Pennsylvania

Governor Tom Wolf has announced that 24 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties will be allowed to start reopening certain businesses starting next Friday, May 8.

The company led the land rush into Northeast Pennsylvania at the start of the fracking boom.

The high court has not agreed to take the case, but wants Gov. Tom Wolf to provide more information about the claim that his closure order is unconstitutional.

Every day, the Pa. Health Department releases data about COVID-19 cases in the state. But that data is incomplete — which makes it hard to understand how things are going.

The state’s auditor general said he has begun an audit into the controversial process, but won’t release the names of businesses that received a coveted waiver.

“Previously we were recommending testing health care workers and seniors with symptoms. We have liberalized that now to anyone with symptoms,” said Health Secretary Levine.

After a short burst of bipartisan unity over COVID-19, Pa. moderates say their fellow politicians are dividing again.

Two more people incarcerated in Pennsylvania state prisons have died after testing positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to three since the pandemic began.

Philadelphia will start lifting its coronavirus restrictions by reopening golf courses and resuming construction projects.

The state could need to conduct about 19,000 tests per day and employ as many as 2,000 contact tracers, numbers that far exceed current levels.

"Literally, ‘Pay me now and maybe you will get some stuff some time in the future,’ is where some vendors are starting," said one Berks County official.

Montgomery and Chester counties want to do more tests in jails and nursing homes, but state and federal regulations are getting in the way.

Gov. Tom Wolf is under pressure to get people back to work, while trying to bring the pandemic under control. And the issue has gotten political.

“It’s another Monday, and it’s another end-the-shutdown bill,” said state Rep. Kevin Boyle.

If the Pennsylvania legislature issues a subpoena to Wolf for the records, the process could lead to a court fight, which could take months to resolve.