The Annual Christmas Pageant in Cornwall takes place on Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Jane Prentice, director since 2005, will step down this year after 19 years of directing the pageant.
Lazlo Gyorsok
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Future of weight loss
Jan 15, 2025
More than 40% of Americans are now classified as obese while 75% of adults are either overweight or obese. A new group of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists have come on the scene to help in the battle to lose weight. Are they as good as we think?
You may have heard about them or some of their brand names like Zepbound, Wegovy, and Ozempic. The use of these drugs has exploded in popularity to the point where companies like Lilly and Novo Nordisk have had problems keeping up with demand. There is nothing magical about the science behind these drugs. GLP-1 mimics a protein naturally produced by our small intestines. The receptors for these medicines are located across the body. They help us lose weight because receptors in the gastrointestinal tract slow down and send signals to the brain that give us a sense of feeling full.
There are some side effects but nothing too serious for most patients. We are still learning how these medications impact the body. They are currently approved for treating diabetes, obesity, and those with a history of cardiovascular disease in people who are overweight. There are a few drawbacks to these drugs at present.
Typically, GLP-1 agonists are administered as injections in the abdomen, upper arms, outer thighs, or upper buttocks via a syringe and needle or a pre-filled dosing pen. The shots are generally taken once a day or once a week.
For many, this is a big turn-off. Fortunately, you will be able to take tablets soon. The typical weight loss is from 5-15% of body weight over at least 12 months. But GLP-1 is no quick fix. Like exercise, you must stick with it. If you stop taking it, most people regain the weight they lost. And you can’t expect to magically lose weight while you continue to eat all that junk food you get.
The second drawback is the expense. These medications’ list price is around $1,000 a month to $1,400 a month. Without insurance, we are talking $12,000 plus per year for these drugs. Many insurance plans cover some portion of GLP-1 costs, but the extent of coverage can vary significantly. You probably are wondering whether Medicare covers GLP-1 medications. They do for certain medically accepted indications such as heart attack or cardiovascular disease but not for weight management. To qualify, you must have a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with comorbidities like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes. They are currently covered through Part D plans.
An entirely new team of individuals, including a retired congressman, a surgeon, and a talk-show host could play pivotal roles in how the government goes about safeguarding America’s health.
Coinsurance amounts are pegged to the list price of drugs. As such, Medicare beneficiaries who qualify could still face monthly costs of $250 to $430 before they reach the annual out-of-pocket drug spending established by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA cap for out-of-pocket expenses were around $3,300 in 2024 and will be $2,000 in 2025. Most retirees living on modest incomes would still find the cost of GLP-1 prohibitive.
In November 2024, the Biden Administration proposed that Medicare and Medicaid cover obesity medications. In doing so, they sidestepped a twenty-year-old piece of legislation that prevented Medicare from covering drugs for ‘weight loss.’ The new proposal specifies that the drugs would be covered to treat the disease of obesity and prevent related conditions. Those conditions are serious and include diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, and arthritis.
The classification would also mean that every state Medicaid program would be required to cover the drugs starting in 2026. Between the two programs, an additional 7.4 million Americans would gain coverage. The price tag would be high, at least $36 billion over a decade. However, there are more obesity drugs in the pipeline and prices should fall as competition heats up. Starting in 2025, Medicare will also be able to negotiate a lower price for Wegovy as well as many other popular drugs.
As for the future, the costs and usage of GLP-1 medications could change significantly under the second Trump Administration. An entirely new team of individuals, including a retired congressman, a surgeon, and a talk-show host could play pivotal roles in how the government goes about safeguarding America’s health.
Under Robert F. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, politician, and anti-vaccine organizer, we can expect radically different views and actions in health care, medicine, food safety, and science research. Early indications are that Kennedy, who would run the Department of Health and Human Services, is not a big fan of Ozempic. He does not believe that using popular GLP-1 drugs is ever going to make America healthy again. His remedy would be to provide good food to Americans. He believes that providing three nutritious meals a day to all Americans would solve obesity and diabetes overnight. The problem is that for many Americans the admonition to change your diet, eat less, and exercise more has failed to dent the problem. Why not give the country an avenue that shows a much better chance of success over the long term?
