Old Santa still graces the new Ala Moana

Old-timers will find little that’s recognizable about Ala Moana Center these days. Many kamaaina shoppers will comment that they are in need of guideposts to find their way.

So it’s nice to see that the old giant Santa figure has not hit the cosmic wastebasket — at least not yet. There he is, wedged into a little alcove overlooking Ala Moana Beach Park, next to the marquee entrance for Bloomingdale’s.

And perhaps the management is counting on Old Santa’s nostalgic appeal to woo local Christmas shoppers: Spend enough money and a replica figurine can be theirs.

He’s an icon, after all. Photos taken of Hawaii’s St. Nick back near the center’s beginning, circa 1960, just sold on eBay for about $10. Everything old is new again.

Native Hawaiians battle over Na‘i Aupuni’s ‘aha

First, the opponents of the Native Hawaiian convention, or ‘aha, sued to stop the certification of a delegate election under way, based on the fact that it was limited to Native Hawaiians, among other issues.

Now that the organizers, Na‘i Aupuni, have canceled the election and want to moot the lawsuit, the plaintiffs are complaining about that, as well. The action violates the spirit and letter of the court injunction, they say.

Will the plaintiffs prevail in their argument that the cancellation amounts to contempt of court? Who knows?

The only thing clear at the moment is that this is gearing up to be a long battle.