ERSNews.com is reporting that Sam Zell-owned KTLA laid off seven News Department employees and four reporters.

But, ERS says, “they have hired a new features reporter for the Morning News. Her name is Allie MacKay and she arrives in the newsroom tomorrow. MacKay will be on the air in the next week.”

UPDATE: We had initially reported that 11 people were fired, but, um, we did our math wrong. (“Tee-hee.” Twirl hair.)

The fellas at ERSNews.com have been hard at work — and no that’s not a reference to their expose of scantily clad reporters. The boys have been wading into the Anthony Pellicano case, looking for whatever dirt or dead bodies float by. But don’t take our word for it. They issued a press release:

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ERSNews.com loves pretty flowers and old ladies. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. So it makes sense that they’d be up in arms over the ouster of Stephanie Edwards from the Rose Parade two years ago. The site suggests that since replacing the chipper host, ratings for the KTLA coverage of the Rose Parade has slipped.

And here’s another interesting bit:

“It’s been widely rumored that this will be the last year long-time host of the parade Bob Eubanks. His former co-anchor Stephanie Edwards was tossed to the curb two years ago, after co-hosting the parade with Eubanks since the late 1970′s.

Edward’s fans mounted an email writing campaign to the management of KTLA when Edwards was replaced. This year, long time Edwards fans started a new email effort directed at Sam Zell the new boss at Tribune in an attempt to have Edwards reinstated to the broadcast.”

ERSNews.com is reporting that TMZ has employed a registered sex offender/paparazzi, Glenn “G-Hollywood” Gurniak. If this story sounds familiar, it’s because ERS had previously reported that X-17 pap Ramon Leroy Kirk (“Twist”) was also a convicted sex offender.

As if the world needed another reason to keep kids out of show business.

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Our friends at ERSNews.com breathlessly e-mailed us to pimp their story about how they:

“obtained never before seen and previously classified NSA communications detailing the April 1st 2001 international incident in which a Chinese F-8 fighter jet intercepted, harassed then ultimately collided with a US Navy EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea. The incident, a major confrontation between the U.S. and China on the world stage, played out through April of 2001. Such a high stakes game of superpower posturing hadn’t been seen since the height of the cold war.”

But what got us to click over was the promise of permalinks. At last! A way for readers to distinguish between this and this.

Mazel Tov, guys.

ERSNews.com mocks the LAT for its handling of the affair between Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Telemundo reporter Mirthala Salinas, taunting the paper of record for continuing to “to bring up the rear in reporting on this story.”

The fellas at ERS are making a name for themselves with this story, and they know it:

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Our pals at ERSnews.com have done it again! In an exclusive, the investigative Web site asks the questions everyone else wonders but never pursues.

In its latest piece, the site exposes Ramon Leroy Kirk, better known as “Twist,” an X17 pap, whose driving record puts Paris Hilton to shame.

Starting in 1993 Kirk has been cited for driving on a suspended California driver’s license at least 9 times based on records obtained exclusively by ERS News.

Definitely a fun read. Almost makes up for the site’s horrible name.

Our friends at ERSnews.com have a back-to-work-after-the-long-weekend treat for you all (albeit a geeky investigative-reporter-type treat). The State Controller’s office has a dandy unclaimed property search tool online. You can punch in any one’s name and see what’s owed them and by whom (we, unfortunately, are owed nothing).

ERS found a few missing shekels for George Clooney and other people who probably don’t rummage between their seat cushions too often. But you don’t have to limit the search to celebrities: Search yourself! Search your boss! Search your ex!

You could spend the entire day just searching for debts owed to your friends and co-workers. Happy short week, everyone!

LA-based independent producer and investigative journo Eric Longabardi and Peabody Award-winning TV vet Roger Scott launched an online investigative reporting site Tuesday — because a pig flight school would have been too lucrative.

ERSNews.com has a terrible name, and a not-so-catchy motto: “It’s news: exclusive and original.” But we welcome any online journalistic innovation that doesn’t involve Britney Spears, so we wish them well.

Why an online news source? Here’s one guess: Investigative reporter Longabardi seems to have long ago given up on Old Media.

Here’s to the brave, new world.

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