Bill Schmick is a founding partner of Onota Partners, Inc., in the Berkshires.
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‘The people (of Greenland) will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation.’
—Donald J. Trump, January 2024
On Jan. 7, in a non-threatening commentary, Trump initially spoke of buying Greenland without specifics on his tact for acquiring two other countries: Panama and Canada. This past week at a press conference, Trump shifted to harsh, warning commentary — he would, if necessary, use military and/or economy force on the three countries he wishes to acquire. Panama has no military, just a police force. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a member of NATO. Trump indicated that our neighbor Canada would only be in line for economic corrections.
Initially, Trump had been clear that he wanted to buy Greenland. This monster of an idea wasn’t new with Trump. For a hundred and sixty years plus some American of stature has pressed for this acquisition. In 1867, it was considered by Secretary of State William Seward to annex Greenland with Iceland while he negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia. In 1910, an exchange of Greenland for U.S. territories was proposed. In 1946, at the close of WWII, an offer was made to Denmark by Secretary of State James Brynes, the $100 million in gold bullion offer was rejected. In 1917, the U.S. did successfully purchase from Denmark the Danish West Indies — renamed the Virgin Islands — as strategic security for the newly constructed Panama Canal.
Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat), is the world’s largest island, three times the size of Texas, the northernmost undisputed point of land in the Arctic. Greenland is tricky, it is a large rock surface 80% covered by an ice sheet nearly 3,200 meters (2 miles) thick. In Greenland the energy resource is 81% renewables (100% renewables targeted by 2050). Although Greenland and its surrounding seas are rich in difficult-to-extract oil and gas, the government in 2021, banned all future oil and gas exploration. Greenlanders know the impacts of global warming.
Eighty-nine percent of Greenland’s population of 56,000 — its heritage and culture — is of Inuit descent, 7.5 % are Danes. Towns and cities are clustered along the ice-free southern island tip. Greenland, a Danish territory since 1380, became an autonomous territory in 2008, all Greenlanders are Danish citizens, all Greenlanders are EU (European Union) citizens.
Why Greenland — why sustained U.S. interest over a century and a half? Why heightened rhetoric about its acquisition? The U.S. isn’t hooked by the dominant fishing industry — 90% of Greenland’s current economy. Rather size, strategic location, proximity are long standing factors joined more recently by the presence of rare mineral and gem deposits.
Greenland’s location is key — always as a buffer for U.S. security in the North. More recently its location as a prime trade and transport advantage with waterways from Asia altered northward by the melting of the Arctic. Being the earth’s northernmost land point is advantageous for Greenland as ownership of the Arctic area fumes as an international debate among Russia, the U.S., Canada, Denmark, and Greenland over who owns the North Pole. With acquisition of Greenland, U.S. ownership positioning would be strengthened.
In 2020, Thule Air Base, operating in Greenland since WWII, was transferred to the United States Space Force, newly created in the previous Trump administration, and renamed Pituffik Space Station. This space v air base is described as housing missile warning systems along with space surveillance and control sensors. The U.S.’s northernmost military base has expanded its scope, upping its strategic importance.
The U.S. government, U.S. corporations and U.S. billionaires hold eyes and desires for Greenland. It doth promise to be a green, green land.
Why not Greenland?
‘Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long fight for freedom.’
—Múte Bourup Eged, Greenland PM
Without upscale pressures of force, Greenland doesn’t present as a receptive audience for acquisition particularly by the U.S. where capitalism holds sway and its diversity conscience is waning. Positioned in the Arctic where global warming is most advanced coupled with a dominant Inuit culture having experienced years of being “lesser” (unequal treatment, access and wages), an indigenous resistance to extractive capitalism is deep and active in Greenland. Oil and gas extraction is banned, renewables are the energy sources of choice.
In the past, Greenland’s icesheet shrank annually and was renewed annually with Arctic snows and cold. In recent years the ice shrinkage hasn’t been replaced, warming effects are threatening.
