Long Reach

UNHAPPY RESIDENTS of Long Reach, rankled by Sun accounts of trouble in their midst, are toying with the idea of a PR type to reconstruct the image of their community. They're right to be casting about for solutions. And they're honestly conceding that significant problems need solving. But a public relations campaign? A catchy slogan about Long Reach, a community where most of the cul de sacs are crime free? The PR profession is resourceful, to be sure, charged as it is with rebuilding the image of corporations that really need it: cigarette manufacturers, for example.

The losing candidate in last month's race for the Long Reach village seat on the Columbia Council has hit several hurdles in her efforts to unseat the winner.On Thursday, Howard County Circuit Judge Raymond J. Kane Jr. thwarted Deborah Tolson's attempt to remove incumbent Cecilia Januszkiewicz from the Columbia Council. He denied her an ex parte injunction -- or refused to remove Januszkiewicz without hearing the defendant's side of the story -- because of "insufficient evidence."Tolson had also requested a preliminary and permanent injunction, but Thomas M. Meachum, lawyer for the Long Reach Community Association, said Friday that she made errors that rendered her complaint invalid.

Long Reach, last season's Class 1A boys state finalist and a 55-48 winner over Lackey Monday, will carry the county's banner in the Class 2A playoffs tomorrow against McDonough.Oakland Mills, after dropping from Class 2A, will represent the county in the Class 1A South semifinals again Brunswick.A year ago, three county teams made it as far as the semifinals. In addition to Long Reach in 1A, Wilde Lake made it that far in 2A and Mount Hebron in 3A.Both years, the county champion -- Centennial last season, and Atholton this season -- lost tough opening-round games on the road.

For three quarters, Long Reach's "Diaper Dandies" easily were the superior team yesterday at Atholton. The Lightning led by 14 at that point.Fortunately for Atholton, however, Long Reach had to play a fourth quarter, because that's when the older Atholton team took control and snatched an 84-83 victory.Led by senior guard Keith Jefferson and senior center Bryan Worsley, Atholton outscored Long Reach 35-20 in the fourth quarter. The Lightning led 67-53 early in that final period.Jefferson scored 14 of his 25 points in that final frame, including two of his four three-point baskets.

WHEN THE HotSpot Program came to Columbia's Long Reach Village, the immediate impact was a plunge in crime. But a recent crime surge shows that it takes more than slapping a police logo on a storefront window to keep crime in check. The lull of a false sense of security in Long Reach ended this summer when 15 to 20 people chased a man from the Long Reach Village Center to a residential street and stabbed him. Since that attack, the community has been rocked by incidents of assault, burglaries and vandalism.

Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend strolled through Columbia's Long Reach Village Center yesterday afternoon with county police officials and village residents as part of her tour of 36 proposed crime "hot spots" in Maryland.County Police Chief James Robey hopes to get Long Reach village designated as a "hot spot" -- a move that would bring a federal grant of between $35,000 and $200,000.The money would fund state troopers in assisting county police in the neighborhood, installation of better street lighting throughout the village and other crime-prevention programs, Robey said.

Long Reach's Chris Smith caught a 34-yard touchdown pass on the first half's final play, and the Lightning's defense made it stand up for a 7-6 victory against visiting Oakland Mills yesterday.The victory was a birthday present for Long Reach coach Pete Hughes."That was a heckuva catch," said Oakland Mills coach Ken Hovet. "We didn't think they could score. That's a game we should have won -- and gave away."Long Reach (5-1 overall, 4-1 league) overcame five turnovers to defeat the Scorpions (3-3, 3-2)

The Long Reach Lightning finally straightened out its offense yesterday during Centennial's homecoming game.The previously anemic attack gained some vitality with Devin Conwell carrying 19 times for 93 yards and two touchdowns, as the Lightning emerged triumphant over the injury-riddled Eagles, 28-0.The victory improved Long Reach's record to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the league. Centennial fell to 2-2 and 1-2. "We've been hearing a lot of negative talk about our offense all over school and we showed them a little something today," said Conwell, who was used irregularly on offense during the Lightning's first three games but was a mainstay yesterday.

A Howard Circuit Court judge dismissed a lawsuit yesterday against the Village of Long Reach and the Columbia Association filed by a Columbia Council candidate contesting her narrow loss in an April election.Judge Raymond J. Kane Jr. dismissed the case brought by Deborah A. Tolson, who was defeated by Cecilia Januszkiewicz for the Long Reach seat on the council by 13 votes.Tolson, who was representing herself, did not appear in court, and could not be reached to comment on the decision.Januszkiewicz declined to comment.

Before the season began, Long Reach coach Shawn Smith predicted his team would win eight games. That was bold. During the third-year Lightning's first two seasons they only won one game.Long Reach made its coach's prediction come true yesterday in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A South Region playoffs in Columbia.The Lightning improved its record to 8-5-2 by defeating Atholton, 1-0.Long Reach plays at Mount Hebron Friday in the semifinals."People underestimated us this season, but we knew we had the heart to win this many games," said Long Reach senior midfielder and captain Terrell Gary.