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U.S. states are beginning to restart their economies after months of paralyzing coronavirus lockdowns, but it could take weeks until it becomes clear whether those reopenings will cause a spike in COVID-19 cases, experts said Wednesday. The outbreak’s trajectory varies wildly across the country, with steep increases in cases in some places, decreases in others and infection rates that can shift dramatically from neighborhood to neighborhood. (Johnson, Smith and Sullivan, 5/14)

Several states, including Georgia, embarked on an unexpectedly political experiment late last month. Despite not hitting the benchmarks established by the federal government for scaling back social distancing measures, they were going to do so anyway, echoing President Trump’s desire for a return to economic normalcy even while rejecting the safety guidelines Trump ostensibly espoused. An intense debate over the decision erupted, with critics suggesting that those states would see a spike in new coronavirus cases, given the renewed ability of the virus to spread. Those supporting the decision figured that no spikes were likely or, perhaps, that they could be contained. (Bump, 5/13)

By many accounts, Gov. Tom Wolf has helped mitigate Pennsylvania’s coronavirus outbreak and avoided the full-blown disasters seen elsewhere. His success in the next challenge — containing the growing resistance to his efforts — is to be determined. The Democrat at the helm in one of the premier battlegrounds in November’s presidential election is struggling to fight a Republican revolt over his stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. Egged on by state GOP lawmakers, counties have threatened to defy his orders while at least a few business owners have reopened despite his warnings. (Levy, 5/14)

When Jamie Williams decided to reopen her East Texas tattoo studio last week in defiance of the state’s coronavirus restrictions, she asked Philip Archibald for help. He showed up with his dog Zeus, his friends and his AR-15 semiautomatic rifle. Mr. Archibald established an armed perimeter in the parking lot outside Crash-N-Burn Tattoo, secured by five men with military-style rifles, tactical shotguns, camouflage vests and walkie-talkies. One of them already had a large tattoo of his own. “We the People,” it said. (Fernandez and Montgomery, 5/13)

Construction firms can resume nonessential operations in the coming days across New Jersey and in the northernmost counties of New York, officials said Wednesday, as both states moved forward with a limited economic restart amid the coronavirus crisis. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the state’s North Country, which includes the Adirondack Park as well as the cities of Plattsburgh and Watertown, had met the required metrics for a limited reopening on Friday. State officials said earlier in the week that regions in the Finger Lakes, the Southern Tier and the Mohawk Valley had met the requirements as well. The areas include the cities of Rochester, Binghamton and Utica. (Vielkind and De Avila, 5/13)

Los Angeles beaches reopened on Wednesday after weeks of coronavirus closure, drawing Californians out for a glimpse of the sun one day after learning that sweeping stay-at-home orders could remain in place all summer. (Devall and Ross, 5/13)

Parts of Maryland and Virginia will begin a gradual reopening this weekend, while the nation’s capital and its surrounding suburbs remain shut down. Hours before Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan gave localities a green light on Wednesday to loosen some restrictions, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser extended her city’s stay-at-home order and closure of nonessential businesses through June 8. (Nirappil, Cox and Wiggins, 5/13)

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is lifting the statewide stay-at-home order that has been in place for more than six weeks, replacing it with a “safer at home” policy that relaxes some of the restrictions. However, most of the limits on social and business interactions will remain in place as coronavirus deaths and cases continue to climb. Local jurisdictions are empowered to decide whether it is safe enough to lift the stay-at-home order in their area — and several have already declared it is not. (Cox and Wiggins, 5/13)

Kelley Chagolla, co-owner of the Charro Mexican Restaurant here in the conservative enclave of Weld County, decided to open her restaurant to diners this week, going directly against the governor's order to limit service to delivery and curbside. She watched the debacle in Castle Rock closely — where a restaurant opened to packed crowds, drew national attention, and then was shut down and fined — and definitely did not want to go that route. (Klemko and Gearan, 5/13)

Prompted by concerns about racial health disparities, African-American state lawmakers in Virginia are opposing plans by Gov. Ralph Northam to begin a phased reopening of Virginia's economy this week. In a letter to Northam, leaders of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus outline "grave concerns" about plans to begin reopening some businesses across much of the commonwealth on Friday. (McCammon, 5/13)

By the time spring arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, the pandemic had the world firmly in its grip. The vernal equinox arrived March 19, the day California handed down the first statewide stay-at-home order in the United States. Most of the country would soon follow suit. In the coming weeks, vast swaths of humanity would be largely confined to their homes. (Sen, 5/14)

With protesters set to descend again on the state Capitol to protest a sweeping stay-at-home order, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer cited estimates Wednesday saying there could have been nearly 3,500 more coronavirus deaths in Michigan if not for her order. (Spangler, 5/13)

The novel coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on many areas in the United States, prompting nearly all states to issue stay-at-home orders and close businesses in an effort to stem the tide of the virus... There is no unified approach among states and only non-binding national guidelines. Complicating matters is that the virus is impacting different states in a dramatic way. And within states, there is dramatic variation as well. (Lantry, 5/13)