‘Ice in the West Antarctic and over Greenland, i.e., ice that’s over a rock at the moment, that will raise the level of the sea as it slides into the ocean, putting at risk everyone and everything that lives on the coasts, and includes an enormous percentage of the world’s people.’ — Bill McKibben
Some here may doubt warming impacts, some may snicker and some may recall recent photos of Americans along the Atlantic coast moving their homes back from a receded shoreline and struggling to obtain home insurance in areas susceptible to ever increasing storms eroding shorelines.
A brouhaha is brewing. It isn’t active, but it’s surprisingly aggressive, this rumbling of takeovers of nations who have been longtime neighbors and friends. Trump isn’t yet President, no real estate slam dunk has been proposed and accepted, no tariffs cited, there is not yet a Trump appointed Ambassador to Denmark — there’s a nominee to be confirmed. Trump has dispatched his crack negotiator, skilled Donald Trump Jr., recently for a private visit to Greenland perhaps to smooth talks, lay positive foundations for discussions. Perhaps these talks weren’t congenial.
Like other emerging policies and potential aggressive actions suggested by Trump or his forming administration, an acquisition of Greenland, by many possible means, shapes pathways for expanded access and new streams of money for many.
Kathy Herald-Marlowe lives in Sharon.
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Turning Back the Pages
Jan 15, 2025
125 years ago —
January 1900
SHARON — Miss Alma Walton left last Wednesday morning for Brooklyn to take a six months course in stenography at Pratt’s Institute. Mr. Walton accompanied her, returning the latter part of the week.
SHARON — Work upon the C.B. Dakin Co.’s store is going on rapidly and the ruins will soon be cleared away. We understand it is Mr. Dakin’s intention to erect a temporary building in front of the barn connected with the store and there carry on his business until the store can be rebuilt, which will be but two stories when completed.
‘Tis rumored that the Billiard Club in Sharon are to rent the room over Mr. Marckress’ jewelry store, also that they will purchase a new pool table.
Ice harvesting has commenced and a good quality of 10 inch ice is being gathered from the lake.
J.M. Miller’s stock of trunks and satchels was largely reduced during the holidays, but this week he has received a new lot making the stock complete in the latest styles. Also a large line of horse blankets, fur robes, etc.
The Lady Foresters held their installation of officers on Thursday evening and afterward a social dance was held, which all greatly enjoyed. A very prosperous and growing lodge is this and the members are meeting with great encouragement.
It is not often that the weather is such that golf can be played in January, but this has been a remarkable season. On January 9th Dr. and Mrs. Knight, Mr. Monahan and Mrs. Randall had a very pleasant golf contest on the Golden Gate links.
The residence of Dr. Bissell (the elder) came very nearly going up in flames Tuesday evening. It seems that some work was being done about the gas pipes in the house. At that time there was no gas in the mains and a cap had been taken off a pipe in the south east room up stairs preparatory to putting on a burner. In the meantime the gas had been turned into the mains, and about 5:30 the family noticed the unmistakable odor of escaping gas. They at once commenced a hunt for the leak. Miss May Bissell went up into the room above mentioned and struck a match in order to see the way. In an instant the gas flashed up into her face and all about her. Her mother was near at hand and immediately threw a heavy cloak over her head extinguishing the flames before she was seriously burned. Mrs. Bissell is to be complimented upon her presence of mind. In the meantime the lath between the walls was burning at a lively rate. The hose cart had been run to the scene, but a garden hose had been put into use with good effect and the blaze was put out without the aid of the large hose. There was some slight damage from water, but the outcome of the affair was fortunate.
From the Millerton Telegram — Jonas Tripp probably has the oldest horse in town. Old Sorrel Jack, 36 years old — fat as butter, slick as a mink, frisky as a kitten, sound as a dollar, nimble as a colt. Jonas uses him but little, but feeds him on knick-knacks and takes the best care of him for the good he has done.
LIME ROCK — A neat building has been erected near the lower foundry and an acetylene gas plant placed therein. This kind of light is now used in all the shops of the B.R. Co. and is far superior to kerosene lights which have heretofore been used.
