Obama harvesting body parts? Retired FBI agent says so

WASHINGTON — Is the federal government planning to replicate the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, using the guillotine to silence their domestic enemies?

Of course not.

However, the accusation is out there. It̢۪s one of many claims spread via the Internet, according to McClatchy Tribune news service.

In one scenario, retired FBI agent Ted Gunderson says the government has prepared 1,000 camps for its own citizens. He also says the government has stored 30,000 guillotines to murder its critics, and has stashed 500,000 caskets in Georgia and Montana for the remains.

Why guillotines? “Because,â€Â Gunderson wrote in a report obtained by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, “beheading is the most efficient means of harvesting body parts.â€Â

Import cars grab bulk of clunker cash

WASHINGTON — Detroit automakers were out-clunked by foreign makes in the cash-for-clunkers program, according to final results.

The plan helped to increase U.S. auto sales from their deepest decline in four decades but could depress sales for the remainder of the year.

Meanwhile, Asian automakers outperformed, with Toyota Motor Co. and Hyundai making the largest market share gains.

The top 10 vehicles purchased under the program were, the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Ford Focus FWD, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Versa, Toyota Prius, Honda Accord, Honda Fit and Ford Escape FWD.

‘Sexting’ at work poses harassment issues

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A former waitress is suing the Hooters restaurant on Fort Lauderdale beach, claiming a manager sexually harassed her by sending explicit text messages and photos, a practice known as “sexting.â€Â

New forms of sexual harassment in the workplace are developing as greater numbers of employees use text messages and e-mail to communicate with co-workers.

“Every employer is going to have a policy in place that covers sexual harassment,â€Â says Brian Lerner, partner with Hogan & Harston in Miami. “But many policies don’t address the new technologies: cell phone, camera, instant messaging.â€Â

People drop their guard with texting, he says, because they think texting is a more casual form of communication than e-mail. Employees should also know texts can be pulled from a phone number for documentation in a harassment case.

“Everything leaves a footprint,â€Â Lerner says.

Crime Stoppers tips lead to cash, arrests

VALLEJO, Calif. — Without help from the Solano County Crime Stoppers, 3-year-old Yesenia Vasquez’s alleged shooters might not be facing attempted murder charges.

“Without the tipster … that case would probably not have been solved,â€Â said Vallejo detective Mat Mustard.

Crime Stoppers is a nonprofit that gathers and disseminates tips from anonymous sources to law enforcement agencies. The program airs locally on KSEE Channel 24.

Crime Stoppers staff members monitor a message center, which can be accessed from any phone and fields live calls. All messages are then destroyed; no names are solicited and people rarely give reply phone numbers.

Successful tipsters get paid up to $1,000 for tips that lead to a successful arrest — like that of Clifford Crawford, 19, and Antonio McNeal, 23, accused of shooting Yesenia in June.

An anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers led directly to their arrest, Mustard said.

State slashes funding for HIV/AIDS services

VALLEJO, Calif. — An $80 million cut from the state Office of AIDS has stripped one California county of its HIV/AIDS services.

Solano County will no longer offer HIV testing, monitoring, prevention and outreach programs and AIDS case management, said a health specialist for the Solano County Department of Health and Social Services.

The state Office of AIDS and local HIV/AIDS agencies were hard-hit after Gov. Schwarzenegger made legislative cuts in July.

Solano health officials encourage those affected by the cuts to seek help in community clinics such as Planned Parenthood.

But these are also ill-prepared to handle a flood of new clients, said Monica Creer, project director for HIV and housing for the Planned Parenthood clinic in Vallejo.

“We’re seeing the impact now. Clients are calling to vent,â€Â Creer said.