Gov. Lee lifted stay at home and business closing orders as of May 1st, and said that restaurants can open at 50% capacity on Monday the 27th. He further said that the six largest counties (including Knox and Hamilton) could make their own decisions.

According to the Times Free Press, Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke said not so fast and that he would extend restrictions there. But, the county mayor overrode him and said that restaurants would reopen "based on the governor's guidance."

According to the report, Gov. Lee's office said "that the governor's executive order gives the authority to county health departments, not cities." Mayor Berke has requested clarification from the governor, but had not received guidance at the time of the report.

In Knox County, Mayor Jacobs and Mayor Kincannon have been coordinating their efforts and remain mostly on the same page, although not without some reported tension.

Here, Mayor Kincannon cites TCA 39-9-101 (which I believe is a typo and she actually meant TCA 38-9-101) and TCA 58-2-110 as her authority to issue local emergency response orders.

Gov. Lee cites TCA 58-2-107 as his authority to issue orders and to supercede any local orders. I am not a lawyer, but it appears Gov. Lee is holding the trump card, so to speak.

So far, there is no mention of a restaurant reopening dispute in Knox County. Both mayors have said they are working towards a May 1 reopening, and will have nothing further to say until Monday, April 27th. It is not clear if restaurants in Knoxville and Knox County will be reopening then.