NEWS UPDATE
Wolf extends stay-at-home order, but allows some business to resume
After press time for the April 21 issue of the Sentinel, Gov. Tom Wolf made the following announcements regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania.
• The current stay-at-home order, which was set to expire Thursday, April 30, has now been extended to 12:01 a.m. Friday, May 8. Wolf and state Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said a slowdown has been seen in the rate of confirmed cases and fatalities, but the order still must be extended to avert an increase in numbers.
• Wolf also announced his intent to sign Senate Bill 841, which pproves qualified Pennsylvania notaries public to perform remote online notarizations. This, in turn, will allow auto dealerships to conducted limited car sales and leasing operations online, as a notary is required to complete the transaction. Auto dealerships may continue to remain open for certain activities – such as repairs to passenger and commercial vehicles and sales of auto parts – but in-person car sales or leases are still considered ‘‘non-life sustaining’’ and remain prohibited at this time, according to the governor.
• Public and private residential and non-residential construction may resume statewide starting May 8, ‘‘in accordance with safety guidance that will be issued by the administration shortly.’’ Wolf said April 20. Construction projects already deemed ‘‘life-sustaining’’ may continue while adhering to social distancing, personnel limits and other guidance as announced by the administration.
• The state Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has begun accepting orders by phone for curbside pickup at 176 locations statewide. Phone orders can be placed between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., or until reaching a store’s maximum order capacity each day.
For Sentinel-area residents, the closest locations are in suburban Harrisburg, Pottsville and Sunbury. The complete listing is at lcb.pa.gov.
Curbside pickups will be scheduled from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. within a few days of order placement. Callers will be guided through each store’s unique inventory. There is a limit of six bottles per order, and credit cards are the only accepted form of payment. At pickup, customers will be required to present identification before the order is delivered.
‘‘These limited steps forward will be closely observed in the coming days and weeks to ensure that they do not result in a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, in which case the governor will use his authority under the emergency disaster declaration to resume restrictions to protect public health and safety,’’ according to a press release from the Governor’s Office.