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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
What's up with the new signs on the Wellfleet Marina walking loop? Here's what to know.
Six new historical and educational signs have been installed along the Wellfleet Marina walking loop, according to a community announcement. The Wellfleet Cultural District, in collaboration with the Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum, Outer Cape Health Services and the First Congregational Church of Wellfleet, spearheaded the project. The official dedication is set for 5 p.m. Friday, June 6. The initiative began over a year ago, prompted by feedback from local merchants and town employees who noticed that many visitors and locals were unaware of the rich history visible from the Marina's scenic views. Cultural District Project Manager Kevin McMahon enlisted the support of local partners to bring the area's history to life. Working closely with David Wright, curator at the Wellfleet Historical Society, and guided by Cultural District steering committee member Lauren Kaufmann, the team developed six interpretive panels to be mounted on the Marina's existing railings. The panels were designed to complement the natural beauty of the harbor without disrupting its views. 'These panels are a beautiful extension of our mission to preserve and share Wellfleet's rich heritage,' said Eric Winslow, president of the Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum Board. The signs also feature a QR code that visitors can scan to access more in-depth information from the Historical Society. Each panel explores a unique aspect of Wellfleet's heritage: 'What Makes Wellfleet Harbor So Special?' delves into the harbor's extraordinary tides, Indigenous roots, and status as a vibrant working port. 'Great Island' recounts Native American history, the legacy of Samuel Smith's Tavern, and the transformation from historic hunting grounds to popular hiking trails. 'Wellfleet – A Great Place for a Summer Camp' remembers beloved local camps like Camp Chequessett, Treasure Cove, and Camp Mar-Ven. 'The Railroad and the Growth of Tourism' traces the impact of modern transportation on the town's development, positioned fittingly near the old railroad trestle. 'The Congregational Church — Keeping Ship's Time' shares the story of a church that still operates its bell on Ship's Time — an enduring maritime tradition. 'The Spit and Chatter Club' reflects on a popular waterfront gathering place throughout the 1900s. Part of the original Spit and Chatter Club structure now lives on inside The Pearl restaurant, where a small reception will be held following the unveiling. The panel also recalls the nearby Lemmon Pie Cottages, which were longtime fixtures of the Wellfleet waterfront. The panels were designed by committee member Josh Yeston using archival photos provided by the Wellfleet Historical Society, with contributions from Director Julia Lund and 2024 intern Jane Pottee. Additional input came from the Wellfleet Marina Advisory Committee, David Weeden of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Historic Preservation Department, Reverend Jonathan Elsenshon of Wellfleet's First Congregation Church, John Connor of the Historical Society Board, Seth Rolbein and the Wellfleet Select Board. Outer Cape Health Services collaborated with the Cultural District to emphasize the health benefits of walking the Marina loop. 'These historical markers not only educate but also promote movement and well-being,' said Dr. Damian Archer, CEO of Outer Cape Health. 'They align with our mission to support the health of all who live in or visit the Outer Cape.' The project was funded by the Mass Cultural District grant program. Designated in 2017, the Wellfleet Cultural District encompasses the town's vibrant downtown and Marina areas, creating a walkable cultural loop that highlights the town's artistic, historic and maritime traditions. With over 60 assets, including galleries, cultural institutions, artisan shops, eateries and a working marina, the District showcases Wellfleet's unique spirit and what makes it such a special place to live and visit. For more information, visit This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at or share your thoughts at with our News Automation and AI team. This article originally appeared on Wellfleet Marina walking loop: New panels tell harbor's hidden stories
Winnipeg Free Press
16-05-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Community spirit soars amid wildfire fight
Wildfires across eastern Manitoba have claimed the lives of a Lac du Bonnet couple, destroyed dozens of homes and upended the lives of people forced to flee the advancing flames with little notice. The Free Press spoke with several business owners and residents to learn how they are coping amid the loss. Christine McMahon woke up Wednesday with unexpected clarity. The widow of a volunteer firefighter who died of brain cancer last year had gone to bed wondering how she could help crews battling the wildfire just north of Lac du Bonnet. The answer came to her in a dream. SUPPLIED Kevin McMahon SUPPLIED Kevin McMahon 'I had just bought half a cow and had hundreds of pounds of meat in the freezer,' McMahon explained. 