Halley

The recent announcement of the discovery of an icy, asteroid-sized object orbiting the Sun a billion miles beyond Pluto has created a stir in astronomy circles. This celestial neighbor is the most distant member of the solar system yet observed. The discovery was the result of a five-year search by David Jewitt, a University of Hawaii astronomer, and Jane Luu, a researcher at the University of California at Berkeley, for evidence supporting the theory that some comets, like the one named after Englishman Edmund Halley, come from a ring of icy material at the outer rim of the solar system.

EDGEWOOD -- Joseph Walizer spotted something huge -- he didn't know what -- barreling toward the car yesterday morning. An instant later, he and his wife ducked, just in time to avoid being crushed by a trailer full of rolls of plastic that flattened the roof of their 1992 Chevrolet Beretta.Mr. Walizer and his wife, Charlene Somers, managed to crawl to safety through the passenger-side windshield with minor injuries after the tractor-trailer swerved into their car at U.S. 40 and Woodbridge Center Way.But when the Edgewood couple got out, they couldn't see their 14-month-old daughter, Halley, who remained pinned inside, strapped in a child safety seat behind her mother, the driver.

Kevin Hollander likes to read. A lot.When his elementary school signed up for the governor's second annual Reading Across Maryland competition, the first-grader decided he was going to do everything he could to help his school.By the time the competition ended last week at Reisterstown Elementary School, the 7-year-old had done just that, reading 1,062 books over six months -- an average of more than five books a day."I like to read scary books the most," Kevin says. "Sometimes I read with my mom or my dad, but I like reading by myself the most.

It had not happened in nine years and Catonsville had never done it -- until last night.The Comets stunned No. 6 Loch Raven, 11-10 in overtime, to become only the fifth Baltimore County team to beat the Raiders in the 23-year history of their program. The win also snapped a 34-game Loch Raven winning streak."Nothing compares to this," said Meghann Mohler, who led the Comets with five goals. "We read the article in Baltimore magazine when they did a special on lacrosse and it said everybody's looking to beat Loch Raven but that's the same as Halley's Comet coming around.

The chief of the NASA team investigating the loss of the $159 million Contour comet rendezvous mission last summer said yesterday that faulty design was the most likely reason the Maryland-built spacecraft broke apart during a critical rocket firing. Contour's solid-fuel rocket motor was placed too far inside its body, the NASA panel reportedly found, and hot gases probably caused the probe to break apart two seconds before the end of a planned 50-second engine burn. "That will be the leading cause in our report," lead investigator Theron Bradley Jr., told the Associated Press yesterday.

Competing in their last tournament as a U14 team, H20 pink, went undefeated in capturing the Gold Medal at the ESPN Rise/ Disney Junior Showcase held July 16-19 in Orlando. The Harford County based field hockey club has added this prestigious championship to their gold medal victory at the National Indoor Championship (NIT) in February. This event featured teams from all over the country including traditional powerhouse states New Jersey, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Unlike the NIT tournament where multiple teams are crowned "Gold Medalist" after pool play, the Junior Showcase has pool winners compete to determine an ultimate champion.

LARGER THAN LIFE Go on an expedition and visit the Elephants of Africa at www.pbs.org / wnet / nature / elephants / index.html. Encounter these enormous 12,000-pound animals in the deserts and forests of Africa. Follow the life of an elephant Learn how the ivory trade has severely diminished the elephant population. Then stop by The Poaching Problem section and read about people who are trying to stop poachers from taking elephants' beautiful ivory tusks illegally. Nominate a cool Web site at www.4Kids.

BASEBALLAmerican League* AL -- Extended the contract of Bobby Brown, president, through Dec. 31, 1993.* TEXAS RANGERS -- Named Luis R. Mayoral assistant public relations director.National League* SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS -- Sent Jimmy Myers, Kevin Rogers and Chris Hancock, pitchers, and Jim McNamara, catcher, to their minor league camp for reassignment.BASKETBALLNational Basketball Association* GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS -- Activated Tom Tolbert, forward, from the injured list.United States Basketball League* LEAGUE OFFICE -- Named Jay Liberti chairman of the rules committee.

Walter Perry Brown, a Keebler Co. route salesman who later drove elderly people to adult day care centers, died of a heart attack Friday at his Woodberry home. He was 75. Born and raised in the city's Woodberry section, Mr. Brown attended city public schools. He worked part time from 1942 to 1954 at Carlin's Park at Park Circle, where he owned and operated two games on its Midway. The longtime Malden Avenue resident began his sales career in 1945 with Keebler, producer of food and snack products, in Baltimore.

Elizabeth S. Pembroke, a retired social worker, world traveler and pianist, died of complications from old age Tuesday at her home in Roland Park. She was 88. Elizabeth Smith was born in Worcester, Mass. After graduating from high school there, she took a job with the Red Cross that spawned an interest in social work. She earned a bachelor's degree in the field from Clark University in Worcester and a master's from Smith College in Northampton, Mass. During a work-study program in Baltimore, she met her husband, Dr. Richard H. Pembroke Jr., a psychoanalyst who practiced at St. Joseph Hospital.