emergency coverage only while outside of the United States.

When traveling internationally, we recommend acquiring additional Trip Insurance. This will typically give you additional health insurance protection when traveling. Most Trip Insurance policies will bundle other protections into the policy, such as lost baggage and last-minute cancellation coverage. Also, when planning international travel, it is a good idea to touch base with your Medicare insurance carrier to fully understand coverage outside of the United States.

If you have questions about your Medicare insurance coverage when you travel, give us a call today! Call us at (770) 315-8145 or visit our website at www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com.

Your Local Broker for Medicare Insurance Needs

Specializing in Medicare Advantage & Medicare Supplement Plans Serving North Atlanta Seniors for More Than 10 Years Representing Most Medicare Insurance Companies • Experienced Medicare Insurance Broker • Provides Personalized Plan Analysis Paige Gorman Agent

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770.315.8145

www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

Reconnecting with your adult child: A guide to healing broken relationships Brought to you by - Summit Counseling Center Broken relationships between parents and their grown children are, sadly, very common. Whether actions were simply misunderstood or serious emotional injury was inflicted, it’s a painful situation for everyone involved. While you may not be entirely responsible, initiating reconciliation may be up to you. Here are some points to keep in mind as you seek to reconnect: • Remember your child is an adult.

While you may feel that just yesterday they were children, they are grown and should be treated with the respect they deserve.

• Acknowledge your contribution.

There are two sides to every story

- harmless actions in your eyes may have been seen as hurtful to your child. Try to understand their perspective and apologize for your part.

• Be fair. This doesn’t mean you accept all blame and overlook their wrongdoings, but criticizing everything you see wrong may do more harm than good - try to stick to the current issue.

• Get support. By reaching out to a friend or therapist, you can gain a neutral perspective that can help you be more objective and empathetic.

Navigating relationships with adult children can be tricky, but the reward of a healthy connection is worth it.

Visit summitcounseling.org to view our services and see how we can help you in your journey!

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How does Medicare work when I travel?

Brought to you by- Senior Source Medicare Solutions With spring in full swing and the summer travel months upon us, many of us will be traveling stateside or to a foreign country. An important part of planning is understanding how your Medicare insurance coverage works outside of where you live. This will vary depending on your type of plan.

If you have Traditional Medicare and a Medicare Supplement Plan, you may see any doctor or hospital in the United States that accepts Medicare, either for emergency or nonemergency care. Coverage outside of the United States is not covered

by Traditional Medicare; however, your Medicare Supplement plan will provide emergency coverage outside of the United States.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage will depend on your network type, typically a PPO or an HMO. A PPO style network will give you national coverage for emergency, urgent care and nonemergency services. An HMO style

network would only provide for emergency and urgent care services outside of your plan’s service area (typically the county or a group of counties around where you live). For foreign travel, the Medicare Advantage plan will provide emergency coverage only while outside of the United States.

When traveling internationally, we recommend acquiring additional Trip Insurance. This will typically give you additional health insurance protection when traveling. Most Trip Insurance policies will bundle other protections into the policy, such as lost baggage and last-minute cancellation coverage. Also, when planning international travel, it is a good idea to touch base with your Medicare insurance carrier to fully understand coverage outside of the United States.

If you have questions about your Medicare insurance coverage when you travel, give us a call today! Call us at (770) 913-6464 or visit our website at www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com.

AppenMedia.com | April 2023 | 7

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www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

8 | April 2023 | AppenMedia.com

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Connection Café: What’s that?

Brought to You by - Roswell Senior Center It wasn’t long after Virginia was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s that her husband, Anthony, started having trouble finding meaningful ways to engage with her. Anthony’s days were lived by a checklist – Making breakfast – check. Morning medications – check. Help with bathing – check.

Getting dressed for the day – check… check…check. As Virginia progressed through her disease it became more difficult to accomplish tasks on the list - Virginia would insist she already took her medications that day, or that she didn’t need a shower. Frustration would kick in for both and the whole day would become a battle. They’d go to sleep, wake up the next morning and attempt the checklist all over again.