100 years ago —
January 1925
One of the heaviest days of the new year for the electrical companies in the state will be January 24, for on that date will occur the long heralded, total eclipse of the sun which will throw over almost the entire state of Connecticut a pall of darkness equivalent to that of 40 minutes after sunset. This darkening of all but one portion of the state will mean that practically that every electric lamp in the state will be turned on for several minutes before and after totality. Having to furnish such a great amount of power at that time of day is as unusual for the electric companies as is the eclipse itself. Such eclipses occur in one locality only once in several centuries.
H. Roscoe Brinton has installed a new radio for W.P. Bishop.
Leonard Hunter was badly burned on the face.
The Chemical Company was called to John H. Garrity’s Garage Sunday morning. A pail of gasoline had in some way caught fire, and a lad grabbed the pail and attempted to get it out of doors. It burned his hands and he dropped it. The gas ran down on one of the steam pipes to the furnace in the cellar and created another blaze. Those around the garage got busy with shovels and dirt and soon had the blaze extinguished, therefore the services of the fire company were not needed but they were on the spot ready to operate. One of the firemen Fred Ellis had his face all nicely lathered ready for a shave and when the alarm sounded he responded lather and all. Before he returned from the fire the lather had frozen to his face and Fred had to resort to a thawing out process before he could finish his shave. The affair created considerable excitement for a short time, but fortunately little damage resulted.
George Sylvernale has installed a radio set for Stanley Mather. Stanley can now reach ‘em all, and when he puts his neck out through the window he even gets Chili.
50 years ago —
January 1975
Births were way down and deaths were way up in Salisbury in 1974, according to the annual vital statistics compiled by Town Clerk Lila Nash. There were 20 births recorded in town last year, as opposed to 32 in 1973. Marriages, which Mrs. Nash says “always stay about the same,” totaled 48 as compared with 46 in the previous year. The most startling change was in the number of deaths, which jumped from 46 in 1973 to 65 in 1974. Of those deceased, Mrs. Nash said, nine were age 90 or over. It was, unfortunately, “a violent year,” with three deaths in auto accidents, one in a motorcycle accident, one in a fire, two by drowning and two by suicide.
Near-zero temperatures came to Northwest Connecticut Wednesday for the first time this season, and it appeared that Lake Wononscopomuc in Lakeville was finally freezing over. The Lakeville Journal recorded a low of 6 Wednesday morning, but elsewhere in Lakeville there were several reports of an even zero. A ground thermometer in one spot recorded a chilly -10.
Harold Hansen, freshman state senator from Sherman, called this week for a ban on “flip-top” beverage cans and non-returnable beer and soda bottles. Senator Hansen, assuming chairmanship of the Senate Environmental Committee, became the first Senate co-sponsor of legislation which would create such a ban.
The Interlaken Inn asked the Salisbury Planning and Zoning Commission Monday night for informal guidance on a proposal to convert eight apartments units now under construction into condominiums for sale.
The Brothers Pizza House in Lakeville now has fully complied with sanitary regulations on disposal of garbage and has been issued its restaurant license, Dr. H.E. Gallup, town health officer, said this week. Dr. Gallup said that a steel bin with a heavy cover has been installed behind the restaurant on Ethan Allen Street so that animals cannot scatter the garbage.
SHARON — Stuart Prindle with his wife Audrey left Monday in their camper for a leisurely six months of travel through the States. They will return home before taking up residence in Florida during the school year.
25 years ago —
January 2000
Although the town of Kent won’t be sending any money, it will join a community coalition that will oppose federal legislation designed to improve American Indian recognition and expansion efforts. Kent, which is home to the 400-acre Schaghticoke Indian reservation, was one of nine towns statewide invited to join the coalition formed by the towns of Preston, Ledyard and North Stonington. Sharon was also invited to join the coalition despite not having a reservation within its borders.
A good town with good people is the reason Roma Pizzeria partners chose Canaan as the site for their third restaurant. Plans are to open within the next six weeks. Benny Ajro and brothers Tom and Louie Kolonja are the proprietors of the pizza and Italian eatery that will be situated on Main Street in the former Whistle Stop Cafe storefront. They are promising the best pizza in town — New York style, not baked in a pan, and 40 different varieties.
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