Target stores plagued by tech glitch
A glitch stalled checkout lines at Target stores worldwide Saturday, exasperating shoppers and potentially eating into sales the day before Father’s Day — a prime time for retailers.
The roughly two-hour outage periodically prevented Target’s cashiers from scanning merchandise or processing transactions as long lines formed in some stores. Self-checkout registers, usually the speediest of options, also weren’t working at times.
Target temporarily closed some of its stores, including one in San Francisco, rather than risk aggravating shoppers.
“Our technology team worked quickly to identify and fix the issue, and we apologize for the inconvenience and frustration this caused for our guests,” Target said in a statement.
Before the company figured out was wrong, a Target employee was warning customers that they might not be able to check out as they entered a San Francisco store early Saturday afternoon. Sales were being completed after intermittent delays during the half hour an AP reporter observed the lines at the store.
But some shoppers posting on their Twitter accounts Saturday painted a different picture as they vented about excruciatingly long lines but expressed sympathy for the Target employees trying to cope with the situation.
Arrest in Ark. death
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The family of a former Arkansas state senator who was found dead outside of her home says it is “sickened and upset” by the thought that one of her friends could have been involved in her death.
Authorities on Friday announced the arrest of 48year-old Rebecca Lynn O’Donnell in connection with the killing of 57-yearold Linda Collins.
Ms. Collins’ family said in a statement released late Friday that they are “sickened and upset that someone so close to Linda would be involved in such a terrible, heartless crime.”
Police say criminal charges are pending and didn’t say whether they were seeking any other suspects in the death of Ms. Collins, who went by Collins-Smith when she was in the Legislature.
Her body was found June 4 outside her home in Pocahontas, about 130 miles northeast of Little Rock.
New Jersey jet mishap
A United Airlines passenger jet skidded off a runway at Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday, shutting down service for the New Jersey transportation hub for hours, officials said.
Port Authority police, aircraft rescue firefighters and Emergency Service Unit teams were sent to the airport after reports that United Airlines flight 627 from Denver had veered off the runway at about 1 p.m.
A few of the plane’s 166 passengers suffered bumps and bruises but no one required medical attention, an airline spokesman said.
Flights in and out of the airport resumed by the afternoon but delays were expected.
The airport was immediately shut down. “Due to an airport emergency there are currently no arrivals nor departures from Newark Airport,” Newark Liberty tweeted. “Please check with your carrier before coming to the airport.”
A Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman said the plane landed on runway 22 “then skidded off the left side of the pavement,” leaving the left main landing gear stuck in a grassy area.