Caring for a loved one with dementia can trigger significant relationship changes. The new caregiver morphs from a loving family

member into a role that is task and service oriented. It’s easy for a caregiver to become burned out, leaving little energy to engage in fun and meaningful time together. Or, as in the case of Virginia’s changing abilities, how to have fun together.

This is where Connection Café comes in!

Connection Café is a no-cost social gathering which allows people experiencing memory loss and their loved ones to connect with each other through activities, socialize, and build a new support network. Care partners can witness trained staff and volunteers model effective ways to communicate and interact with their family members, and they learn new activities and techniques that can be used at home. The group meets twice a month at the Roswell Senior Center and provides a break in the day-today and an opportunity to meet other families who are walking the same path.

Alyss Amster is the Associate

Executive Director of the Dementia Spotlight Foundation, the organization that runs the Connection Café at the Roswell Senior Center. “Alzheimer’s and the many related dementias are misunderstood in our society. Our attendees can be themselves in a safe environment where everyone understands”, Amster said.

For our May 5th Connection Café, Perfect Harmony Health will be leading the group in music therapy exercises. Research shows that rhythm and music affect multiple areas of the human brain on a

subconscious level. Because of this, rhythm can be used to help build new connections in the brain thus improving brain function.

If you are caring for a loved one with dementia and would like more information on attending an upcoming Connection Café, contact Alyss Amster at 678-332-1711 or alyss@ dementiaspotlightfoundation.org Connection Café at the Roswell Senior Center 1250 Warsaw Road – Roswell, GA 1st and 3rd Friday of the month

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Impending hospital closure rattles health care landscape

Cities sign settlement with former solicitor

By SAM WHITEHEAD and ANDY MILLER Kaiser Health News

Townhome plan delayed

by Alpharetta council

► PAGE 5

ALEXANDER POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Reaching for consensus Mediator Barry Fleming leads the first local option sales tax mediation session between Fulton County and city officials at the Georgia Municipal Association in Atlanta on Friday, Sept. 23. Read more, Pages 8-9.

Local governments plan mental health projects

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Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival to host 10-year celebration DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Hebrew Order of David has announced the official in-person and live return of the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival taking place on Oct. 23.

The event will run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody.

Celebrating its official 10-year anniversary, the festival will host over 20 teams including traveling participants from Florida, Texas and Washington, D.C., to take part in this year’s competition.

Organizers expect more than 4,000 barbecue lovers and community supporters to be in attendance. The festival offers events and musical programming for all ages in addition to barbecue

tastings and vendor booths showcasing local Kosher caterers, community organizations, first responders, artisans and more.

For the past several years the Cobb County Police Department has entered a team to participate in the festival’s competition. In light of recent events, in which two Cobb County deputies were lost in the line of duty, the festival and its organizers will be making a donation with a portion of the event proceeds to honor their memories and families left behind.

“In these tough situations, we must all find ways to support each other,” said Jody Pollack, the executive director for the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival.

ATLANTA — Like many neighborhoods in cities across the country, Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward is changing.

Condo buildings and modern minimalist homes punctuate city blocks of lowincome housing. Many longtime residents of the historic neighborhood where Martin Luther King Jr. was born have been priced out and pushed to other parts of town.

Atlanta Medical Center, a 460-bed Level 1 trauma center, will be the next fixture to change.

Despite banners proclaiming the hospital’s commitment to the area — “120 Years Caring For Atlanta,” one reads — its nonprofit owner, Wellstar Health System, recently announced plwans to close the hospital’s doors on Nov. 1.

Georgia has seen several rural hospitals shutter in the past decade, but this year Atlanta has joined other urban centers with facility closures, including a previous downsizing at a facility in the nearby city of East Point.

