In a nice New Year’s resolution to a series of armed robberies around the Back Bay, Boston Police Saturday arrested a suspect who allegedly had tried to hold up Bon Bon, at 197 Massachusetts Ave.
When they got a radio call at 8:30 p.m., police responded to an attempted robbery at Bon Bon, and based on a description of the suspect tracked him down. According to the report, police said the man resembled Preston Jackson, who was wanted in connection with several other armed robberies.
According to police, the officers noticed that while they handcuffed him, the suspect dropped a piece of paper that they said was a handwritten note that read, “Give me the money quietly and no one will be shot.”
Officers took the suspect back to the store, where several store employees positively identified the suspect as the man who had entered the store and handed them the note. The store employees say they told the suspect about their in-store security cameras, upon which the suspect grabbed his note and left.
Officers arrested Preston Jackson, 42, of Boston, and charged him with attempted armed robbery; Jackson reportedly will also be charged for his role in several other armed robberies in December.
“We appreciate the involvement of property managers, security personnel, and retail managers in the Back Bay Security Network working collaboratively with BPD,” said Back Bay Association president Meg Mainzer Cohen.
Area merchants in the Back Bay reported armed robberies, including a Dec. 29 holdup at around 8:30pm at the Brookline Avenue Starbucks that produced a surveillance video. Boston police believe the same robber could be the same one who held up Newbury Street businesses on Dec. 18, Dec. 21, Dec. 23 and Dec. 24.
In a robbery last week at a tanning salon on Huntington Avenue, the Herald reported that a 21-year-old clerk was criticized for not fighting off the robbery, and was later dismissed allegedly for taking time off to recover from the traumatic incident. While the recent spate of robberies did nothing to help businesses already feeling pressure by the economic downturn, it’s no reason to risk injury in order to preserve cash in the till. Police stress that anyone being robbed should comply with any demands, and then dial 911.
The Newbury Street League recommends panic buttons and written guidelines to employees on how to handle themselves in a robbery attempt, advice given by longtime NSL member John Glover of Metropolitan Protective Services.
"Armed robberies in the area … is the kind of thing that comes and goes, and we must always remain prepared and vigilant,” stated Newbury Street League president Joyce Hampers. “Good communication, sharing security tips, etc. is extremely important.”
Hampers also notes an increase in police attention. “The new Commissioner has significantly increased resources to Newbury Street,” she said. “They have finally discovered us!”

According to USA.gov, the most popular New Year’s resolutions include Lose Weight, Get Out of Debt, Save Money, Get a Better Job, and Quit Smoking. We pick the start of a new year to get a fresh start on a nagging problem or habit, and about 50 percent of us are still working on our resolution a few months later.
While many of us resolve to improve relationships, balance a budget, or organize the attic, good health should be the top priority. Forget about fitting into a size 4; if your BMI is outside of normal, you’re at risk of many health problems.
Weight loss is also the lifeblood of authors, inventors, marketers, and salespeople. Look at the Sunday flyers, and they’re all filled with sales on exercise equipment, books on self-improvement, and diet food. Do you know ANYONE who doesn’t want to lose 10 pounds?
Aside from saying it out loud and eating a lot of salads, making a successful resolution to lose weight requires some mental exercise as well.
Many experts tell you to think about what worked and what didn’t in 2008, to come up with a game plan for this year. Envision your goal, then break it down into steps, to assemble all the things you need or each step that is needed to lead up to your goal.
Identify roadblocks to this goal. Think about your goal and yur progress before you go to sleep, to program your subconscious mind.
Helena Collins, who owns the Life in Synergy studio on Boylston Street, has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years, and knows what works and what doesn’t.

• Begin on a Saturday. “We always begin our new fitness regimens on a Monday, when you do this it feels like work!” said Collins. “Not very fun. When you begin on a Saturday it will feel more like time for yourself.”

• Make it social. Start your workouts with a friend. “Think of it as a fun time to catch up,” she said.

