by Laura Conaway

Two links today from listeners about the global economic crisis finding its way to Main Street.

The Washington Post reports that D.C.'s Metro transit system — and dozens of others around the country — are having to pony up billions to banks. Their loans were tied to the fortunes of AIG, and we all know how that went. (H/T and dose of outrage: The Bellows.)

Rutherford, N.J., has frozen spending "on everything from seminars in Atlantic City to paper clips at borough hall until further notice." That's from the South Bergenite, which has been following a collapsed development deal in the Meadowlands. Rutherford faces lost revenue of at least $500,000.