local digest

GOVERNMENT

Midyear trim eyed for Montgomery

Montgomery County schools, libraries, police and a host of other departments would get a midyear budget trim under a $30 million cost-cutting plan proposed by County Executive Isiah Leggett (D).

But that would be just a down payment on the far-reaching cuts needed to close next year's budget gap, which Leggett projected Thursday at almost $370 million. Next year's shortfall "might significantly worsen in the near future," he wrote to the County Council.

Among the proposed reductions: Police would trim the department's 2010 recruiting class from 47 to 36 officers; library materials would be cut by more than $1 million; and public schools would take a $9.7 million hit.

A list of the proposed cuts can be found on the county's Web site.

-- Michael Laris

POLLUTION

Wastewater spills into Md. creek

An estimated 130,000 gallons of wastewater flowed into a Maryland creek Wednesday after a valve was accidentally opened and heavy rains caused a high flow at the Piscataway Wastewater Treatment Plant in Accokeek.

Untreated, diluted wastewater streamed into Piscataway Creek from 6:10 a.m. to 10:16 a.m., according to the plant's operator, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

The overflow was cleaned up about 5 p.m., and 17 signs about it were posted in the area.