Process to Reopen Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's highest court on Wednesday granted the Democratic governor's request and took over a lawsuit by legislative Republicans that could end his pandemic shutdown order.

Ever since several Pennsylvania counties announced they planned to begin allowing businesses to reopen in violation of Gov. Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 mitigation order, Gene Barr, who heads the state’s Chamber of Business and Industry, has seen a distinct uptick in confused calls.

Elected leaders in several Pennsylvania counties say some businesses are free to reopen on Friday, May 15 — with or without the governor’s support.

Nearly two months into Pennsylvania’s coronavirus-induced lockdown, tension over when and how to reopen the state appears to be reaching a boiling point.

As 13 western Pennsylvania counties prepare to move into Gov. Tom Wolf’s yellow phase of reopening May 15, local businesses and officials are cautiously optimistic.

Dozens of people drove their vehicles repeatedly around Philadelphia City Hall on Friday to protest government-mandated business closures imposed as the state responds to the coronavirus pandemic.

A state Senate committee on Thursday approved a motion to subpoena records from Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration about its handling of the more than 42,000 applications filed by businesses seeking a waiver from the state’s coronavirus closure order.

The Wolf Administration on Saturday released a third iteration of language it’s using to describe the initial benchmark that areas of the state must meet in order to be considered for reopening during the novel coronavirus pandemic.