'In my dream, Kevin told me that hamburgers wouldn't work — they'd go cold before the firefighters could eat them. But he said my sloppy joes were amazing.' By 7:15 a.m., she was in her kitchen, cooking more than 200 pounds of hamburger. McMahon delivered a large stock pot full of her sloppy joes to the initial attack centre, and another smaller pot to the emergency command centre. 'I noticed they didn't have much else — no snacks, no drinks,' she said. She went out and bought buns, Gatorade, water and chips — 'in honour of my husband.' Still feeling called to do more, McMahon turned to the roasts. She smoked seven of them outside and cooked seven more inside her home. 'I just stood at that grill, praying that God and Kevin would cook everything,' she said, adding she had never used the smoker. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Derek Russell, with the provincial Emergency Management Organization, helps carry trays of homemade spaghetti into the command centre in Lac du Bonnet. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Derek Russell, with the provincial Emergency Management Organization, helps carry trays of homemade spaghetti into the command centre in Lac du Bonnet. By Friday afternoon, McMahon was back at the command centre with food in hand. Around mid-afternoon, she delivered enough spaghetti to feed an army of hungry firefighters. 'Today was supposed to be my rest day,' she said, laughing. Employees at the Hi-Point Restaurant in West Hawk Lake are busy packing 180 bagged lunches for RCMP officers and emergency personnel. The local chamber of commerce asked the diner to stay open amid the shutdown of Whiteshell Provincial Park so firefighters and first responders had access to meals. 'It was something we were willing to do and we wanted to help,' said owner Laura Bullee. Some sit down for a slice of pizza and a quick break, while others grab a packaged meal and head right back to the front lines. Bullee said the park closure is a financial hit, but it's the right move. She has property in Longpine Lake, a community near Ingolf, Ont. As of Friday afternoon, the property remains untouched by fire, but a change in wind direction could jeopardize that. 'At this point, we're more worried about safety than the business,' Bullee said. 'There's been so much loss out there.' Bullee's conversation with a reporter was cut short; she had more meals to pack and mouths to feed. In Steinbach, Sleep Suite 22 Motel's dining room is bustling with evacuees, who have their pets in tow, during the breakfast service. The 50-room motel, along with eight other hotels in Winnipeg and southeastern Manitoba, offered accommodation and meals to people who had to leave the fire zone. 'My first reaction when I heard was I called the Red Cross … any way to help,' said Marie McGuirk, Sleep Suite's general manager. Residents from Kenora, 200 kilometres to the east, arrived at the inn after fleeing the fire that started near Ingolf Tuesday night and, before she knew it, McGuirk was fielding calls from the RM of Piney asking if she would offer her rooms to evacuees from that area. GILLES GAUTHIER PHOTO Gilles Gauthier owner of the Granite Hills Golf Club took photos of the fire that was on the other side of the bay at Grausdin Point. The Lac du Bonnet wildfire has displaced as many as 1,000 people. GILLES GAUTHIER PHOTO Gilles Gauthier owner of the Granite Hills Golf Club took photos of the fire that was on the other side of the bay at Grausdin Point. The Lac du Bonnet wildfire has displaced as many as 1,000 people. Since then, residents from Lac du Bonnet, the Whiteshell and near Piney have taken up residence in the motel, filling more than half the rooms. The offer to evacuees stands until at least Tuesday, McGuirk said. Staff from the hotel have family who have been evacuated from the area, which brings the emergency closer to home. McGuirk said even though evacuees escaped with few possessions, they remain in high spirits. 'There's been a lot of community spirit,' she said. 'Obviously, it's not a great situation for them to be in, but it seems to be that people are making the best of it.' On the Trans-Canada Highway just outside Richer, Hank Kervel said not a soul had come to Geppetto's Mini Golf and Snack Shack Friday morning. On a sunny, warm May long weekend, hundreds of people normally stop by for a round of mini golf, an ice-cream cone or to munch on a pizza before heading to the lake. The biz typically makes $10,000 on a typical long weekend. This year, Kervel said he will be lucky if he makes $100. 'Around five o'clock on Fridays of a long weekend, everybody's heading up to the cottage and we get belted with people and it gets crazy,' he said. 'Looking out my living room window, I can see the highway as the trucks go by… it's dead.' The business relies on weekend warriors and residents travelling to and from Winnipeg and the Whiteshell and Kenora for most of its income, but with Whiteshell Provincial Park closed owing to a large wildfire near the Manitoba-Ontario border, his chances of any business has gone up in smoke. The business has been hit especially hard since U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on some goods and tourism is down in general, he said. The fires have affected Kervel personally; his son has a new trailer in the Whiteshell but couldn't get to it before the evacuations and park closure were announced. 'He's hoping and praying it doesn't get burnt to the ground,' Kervel said. 'The financial loss for me sucks, I just feel more bad for the people that have homes out there and that are losing them,' he said. 