The Wellstar announcement has stoked the political debate over Medicaid

Perimeter Center vision to be open house topic ► PAGE 3

expansion ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections. Like 11 other states, Georgia has not expanded eligibility rules for its Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act, and hospital officials across the state say inaction has hurt their bottom lines because they still treat high numbers of uninsured patients, many of whom cannot pay for treatment.

The Wellstar announcement shocked city officials, including Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, as well as other members of the community.

On a recent weekday morning, Teresa Smith, 60, who lives in the neighborhood, said she frequently receives care there for a chronic digestive issue.

“This hospital will be missed by the whole community,” she said.

Liliana Bakhtiari, the Atlanta City Council member whose district includes the hospital, was sharp in her assessment.

“There will be loss of life and critical injuries that will not be taken care of, and I wish that mattered more to Wellstar,” she said.

Wellstar declined KHN’s request for an interview about the closure.

See WELLSTAR, Page 4

Farmers market still draws crowds ► PAGE 4

County leaves public out of sales tax talks

Appen publisher welcomes readers

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‘Save Fulton cities’

October 6, 2022 | AppenMedia.com | An Appen Media Group Publication | Ser ving the community since 1976

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Woman sentenced in fatal hit and run ► PAGE 2

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Covered by Medicare / most insurance plans

Unity leads sales tax negotiations Cities sign settlement with former solicitor

► PAGE 3

City Council holds on plans for coffee shop

New agreement may spell end to water wars

By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat News Service

ALEXANDER POPP/APPEN MEDIA

‘Walk humbly and do justice’ University of North Georgia Public Safety cadets stand at attention for an inspection Oct. 3. The 28 men and woman are the first class in a partnership academy between the university and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. Read more, Page 8.

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Representatives of water supply systems in Gwinnett, Forsyth and Hall counties finalized an agreement with the state Sept. 26 guaranteeing them water from Lake Lanier through 2050.

The long-term deal, first announced last month, closes the chapter on a major portion of the tristate “water wars” between Georgia, Florida, and Alabama going back to the 1990s.

“This landmark agreement is the final step in a 30-year-long process to secure water rights for Lake Lanier,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared during a ceremony at the state Capi-

See WATER, Page 21

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

to keep more than the 5 percent share it has been getting over the past decade.

The cities say the county’s proposal will cost them tens of millions of dollars they need to pay for local services without

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Plans for a Scooter’s Coffee location near Johns Creek’s busiest intersection have been put on hold for now.

At the Sept. 26 City Council meeting, a host of people associated with the project spread across three rows to await a decision on their request to change zoning conditions that would allow a 664-square-foot Scooter’s Coffee location.

The building would stand as an outparcel in an existing shopping center on the intersection of Medlock Bridge Road and State Bridge Road.

The area is currently used for parking.

The application, which requests a variance in the existing C-1 (Com-

See TAX, Page 4

See COFFEE, Page 6

ALEXANDER POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin, left, and Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry display a bar graph showing decreases in service demands Fulton County has experienced over the past 10 years, Officials from 11 Fulton County cities hosted a town hall at the Georgia International Conference Center Sept. 28 to discuss distribution of the local option sales tax.

Cities unite over sales tax

Mayors meet to discuss negotiation with Fulton County

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Mayors and representatives of 11 Fulton County cities projected a message of unity and strength Sept. 28 at a second town hall

meeting to discuss distribution of the countywide local option sales tax.

The cities are locking horns with Fulton County over how an estimated $3 billion in sales tax revenue will be distributed over the next 10 years. The cities are fighting a Fulton County bid

ALEXANDER POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison, second from right, joined mayors from 10 other cities in College Park Sept. 28 for a public forum on the countywide local option sales tax. The mayors are united in opposing a bid by Fulton County to receive a greater share of the proceeds from the tax which are expected to generate $3 billion over the next 10 years.

Cities unite over sales tax

Fulton County students enroll in Auburn classes

► PAGE 5

Mayors meet to discuss negotiation with county

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Mayors and representatives of 11 Fulton County cities projected a message of unity and strength Sept. 28 at a second town hall meeting to discuss distribution of the countywide local option sales tax.

