Citing a need for more parking and green space around their headquarters, Erie Insurance has announced that they are buying Gannon University, and plan to raze all structures in the coming months.

“We have a budget surplus right now as we’ve been cutting down on paying claims,” said Erie Insurance spokeswoman Maura Dahlers. “There are no more private homes around us, so we’re turning to other property owners.”

Homeowners who live around Erie Insurance could not be reached for comment as there are no homeowners who live around Erie Insurance.

“If this expansion goes well, we’ll look at expanding north,” said Dahlers. “I think we can get Hamot at a good price.”

The fight over EMTA between Erie City Council and Erie County Council, which has been described as a “Tug-of-war” will be decided by an actual tug-of-war between the two governing bodies.

The two seven member councils have decided to resolve the impasse by having a tug-of-war on Beach 10 on Memorial Day.  However, there are still a few details to work out. County Council is resisting City Council’s idea of having the city and county government heads (Mayor Joe Sinnott and County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, respectively) act as the anchors for the tug-of-war teams. The county says this will give the city an unfair weight advantage, but they will consider the proposal providing Mayor Sinnott refrains from singing karaoke.

The winning team will take the lead on the new charter, while the losing team will actually have to ride an EMTA bus.

Injuries marred the inaugural Greek Sauce Run in downtown Erie today, as scores of participants were burned by hot delicious Greek Sauce as they ran through Erie. The event was started to capitalize on the success of the Color Run, according to organizer Marv Ross. “Since people loved getting blasted with powder during the Color Run, I thought splashing Greek Sauce on them would be just as fun.”

The burns were mostly first degree, and didn’t keep most people from finishing the event. In fact, many participants enjoyed the run, none more than Kris MacColl, who ran dressed as a giant hot dog.

The run began at Perry Square and ended at the Anna Shelter, where dogs waiting to be adopted licked the participants clean.

Ross stated he plans on holding the event again next year, adding that next time, he won’t heat the sauce up as much.

DevelopDevelopErie, the agency set up to promote the economic revitalization of struggling DevelopErie, an agency set up to promote economic revitalization in struggling Erie County, has gone bankrupt, according to court documents filed yesterday.

County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper issued a press release which, in its entirety, reads, “Swear to God, can’t catch a break.”

An annual spring swarm is about to descend on Erie, although this one is mostly harmless. It’s the swarm of media that has gathered at Sara’s restaurant near Presque Isle to cover their opening day, which is seen as a rite of passage in the Erie area.

“My news director sends me here twice a year” said one unnamed local reporter. “Opening day; and in the fall when they close. I think he knows the guy who owns it. I have to remember to bring back a hot dog for our anchor or else he’ll ask me a question I’m not prepared for during the live shot.”

Eve Hartling, a visitor to Presque Isle from Pittsburgh, noticed all the media vehicles and stopped to see what the big story was. “Is the president here? Did a UFO land? I can’t seem to figure out what’s happening, but it must be pretty big to have all these media people around.”

Down the road, the owners of Steve-o’s Pizza stared at the media assemblage and shook their heads, thinking about all the money they spend on advertising.

Upon hearing that Erie’s single-item Spring Cleanup program will begin soon, eastside resident Jody Porter immediately dragged nearly a dozen pieces of broken down furniture and electronic appliances to the curb in front of his house, where it will sit for the next month at least.

Neighbors tried to remind him that the rules allow only one large item per week, but Porter isn’t worried. “I’ve been bringing out ten to fifteen items each year, and they all eventually disappear. Except this sofa…it’s been here a few years.”  Porter added, “I’d like to talk more, but I have to get in my pickup truck and see what my neighbors are throwing out. I got some good stuff last year – including most of what I put out this year.”

City officials plan to issue a littering citation to Porter if they can find his front door.

The macaw at Splash Lagoon wants to retire, but can’t afford to do so as he is still only being paid minimum wage, even though he’s worked as an entertainer at the water park for several years. “I’ve been squawking about a raise for years,” said the surprisingly verbose macaw, who declined to provide his name. “I’d like a beak to beak meeting with the owner, but he’s always next door eating.”

The macaw also has issues with his working conditions. “To have to breathe in chlorine while listening to children scream all day…I don’t know how my fellow human employees do it. And don’t get me started on that damn tiki water bucket. When that horn blasts I nearly fall off what’s left of my perch!”

If able to retire, the macaw plans to relocate to an actual lagoon.

Presque Isle Downs and Casino announced today that a blackjack dealer broke his leg during a game and had to be humanely euthanized. The dealer slipped on an errant ice cube and fractured his ankle, necessitating the on-call medical staff to erect a curtain behind which the employee was put down to end his suffering. “We use the curtain to make sure our customers don’t see what’s going on; we want our patrons to focus on having fun.”

Casino regular Nadine Colson witnessed the accident. “It was an ice cube in my scotch and Coke that he slipped on. I was going to pick it up once I finished my cigarette, but then I got on a hot streak and forgot about it. I hope that fellow is all right.” When informed that the worker had died, Colson responded, “That’s too bad, but at least I’m up 15 bucks!”