During nearly a year of restrictions on restaurants meant to limit the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Tom Wolfâs shutdown of dining rooms during the normally busy winter holidays was especially tough for restaurant owners.
Some ignored the rules, keeping their dining rooms open during the three-week period that ended Jan. 5. In response, enforcement was stepped up as the Wolf administration started issuing âclosed by orderâ notices on the spot to restaurants found to be in violation, a first during the pandemic.
As part of the Wolf administrationâs toughened enforcement, 50 restaurants â including seven from Lancaster County â that got closure notices then stayed open found themselves on the receiving end of a pair of lawsuits from the state Department of Health that sought some intimidating remedies.