Four-year-old Victoria Yenzer knows she is different from other children her age. As a victim of a little known muscle disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the wheelchair-bound Farmingdale resident cannot perform such basic functions as opening doors and lifting herself up. As she explains it to her little friends, her muscles are weak, because she was born that way. FULL STORY

Some local community newspaper journalists, including several from Anton Newspapers, the parent company of the Farmingdale Observer, met with first lady and Democratic candidate for the New York U.S. Senate seat Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday during an exclusive roundtable discussion. FULL STORY

State Assemblyman Steve Labriola (Massapequa) recently presented the Farmingdale Midget Football League with a grant check of $2,000 to fund the continuation of the league. Coaches and players join with the assemblyman at the presentation during the First Annual Football Camp. FULL STORY

Among the highlights of the July meeting of the Greater Long Island Running Club was a special presentation to 13-year-old Deanna McDermott, who recently participated in her first wheelchair race - the fun run that preceded the Salomon Smith Barney North American Wheelchair Championship Race in Farmingdale earlier this summer. FULL STORY