SYRACUSE — With vendors and patrons wearing masks to help prevent spread of the coronavirus, the Downtown Farmers Market on June 9 opened for its 48th season in Syracuse’s Clinton Square. 

The market, presented by the Downtown Committee of Syracuse Inc., is scheduled “rain or shine,” every Tuesday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. through Oct. 13. The Downtown Committee describes the market as “the place to find fresh, locally-grown” fruits, vegetables, plants, and flowers. 

To support the health of shoppers, farmers, and staff amid the coronavirus outbreak, organizers are implementing and following new public-health guidance for farmers markets, as outlined by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. 

The guidelines include requiring everyone to wear a mask/facial covering, spacing out farmers’ booths to allow at least six feet of distance between booths, and providing handwashing stations throughout the market. 

The Downtown Committee said about two dozen farmers participated on opening day. As the growing season continues, as many as 50 of the region’s farmers and produce dealers will be featured each week.

Additional requirements

Besides masks, spacing, and handwashing stations, the state guidance also requires all vendors and staff processing credit card, debit, and SNAP transactions to wear protective gloves.

In addition, only vendors and their staff are allowed to handle products; customers “must not touch” any produce/products until after purchase, the state guidance says. All the vendors must sanitize their stands “regularly,” which includes wiping down tables and cash boxes.

Additional guidance includes a policy that all market staff and vendors must stay home if they are sick, and sampling of products at the market is “not allowed until further notice.”

The JCPenney stores at Destiny USA in Syracuse; Auburn, Rome, New Hartford, and Oswego are among seven New York stores the retailer plans to close.

J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (OTC MKTS: JCPNQ), parent company of the retailer JCPenney, will shutter the locations in New York as part of 154 store closures nationwide.

The company on June 4 announced the closures and described them as “the first step in implementing its store optimization strategy.” 

JCPenney identified the 154 stores following a “comprehensive evaluation of its retail footprint and a careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the company,” per its news release 

Store closing sales will begin at the 154 locations following entry of an order at a June 11 hearing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, in Corpus Christi, Texas, the company said.

Store closing sales for the first round of store closures are expected to take 10-16 weeks to complete.

JCPenney says it intends to reduce its store footprint and focus resources on its strongest stores and e-commerce flagship store, jcp.com. 

As previously announced on May 15, JCPenney, which was founded in 1902, entered into a restructuring support agreement with lenders holding about 70 percent of JCPenney’s first lien debt to reduce the company’s “outstanding indebtedness and strengthen its financial position.” 

To implement the financial restructuring plan, the company filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.

“While closing stores is always an extremely difficult decision, our store optimization strategy is vital to ensuring we emerge from both Chapter 11 and the COVID-19 pandemic as a stronger retailer with greater financial flexibility to allow us to continue serving our loyal customers for decades to come,” Jill Soltau, CEO of JCPenney, contended.

JCPenney, which has about 85,000 employees nationwide, is also reducing its workforce.