Cindy Flavin, of Wiscasset, was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy about 10 years ago, while in her 30s, and relies on a van with a lift to maintain her independence. In April, when she was about to make her last payment on her specially equipped van, she found out the van, which had more than 200,000 miles on the odometer, was not worth being fixed.

A citizens petition for the town of Westport Island to pledge $50,000 toward the purchase of a 144-acre property on Squam Creek for conservation met with some opposition and a lot of support during a public hearing at the town hall Thursday, May 26.