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Growing budget deficits are forcing states across the nation to drastically cut or even eliminate funding for state arts councils. States pondering such measures include California, Oregon, New Jersey and Colorado. But the cost-cutting moves could jeopardize grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, which require states to match federal funds. NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports.

The Bush administration castigated Congress on Friday for not passing comprehensive immigration legislation and proposed rules that would require employers to fire people whose Social Security numbers don't match that agency's records.

John Kerry has already begun looking beyond the primaries to a possible race against President Bush in the fall. Commentator Jay Bryant is a Republican political consultant, and he says that - if Kerry is the Democrat's choice - this could be two firsts for the 2004 campaign: the first time both parties' candidates have opted not to take Federal matching funds - and the first time it's been clear so early who the candidates will be.

David Greenberger reviews the latest CD from the surf guitar band "Los Straitjackets". The band is from Nashville, and when they perform they like to wear Mexican wrestling masks, medallions, and matching black turtlenecks. But their music is distinctively surf music — with many original tunes, and some eclectic covers, like Louis Prima and the love theme from the film Titanic. The music is all about surprise, invention, and good taste. (3:30) Los Straitjackets latest disc is on the YepRoc Records label.

Serena Williams' day one match at the U.S. Open broke viewership records for ESPN, while the Women's Soccer Euro Final set the highest number of viewers for any UK program this year.

Lehman Brothers' decision to declare bankruptcy has rocked Wall Street. Bob Lenzner, national editor at Forbes magazine, says he feels like he's watching a boxing match because there have been many rounds of financial failures beginning with the subprime market. He believes the credit crisis is not over yet.

One lucky Star Wars fan won the lightsaber on Sept. 4. Prior to the auction, NPR's Andrew Mambo interviewed Brandon Alinger, the COO of the auction house Propstore, which hosted the sale.

Last May, Michael Brelo was found not guilty of two counts of voluntary manslaughter — in part, because it was too hard to determine which shots had killed the pair.

Closing arguments in the landmark seditious conspiracy trial against five Proud Boys focused on their own words and the words of former President Trump.

Baby Carmen was born to a surrogate mother in Thailand. Her parents, one American and one from Spain, have fallen afoul of a new law, and now the Thai woman who gave birth to Carmen wants her back.