Dunder-Mifflin's Utica Branch Expanding?

Not to get anyone's hopes up, but there's a chance the planned spin-off of "The Office" could, indeed, be set in the Utica branch of Dunder-Mifflin. Last season's Utica episode was well-reviewed by critics both nationally and locally, and it appears the show's producers could use that as a jumping-off point for the new show:

Consider this only a rumor for the time being. However, word has been rippling through the TV biz today that Rashida Jones (aka Karen Filippelli, presently of Utica, N.Y.) may star in the upcoming NBC spinoff of The Office.

Sounds pretty amazing for Office (and Rashida) fans like us, so we did a little digging. Here's where this stands: While one inside source (who has always been reliable) says "it's true" that Rashida will be a part of the new series, another source inside Rashida's camp says, "As far as I know, she has not been approached." Hmmm...

God knows Utica itself is a goldmine of comedy material, intentional and otherwise.