The cities are locking horns with Fulton County over how an estimated $3 billion in sales tax revenue will be distributed over the next 10 years. The cities are fighting a Fulton County bid to keep more than the 5 percent share it has been getting over the past decade.

The cities say the county’s proposal will cost them tens of millions of dollars they need to pay for local services without raising property taxes.

Held at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, the meeting was well attended by residents and a diverse panel of city officials from Alpharetta, College Park, East Point, Fairburn, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Milton, Palmetto, Sandy Springs, South Fulton and Union City.

City representatives spent nearly two hours answering questions on the proposed distribution negotiations with Fulton County officials, which have be-

come increasingly heated.

“What Fulton County has been doing for the last few months, is not working together to help our residents,” Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin said. “The one thing that is common amongst all of us in this room is if you live in Fulton County, and Fulton County gets what they want, we’re all gonna get screwed.”

Every 10 years, the county and its cities – now 15 in number – renegotiate how money collected from LOST is distributed. Most often, the pot is generally apportioned based on each city’s popula-

See TAX, Page 6

Opinion: The backstory of a Crabapple church

► PAGE 10-11

SPONSORED Monthly North Atlanta Real Estate Report

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Mayors and representatives of 11 Fulton County cities projected a message of unity and strength Sept. 28 at a second town hall meeting to discuss distribution of the countywide local option sales tax.

The cities are locking horns with Fulton County over how an estimated $3 billion in sales tax revenue will be distributed over the next 10 years. The cities are fighting a Fulton County bid to keep more than the 5 percent share it has been getting over the past decade.

The cities say the county’s proposal will cost them tens of millions of dollars they need to pay for local services without raising property taxes.

Held at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, the meeting was well attended by residents and a diverse panel of city officials from Alpharetta, College Park, East Point, Fairburn, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Milton, Palmetto, Sandy Springs, South Fulton and Union City.

City representatives spent nearly two hours answering questions on the proposed distribution negotiations with

A note to our new readers

Fulton County officials, which have become increasingly heated.

“What Fulton County has been doing for the last few months, is not working together to help our residents,” Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin said. “The one thing that is common amongst all of us in this room is if you live in Fulton County, and Fulton County gets what they want, we’re all gonna get screwed.”

Every 10 years, the county and its cities – now 15 in number – renegotiate how money collected from LOST is distributed. Most often, the pot is generally apportioned based on each city’s population, while the county keeps a small portion for administrative fees.

But from the beginning of talks over the new 10-year agreement, the county has insisted on taking a greater share than it has in the last two decades. Fulton County initially proposed to increase its share from 5 percent to 35 percent.

City officials have come down hard against that proposal, saying it would devastate municipalities that rely on LOST proceeds to pay for things like law enforcement, fire and emergency rescue, parks and recreation, roads and other services.

Since that initial offer, negotiators on

ALEXANDER POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul speaks at a public forum in Roswell held Sept.

21 to discuss negotiations with Fulton County over the countywide sales tax. Mayors held another public forum Sept. 28 in College Park. both sides have exchanged proposals.

Most recently at a Sept. 23 mediation session with the Georgia Municipal Association in Atlanta, talks stalled when county officials refused to participate in negotiations in front of the public.

“There’s no reason for the county that they can justify an increase in their

See UNITY, Page 8

Today marks the beginning of Appen Media’s move into the City of Sandy Springs. We welcome the chance to provide you with the best, most thorough local news coverage with our community-based brand of reporting. While new to this area, Appen has been a neighbor for three decades, serving the cities of Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek, and more recently, Dunwoody. The one thing all our publications have in common is a dedication to the communities we serve and a willingness to listen to our readers. Our ears are open.

► PAGES 13-22

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percentage of LOST,” Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry said. “If they want an increase in their percentage, they need to come to us, they need to come to you with a concrete proposal.”

The hostilities with the county over

10 | April 2023 | AppenMedia.com

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