• Learn something new. Try a class in something that you have never done before, Dance, Yoga or a Martial Art.

• Try a new vegetable each week. “Instead of dieting, buy a cookbook for vegetables and create,” said Collins. “You will be eating better and flexing your culinary skills.”

• Take up a new sport. “Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing are excellent exercise but being out in our winter wonderland is pure vacation!”

• Make small changes. Lose over 10 pounds in a year just by eliminating one soda a day and replacing it with water.

• Look for fitness opportunities. “Having a bad day at work? Instead of going for the cookie, go for a brisk walk,” said Collins. “You will feel better, release stress and stay on track.”

• Remember your youth. Join a basketball, bowling or volleyball league. “Think of it as going to gym class a few times a week without the need for the uniform.”

• Outsource. Hire a professional trainer. “Think of it as getting your Masters for your body,” said Collins.

• Have fun. Find new ways to move and groove, new things to learn, new places to go. “Life is an adventure,” said Collins. “Make your workouts one too, and enjoy.”

Basilios E. Tsingos of Back Bay was installed as Deputy Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts in a ceremony performed at the fraternity’s Boston headquarters on Monday, December 29th. The Deputy Grand Master is the second highest officer of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, comprised of 38,000 members in 232 lodges throughout the state.
The Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts is the oldest Grand Lodge in the Western Hemisphere and the third oldest in the world. It was chartered in 1733, following the establishment of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717, and Ireland in 1725. In 2008 the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts celebrated its 275th Anniversary.
As Deputy Grand Master, Tsingos will assist the Grand Master and preside over the Grand Lodge during his absence for the next year. Roger W. Pageau of Northborough, MA was installed for the second of his three one-year terms as the 86th Grand Maser of Masons in Massachusetts and the leader of the fraternity during the same ceremony.
Due to the precedence of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts as the third oldest Grand Lodge, the Grand Master of Massachusetts is often referred to as the third highest-ranking Mason in the world. Masons accord the honor of the first ranking Mason to the Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, currently H.R.H. The Duke of Kent, cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Raised in Manchester, NH, Tsingos graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. A Rhodes Scholar, he attended Oxford University in Oxford, England, where he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in international relations. He received his Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School. He is Vice-President and General Counsel of Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation, a prominent regional auto and home insurance company, headquartered in Boston.
Tsingos is a member of The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Boston, and Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Cambridge.
A former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, headquartered in New York City, he was State Secretary for the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee between 1997 and 2004. Tsingos was a Lecturer on the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University from 1994 to 1997.
In 1997 he began his Masonic career by joining St. John’s Lodge in Boston, the oldest Masonic lodge in the Western Hemisphere. He served as its Worshipful Master, or presiding officer, in 2003-05. Masons use the original definition of “worshipful”, meaning “honorable”; English mayors and judges are still addressed as “Worshipful.” As Deputy Grand Master, Tsingos will be called “Right Worshipful.”
His first position with the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts came when he was appointed a Grand Steward in 2005. He served in the same position the following year. A Grand Steward is an aide to the Grand Master. For the past two years Tsingos was the District Deputy Grand Master of the First Masonic District, comprised of the following lodges, all chartered in Boston: St. John’s Lodge (chartered in 1733), The Lodge of St. Andrew (1756), The Massachusetts Lodge (1770), Columbian Lodge (1795), Mount Lebanon Lodge (1801), The Consolidated Lodge (1854), Winslow Lewis Lodge (1855), and Joseph Webb Lodge (1876). The 232 lodges and 38,000 Masons in the state are divided into 32 Districts, each led by a District Deputy, who is the Grand Master’s representative to the lodges in his District.
In 2005 Tsingos was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Overlook Masonic Health System (MHS), Charlton, MA. The MHS includes the Overlook Life Care Communities featuring independent, enhanced, and skilled nursing, and a post-acute unit; and the Overlook Visiting Nurses Association & Hospice Services, Inc. caring for over 1,700 people each day. He was Chairman of the Recruitment Sub-Committee to the Grand Lodge Membership Committee in 2005, and served as Secretary of the Grand Lodge’s 275th Anniversary Committee between 2006 and 2008. Since 2006 he has served on the Grand Lodge Museum & Library Committee, including a service as its Co-Chairman.
Active in several Masonic organizations, Tsingos is a 32° Mason in the Scottish Rite Valley of Boston. He is currently the Assistant Master of Ceremonies for the Massachusetts Consistory, one of four bodies that comprise the Scottish Rite. He is a member of the Massachusetts College of the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis (S.R.I.C.F.) He also belongs to the York Rite’s Saint Andrew’s Royal Arch Chapter, Boston Council, and Boston Commandery. He is also a member of Aleppo Shriners, Wilmington, MA, and the Hellenic Square & Compasses Club.
Tsingos and his wife, Martine, have two sons, Evan and Otis and make their home in the Back Bay area of Boston.
Freemasons belong to the world’s oldest and largest fraternity, which brings together men of every country, religion, race, education, income, and opinion and helps develop the bonds of friendship between them. Through a large variety of North American Masonic philanthropies, approximately $3,000,000 is given to charity every day, 70% of which benefits the general public. During its initiation ceremony, which uses symbolism and allegory, its members are encouraged to value principles and ethics and live their lives accordingly. By providing meaningful opportunities for fellowship, charity, leadership, and education, Freemasonry aims to “make good men better,” and hopes its members will make their families, workplaces, and communities stronger. The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts represents 38,000 members and more than 230 lodges throughout the Commonwealth. Founded in 1733 it is the oldest Grand Lodge in the Western Hemisphere and the third oldest in the world. For additional information, please call 800.882.1020, or visit MassFreemasonry.org.