'Today, I'm glad for the rain.' Rain fell in Lac du Bonnet Thursday night, much to the relief of nearly 1,000 evacuees, but Eric Labaupa made the difficult decision to postpone the inaugural bass fishing derby set for Saturday. 'It was after news of the unfortunate deaths of the two folks there, and that was sort of the guiding thing,' Labaupa said Friday. SUPPLIED Manitoba Hydro photo of fire damage on Wendigo Road in the RM of Lac du Bonnet. SUPPLIED Manitoba Hydro photo of fire damage on Wendigo Road in the RM of Lac du Bonnet. The avid fisherman hosts several tournaments in different parts of the province, but this was supposed to be the kickoff for a new one on Lac du Bonnet Lake. About 50 people registered for the contest and were looking forward to competing for prizes, but did not protest when Labaupa postponed it until June. Earlier this week, Labaupa watched for updates on the fire threat every hour. Each bulletin got worse and the prospect of holding the tournament seemed increasingly inappropriate. 'It would have been in poor taste to hold anything when people are fighting for the property, and then lives were affected,' he said. Friends and fishing buddies of Labaupa were among the evacuees in the area. As of Friday, they were still waiting to hear if they could return home to assess any damage caused by the fire. Many lost their boats in the blaze. 'It's really hitting close to home to everybody,' he said. 'Having a fun tournament is the last thing on our minds right now.' Labaupa was told the best thing to do was to keep the water clear so front-line workers and RCMP officers had space to do their work. 'Give everyone space to do their thing, so that's what we're doing,' he said. More than 110 kilometres southwest of the wildfires, MC College on Wall Street in Winnipeg is preparing to give evacuees some TLC. The college, which has programs in hair styling and esthetics, has offered free services to anyone affected by the fires. 'Getting a little bit of pampering takes your mind off of some of the heaviness that we deal with on a day-to-day basis,' said campus director Anna McGregor. 'It's really life-changing sometimes for people that are in dire situations.' McGregor said she was hit hard by news of the fires and wanted to help. The college decided to open its doors until mid-June for evacuees and support personnel. MC staff and their family members, too, have been affected by the fires. Hair, nail, makeup and skin care services are among some of the options for evacuees needing primping. 'It seems trivial, but anything we can do to help,' she said. 'Getting away and having an hour to yourself and maybe taking your mind off of things for a while might just help a little bit.' Nicole BuffieMultimedia producer Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the Free Press city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College's Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the Free Press newsroom in 2023. Read more about Nicole. Every piece of reporting Nicole produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Long Island man learns jaw dropping truth about his family after 60 years of nagging suspicions
For most of his life, Kevin McMahon couldn't explain why he felt like a stranger in his own home - almost like a guest in a family where he was supposed to belong. Raised in Richmond Hill, Queens, Kevin remembers puzzled glances, stinging silences, and a grandmother's unspoken scorn that seemed to follow him. It wasn't just that he looked different with darker eyes, olive skin, a face that didn't look much like others in the family photo - it was something deeper, harder to name and impossible to prove, reports the New York Post. But in 2020, six decades after he was born at Jamaica Hospital in Queens, the suspicions that had nagged Kevin for most of his life were suddenly confirmed after his sister took a DNA test on a genealogy website. What Kevin learned upended everything he thought he knew about his identity: he had been switched at birth with another baby boy, born just 45 minutes after him, with the same last name - and placed into the wrong family. 'It was like the missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle,' McMahon told the Post. '[It] explained everything about why my childhood was the way that it was.' At the age of 64, McMahon has now filed a lawsuit in Queens Civil Court against Jamaica Hospital, accusing the institution of catastrophic negligence that tore two families apart before they had even left the maternity ward. On May 26, 1960, Kevin McMahon was born at Jamaica Hospital. Just 45 minutes later so was Ross McMahon. Both infants were tagged simply 'Baby McMahon.' Their birth certificates were even stamped with consecutive numbers. And it appears that somewhere in the chaos of a busy maternity ward, someone made a terrible error. According to Kevin's lawsuit, the mistake led to him being switched at birth, handed to the wrong parents, and growing up in a home where his presence seemed to be questioned from the very beginning. Kevin's childhood was marked not just by confusion, but by cruelty too. Family members, especially his grandmother, seemed to harbor an unspoken belief that he wasn't truly 'one of them.' 'She believed that I was not my father's child, and she was correct,' Kevin told the Post. 'It made me feel worthless. It destroyed my confidence.' His appearance, darker and more Mediterranean compared to the fair-skinned, blue-eyed family who raised him, became an invisible line between him and a sense of belonging. 