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Select PA businesses to reopen

Governor Wolf says we will continue to limit physical contact with others, to make sure it can be done safely.

Governor Wolf took a step forward to reopen some non-essential businesses in an attempt to get the economy going once again.

That includes construction work to resume by May 8th, and car dealerships can now begin selling cars online.

Dozens of vehicles sit at Minooka Subaru in Moosic, all waiting to be sold to a new owner.

But since Governor Tom Wolf ordered all sales at car dealerships suspended due to them being a non-essential business in March, no inventory has been moved off the lot.

"We haven't really had a chance to review the impact on revenue with so much else going on," said owner Jim Corbett. "We are operating our parts and service department, be it with a limited staff."

Now there's some relief.

The governor is now allowing car sales to take place online by using licensed notaries to complete the transaction.

Corbett says he can start getting cars to customers who were in the process of buying one when the pandemic broke out.

"People that lost cars in an accident or their lease expired or things like that," said Corbett. "We have numerous cars loaned out in those incidences that we'd like to get the people into the new vehicles that they wanted."

The governor is going to also allow private and public construction projects he put on hold to resume by May 8th.

RELATED: Governor Wolf proposes date to reduce stay-at-home orders

Frank DePrimo runs FDP Construction from his home in Dupont and says this is great news.

"It feels good, it does," said DePrimo. "A lot of jobs could have went on if you ask me, a lot of commercial work, a lot of jobs where the homeowners aren't around, exterior, but I understand the system, and you got to do the right thing."

Now, 176 state-run wine and liquor stores will begin providing curbside pickup, including the store in the Price Chopper Shopping Center in Dunmore.

RELATED: Curbside pickup at select liquor stores

People shopping at that Price Chopper say that hearing some restrictions are being lifted makes them optimistic we will get through this.

"I would like to get back to work so I can catch up on bills and stuff," said Christopher Mazzarella from Dunmore, who works in construction.

"A certain element of the commercial businesses can be active," said Barbara Tomaine from Dunmore. "I think that's important because the unemployment is a serious matter."

The governor did caution that we will not be resuming operations as they were in February and will continue to limit physical contact with others, to make sure it can be done safely.

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