FALLING STAR

The Times they are a-changin', as Star fades away

Its expanded deli was a popular meal takeout spot. Also popular were its garden shop and the market's late-night convenience. But after more than 60 years, Star Market in Moiliili is no more.

That branch shut its doors for the last time last night; it and the Ewa Beach store's closure this week are part of a buyout, then rebranding, by Times Supermarket. It is the end of an era for the Star Markets chain, founded by brothers Tsuenjiro and Mika Fujieki in the 1920s.

Sunday's home-delivered Star-Bulletin editions included a special section on “;Kamaaina Companies,”; recognizing Hawaii businesses with prestatehood origins. So in honor of Star's fading brand, consumers, let's try to patronize those longtime isle stores that have worked so hard for so long to meet the needs of our collective lives.

OOPS

Distracted driving taken to new heights

Talk about distracted driving. Two Northwest Airlines pilots overshot the Minneapolis airport last week not because they were sleeping or arguing, as had been speculated, but because they had pulled out their personal laptops in the cockpit, a violation of airline policy.

The pilots told the National Transportation Safety Board that they missed their destination by

110 miles because they lost track of time as one pilot tutored the other in the new work scheduling system put in place by Delta Air Lines, which acquired Northwest last fall. Now both pilots risk

losing their jobs. And researchers have more evidence that it's not the electronic device - whether a cell phone or a laptop - but the mental distraction that makes distracted driving so dangerous.