'I had certain interactions with my grandmother that were abusive, physically abusive, and I learned to fear her and just stay away,' Kevin recalled. A chain of events soon unravelled the truth which began with a gut-held belief Kevin's sister, Carol Vignola, now 66. 'I was probably 7,' she told the New York Post. 'He was laying on his bunk bed without a shirt on... and I said, "Kevin, you came from the milkman."' Even as a child Carol noticed Kevin didn't look like the rest of them. She remembers confronting her mother, asking why Kevin's appearance was so different. The response was sharp and immediate: 'Don't you ever speak like that, Carol. That's your brother.' But the question never truly went away and in 2020, Carol submitted her DNA to The results revealed she had a biological brother - someone she had never met, and that man was not Kevin but Ross McMahon. When Carol showed the results to Kevin, he was in complete disbelief. '[It was] like a shock reaction. I literally couldn't come to terms with the information,' he said. 'I thought to myself, "I'm nobody … I don't exist."' Kevin took his own DNA test in January 2021 and confirmed that he was not biologically related to the family that raised him. Instead, he had a different family and even a biological brother named Keith McMahon. Additional blood tests confirmed what the DNA had already made plain. Kevin and Keith were brothers. Carol and Ross were siblings. The two 'McMahon' babies born on the same day had been accidentally swapped a horrifying mix-up hidden for decades under the matching last names. Neither Ross McMahon nor Keith have spoken publicly about the case, and all four parents involved have now died never knowing the truth about their children. Kevin can't help but wonder what his life might have been like had he grown up in the home that was rightfully his. 'I have a little bit of jealousy,' Kevin admitted. 'My [biological] father was Ross's biggest fan, always had his back. I would have loved to have that.' Instead, Kevin endured a boyhood of doubt, discipline, and distance. His supposed father, the man who raised him, never showed him the same warmth he extended to Kevin's younger and older siblings. 'I feared my father. I got hit a lot when I was a kid… I just thought my father didn't really care for me,' he said heartbreakingly. Kevin's attorney, Jeremy Schiowitz, isn't letting the hospital off the hook and says Jamaica Hospital's failure to ensure proper infant identification is a betrayal that has permanently scarred two families. 'This wasn't a fluke. This was a preventable tragedy,' Schiowitz said. 'With the rise of DNA testing, we're going to see more of these stories come to light. Kevin's just happens to be one of the first.' Kevin is seeking unspecified financial damages - but more than money, he wants an apology from the hospital and an acknowledgement that mistakes were made. So far, the hospital has not responded to his lawsuit. 'It makes them seem cold and heartless that they're not even coming across and acknowledging that this took place,' Kevin said.
CBS News
08-04-2025
- CBS News
Long Island man sues hospital after learning he was switched at birth over 60 years ago
A Long Island man is suing a local hospital after he recently learned he was switched at birth decades ago. Sixty-four years ago, Kevin McMahon and Ross McMahon, no relation, were born minutes apart at Jamaica Hospital. Baby Kevin went home with Ross's biological parents in Queens, and baby Ross went with Kevin's biological parents to Long Island. Kevin McMahon says he learned the heartbreaking truth through "There's no mystery as to what happened. Jamaica Hospital switched the babies and the DNA proves it," Kevin McMahon's attorney Jeremy Schiowitz said. All four parents have since died. Kevin McMahon says growing up, he was unloved by the adults in his life, and the puzzle was only solved when his sister suggested DNA testing. "My siblings joked that, 'You were the mailman's kid. He doesn't look anything like us.' My younger siblings were fair-skinned, straight haired, blue eyed with freckles," Kevin McMahon said. Kevin McMahon says there was neglect and torment in the household. He says his paternal grandmother abused him and convinced his father Kevin was the product of an illegitimate affair, saying, "'He's not my son's child.'" "He believed he was raising somebody else's child," Kevin McMahon said. His mother, Kevin McMahon says, suffered from alcoholism. "[Jamaica Hospital] made one calamitous mistake, and it just changed the entire course of my life," Kevin McMahon said. After learning about the switch, Kevin McMahon found out his biological father had been a woodworker and his biological mother loved birds – both passions Kevin McMahon shares. "I feel I could have shared so much with my parents, with my birth parents, but I didn't get get to do that. It would have changed the whole course of my life," he said. Kevin McMahon also learned he has a biological brother named Keith. Jamaica Hospital says they have no comment on the lawsuit. "The hospital, when they are in this business, they are playing God. They should be held to a completely different standard," Kevin McMahon said. Kevin McMahon got a job in telecommunications, eventually married and has a 21-year-old daughter. Ross McMahon is not involved in the lawsuit.
