Extreme Weight Loss is Only Half the Makeover | Weekend Read

Each weekend, Patch shares stories sparking conversations beyond one town:

After Extreme Weight Loss, Man Faces Next Hurdle in Makeover

Gino Warner's saga began in 2009 at the local YMCA. At the age of 19, Warner weighed in at 333 pounds. Today, Warner is about to turn 27, and his long journey has seen him shed a stunning 142 pounds. Unfortunately, he now faces yet another obstacle.

Losing such an astonishing amount of weight, even over such a long period, often results in loose hanging skin, and Warner is asking for friends and strangers to help pay for such an expensive surgery.

"I mess up on my eating, get sick, miss days at the gym, miss a whole week ... it happens," Warner said. "I have even come close to dying because of my chronic illnesses. But it didn't stop me." >>> Read more.

Next-Gen PSAs Target New Angle in Drug Addiction, Recovery

A new video contest is hoping to reframe the conversation surrounding addiction. “Just Say No” and “This is Your Brain on Drugs” campaigns of the 1980s sent powerful messages, but they didn’t address the stigmas surrounding addiction, according to Ashton Tupper, a spokesperson for Recovery Brands.

“We wanted to bring about a new message, something other than ‘Just Say No,’” Tupper said. The focus is to avoid invoking “feelings of shame or fear.” With five videos now left in the running, Recovery Brands wants viewers to decide the People's Choice Award winner up. Online voting is open until Aug. 25 with a $5,000 prize going to the winning filmmaker. >>> Read about one finalist.

Georgia's Fall Forecast: Warmer, Wet Weather, Hurricane Threats

The rest of the country will be seeing a warm, dry fall. But Georgia will likely get the wet weather it needs this autumn.

We'll see the season kick off with wet weather in Georgia, with the chance for severe storms extending into October, according to AccuWeather forecaster Paul Pastelok.

"Fronts and any tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, that will all contribute to help out and break this short-term drought that they're in right now," he said. >>> Read more.

Later Braves Games: Better for Traffic or Not?

This week, the Atlanta Braves announced they are moving the starting times for their home games to 7:30 next season, their first in the new SunTrust Park.

"There’s no doubt that traffic can be challenging anywhere in the Metro Atlanta area, and that’s why the Braves are moving the start time of home games back 30 minutes to 7:30 p.m.," according to a statement from the team. >>> Take our poll.