Public safety above all

Socrates said there is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.
He was right, of course. However, the modern world imposes upon us complications that Socrates and the ancient Greeks didn’t have to deal with.
Crime is the greatest evil today.
Boston’s neighborhoods must remain vigilant against crime everyday.
In order to do so, the Boston Police Department must maintain the present force in tact or the fight against crime will suffer a great setback.
We take Mayor Thomas Menino at his word when he says the BPD will not be cut dramatically as a result of the drastic economic slowdown which is causing the state a $1 billion shortage in revenues.
Governor Deval Patrick’s call last week for an additional $1 billion in spending cuts because of lowered revenue projections produced speculative stories in the Boston dailies predicting that as many as 200 police officers are going to be cut in order to balance the city budget.
Mayor Menino scoffed at the reports, which came from unnamed sources.
The mayor said he had no such plans for cutting 200 police officers.
Public safety comes first, he said.
Indeed.
In District A-1 last year, crime was down significantly on Beacon Hill and even in Back Bay, although larcenies increased in Back Bay.
Captain Bernie O’Rourke’s patrolmen and women are doing their job and then some. The statistics prove it.
The New Year’s Eve festivities that brought hundreds of thousands into our neighborhoods could not take place without sufficient police deployment in order to maintain security at the highest levels.
By doings so, the evening produced but a handful of arrests – and there were no major accidents or crimes.
The same goes for professional sporting events of all kinds and for neighborhood cultural and religious events and for everyday life in general. There must be a strong police presence maintained 24/7 throughout the city.
In addition, the great efforts now ongoing to stop the random use of guns throughout all of our neighborhoods, would be set back dramatically by deep cuts in the BPD.
Again, Mayor Menino said firmly Draconian cuts will not be put into effect at the BPD.
This comes as good news to all of us who enjoy safety and peace of mind in our apartments, condominiums and homes.
It will also come as good news to the millions upon millions of tourists and families who visit our city and who expect to be safe while they are here.
And if some cuts must be made in the name of common sense, then it should be those who make over $100,000 a year as administrators or those in public relations rather than the rank and file patrolmen and women upon whom we have come to depend for our safety and quality of life.