Howard County Executive Kenneth Ulman is asking Comcast Corp. to reconsider its decision to remove Washington, D.C. television channels from its basic cable package.

Ulman wrote two letters to Comcast officials, dated July 18 and July 28.

The first asks Comcast officials to return Washington channels to the company's basic television package; the second requests that company officials conduct a public forum in which they would discuss recent changes to Comcast's cable service.

On July 9, Comcast removed Washington-area NBC, ABC, Fox and CBS affiliate stations from its analog service. Some customers complained to the Howard County cable administrator about their inability to see Washington channels and Washington Redskins football games.

In order to receive the Washington channels customers must now rent a digital cable box from Comcast, which costs $3.95 a month.

Comcast made the change to add more channels to its digital service and to encourage customers to switch to digital cable, said Aimee Metrick, a Comcast spokeswoman. The company also is offering customers digital cable at no extra cost for a year, she said.

In his July 18 letter, Ulman said many residents affected by the changes are senior citizens on fixed incomes. He added that customers complained that Comcast offered poor customer service in answering complaints.

In his July 28 letter to Comcast, Ulman said the county continued to receive 10 to 15 complaints a day about the change in cable service.

He asked Comcast officials to hold a forum to allow customers to ask questions about changes in service. He also asked them to send a letter to the county detailing how the changes relate to Comcast's tiers of service and rates.

As of July 30, Comcast officials had not responded to Ulman's letters, said Kevin Enright, a spokesman for Howard County.

Comcast officials have received Ulman's July 18 letter and are preparing a response to it, but have not yet received the July 28 letter, Metrick said in a July 30 statement.

"Comcast has a productive working relationship with the Howard County cable administrator and county executive offices and works closely with them to communicate all changes that impact local Howard County residents," she added in the statement.

-- Andrei Blakely

Long Gate Parkway work to ease traffic

Howard County construction crews are extending the existing left-turn lane on northbound Long Gate Parkway, between Route 100 and Wheatfield Way, in Ellicott City, in an effort to ease traffic flow in the area.

Weather permitting, the project is expected to be completed by mid-August, according to the county's Department of Public Works.

Road work will take place weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Residents can listen to a recorded message that includes details and updates on the project by calling 410-313-3639.

For more information about the project, call Lisa Brightwell at the Department of Public Works at 410-313-3440 or e-mail publicworks@howardcountymd.gov.

-- Jennifer Broadwater

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