Gov. Tom Wolf releases tiered plan to reopen Pa.

The slow march toward reopening the state took a step forward late yesterday, when Gov. Tom Wolf announced a color-coded system that could — emphasis on could — allow some counties or regions to ease restrictions starting May 8.

You can dive into the specifics of the plan, but it's contingent on a number of factors, including decreasing numbers of confirmed positive cases over two weeks, as well as "robust case investigation" and testing capacity. The problem is, the state has yet to lay out a plan to address either of those critical issues.

Spotlight PA is following both of those stories, so stay tuned for more.

The governor's announcement came just days after hundreds of people stood shoulder to shoulder at the Capitol for a rally to "reopen" the state. Such a gathering went against the advice of both federal and state health officials.

Wolf appears to be walking a careful line, rebuffing efforts by Republicans in the legislature to hastily reopen more businesses, while also laying the groundwork to potentially ease rules in more rural counties where the GOP dominates.

Finally, we're excited to welcome two new partners this week from Western Pennsylvania: Gazette 2.0 in McKees Rocks and Presente in Pittsburgh. We now have 32 newsroom partners in all corners of the state.

If you have a story we should pursue, don't hesitate to reach out to us.

— Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA