Ali`i Ice was Vandalized & is Shut down

[aunty]

How about these reasons:

“I’m shutting the operation down as of right now. I’m laying off the people as of right now. There will be no more ice in Hilo until that person is incarcerated.

“I don’t need this.”

Bockrath pointed to a group of trucks and vans behind the facilities where two police officers were processing evidence.

“They busted out the windows on a couple of ’em,” he said. “They busted up the ignition on one. They ripped one open, took out the air intake, jammed it up. … I don’t know if they dumped anything into my gas. I don’t know what all the damage is at this point. But I can’t run those trucks now. Until I know, I’m not even gonna try. Two-hundred-thousand dollars worth of vehicles right there.”

- See more at: http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/loc...bdBNV.dpuf

Bockrath said he doesn’t know why anyone would vandalize the facility, adding since the storm hit, he’s limited customers to 100 pounds of ice apiece to ensure all customers are served.

“The first day, people were comin’ in, takin’ 300, 400, 500 pounds at a time. I said no (and) cut ’em back to a hundred pounds,” he said. “They don’t need more than a hundred pounds. That’ll carry ’em a week and a half. That was an issue to keep ice going to the people. We donated some to Civil Defense. We worked with ’em. We worked with the Lions Club. They were coming in, taking ice for distribution. We did all we could.

“We had a belligerent, obnoxious, obscene phone call left on our answering machine (Tuesday). My employee didn’t keep it. He erased the recording. I don’t know why. I don’t know if it’s related, that particular incident or not. But it’s that attitude and that kind of obnoxiousness and so forth that I’m not gonna tolerate.”

- See more at: http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/loc...bdBNV.dpuf

[freespirit]

Yeah I don't get why they would shut the whole plant down especially in this time of need PLUS put people out of work. That's just terrible - vandalism or not.

[Tink]

I can understand his frustration of stepping up to help his community, only to receive a "tomato in the face" for doing so. His response though, was a bit drastic, but as they say one "whoops" wipes out all your "attaboys". On a more serious side tho, he was probably absorbing the cost of manufacture of the ice he was handing out, and the damage to his vehicles was too much to absorb financially to keep running on company profits to help his community.

Community begins with Aloha

[David M]

Makes me wonder if maybe he has an inkling to who is responsible and suspects they will not be held accountable. If the police won't do the right thing, maybe local justice via laid off employee? Just guessing here.

David

Ninole Resident
Please visit vacation.ninolehawaii.com

[csgray]

If his delivery vehicles are trashed he can't deliver, and he isn't really set up for large scale retail of ice, so it maybe that shutting down was the only cost effective thing he could do. He may have also spoken in the heat of the moment and we will never know what parts of the interview the reporter left out.

Carol

[Carey]

Last night's news coverage had photos of the vandalism, it looked like a lot more than this report, inc. new energy equipment & records & such...so it may be that the vandals actually have something that is needed for safe operation (this is my thought as to why he may have felt it necessary to shut down..)

the vandals hit at a horrible time, and are the shame of this awesome community...luckily we are seeing sooo many that are out there helping in every way they can

[snorkle]

This is a sad situation. This storm has been an extreme hardship on many, both economically and physically. I still don't have power and don't expect it for awhile. We're all coping the best we can.

That being said; I also got a chuckle out of bluesboys's "that's cold" comment. Sometimes coping means finding humor in a bad situation. Even in the midst of horrendous battlefields, soldiers will still find a way to laugh.

I really don't feel bluesboy made his comment with any motive other than to get a smile out of folks who are down. I don't think he deserves to be chastised for it.

JMO

[csgray]

If the comment had come from someone who was also suffering without power it might have been easier to take, but BB already has been very smug about having an off grid system, so it seemed like laughing at others' misfortune. Other off gridders have made comments about not understanding why everyone doesn't have a generator on hand, implying that anyone who didn't make that investment is irresponsible. Generators that can run a water pump are expensive, too expensive for most working people, and way too expensive for most renters, to have on hand just in case.

I have been coming into work at 5 every morning to do my prep work for my classes because I have no internet or power at home, and then spending my afternoons chasing down the basics like food that doesn't need cooking and ice to keep the little bit of food we have on hand cold. I have students whose families cannot possibly afford a generator, who are having to work really hard just to take care of the basics for 3 or 4 generations in their household, but they are still coming to school ready and willing to learn every day.

Maybe the exhaustion is wearing on me, and my sense of humor has flown the coop for the duration, but to have people cracking wise about a really sucky situation being made worse by vandals just isn't funny to me.

Carol

[DoryGray]

Maybe they were the same idiots that stole the Red Cross truck. I still believe 95% of the people will do the right thing & help their neighbor. It's the 5% brainless takers that ruin it for everyone. We should round them up & put them on an island together so they can rob each other. Carol, I have ice if you want me to bring it to you.

[opihikao]

Maybe the County should ask the State for emergency repairs, or maybe FEMA can get it repaired, maybe some rich person can donate the money (as a tax write off) for repairs, and maybe the owner will change his mind once the machines are fixed, to at least start making ice.

We can only hope.

Oh, I believe a crime that occurs during a state of emergency is a federal offense. May the people who did this forever regret their actions. Unacceptable on so many levels. SOBS.

JMO.