Shutdown to lift across much of western Pennsylvania

LEWISBURG, PA. » Thirteen more western counties, comprising nearly 2.7 million residents and most of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, will see relief from Gov. Tom Wolf’s most restrictive pandemic orders on movement and businesses next week, joining much of northern Pennsylvania that began emerging Friday.

Frustration among counties that remain locked down grew, with some Republican officials saying Friday that they would take it upon themselves to reopen in defiance of the Democratic governor. And some district attorneys declared their refusal to prosecute businesses that opened their doors in violation of Wolf’s shutdown.

The counties that will be permitted to gradually reopen next week are Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland,

Wolf said.

The only western county held back, Beaver County, is home to a severe nursing home outbreak where dozens have died and a congressman is calling for an investigation.

Beaver County officials blasted Wolf’s decision at a news conference Friday, saying the entire county shouldn’t be forced to stay shut down because of the problems at a single facility. The Beaver County district attorney, meanwhile, said he doesn’t want local police enforcing the business shutdown, nor would he prosecute violators.

“Our business owners and residents cannot become prisoners in our own county,” said Daniel Camp III, chairman of the Beaver County Board of Commissioners, calling Wolf’s decision to keep Beaver locked down “unwarranted and irrational.”

Outside Beaver, counties in southwest and parts of south-central Pennsylvania can undertake a limited reopening next Friday.