Jamaica Plain

The Jamaica Plain Gazette posts a sad photo of a tree with an estimated age of more than 100 years being chopped down on the Arborway last week. The Gazette reports the tree had to be taken down as a safety hazard because it's dead, thanks to a pair of chainsaw wielders who allegedly went up and down the Emerald Necklace last year chopping off burls - large bark protuberances popular among woodworkers and sculptors.

Anulfo Baez, who is chronicling Boston's public murals, reports on the graffiti that now covers the mural on the side of Lawson's Brother's Hairstyling Salon in Egleston Square.

This was the tragic scene at the armored Best Buy machine at Forest Hills Sunday afternoon. Joe D., who came up with the headline, reports it was still like that this morning. Aaron Gallo, meanwhile, discovered the same problem at Back Bay.

Transit Police report a man waiting for an inbound Orange Line at Jackson Square was robbed around 12:50 p.m. on Saturday. After taking his iPad4 at gunpoint, the robber fled toward Bromley-Heath, police say.

He's described as black, between 18 and 22, with a medium build, wide cornrows, slight facial hair and an earring in his right ear. He wore gray stonewashed jeans with a large white belt and a black hoodie. If you see him, contact Transit Police at 617-222-1050 or text a tip to 873873.

Boston Police report the man who held up a teacher inside the Eliot School around 6 p.m. on Wednesday spent an hour inside the adult-education school beforehand chatting with everybody he saw - including his victim:

The Jamaica Plain Gazette reports police hold an emergency community meeting at 7 p.m. today at the Eliot School to discuss an armed robbery on Wednesday in a school classroom and other recent holdups along Eliot Street that might be related.

Shortly before 9 p.m. yesterday, somebody else was held up at gunpoint on Eliot Street. Not long after, the victim's ATM card was used at a Bank of America ATM somewhere on Blue Hill Avenue in Mattapan or Roxbury. The suspect was described as 5'8", wearing a light gray hoodie and holding a black gun.

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Children are welcome to attend (at no charge) and will enjoy a range of fun activities.

Delicious summer fare and refreshing cocktails provided.

More information, tickets and sponsorships are available at www.glad.org/events.

The Jamaica Plain Gazette interviews the owner of four chickens ripped to shreds by some sort of canine last month. No names, since live chickens are illegal in Boston (they'd named one of the chickens Dr. Richard Kimball).

As part of its reporting, the Gazette talked to an area chicken expert, who said determined predators can break it or even squeeze through its holes.

Banker & Tradesman reports.

Late this afternoon, Boston firefighters and EMTs rushed to the Jamaica Pond boathouse, off of which a man took a plunge into the ice-covered water after his dog did likewise, a day after a woman and her dog had to be rescued from the icy depths. Both man and beast got themselves out and left the scene before emergency responders could ask any embarrassing questions.

Boston EMS tweets the woman was taken to a local hospital this afternoon to be checked out after firefighters and police managed to get her out. The dog was also recovered alive, Alex Jones tweets.

The city reports about 500 customers are without power in Jamaica Plain today but that NStar is looking to restore their service by 3 p.m.

One Green Street resident reports the power went out around 5:45 a.m.

Galen Moore of Jamaica Plain reports this is the print of an animal that killed and ate his neighbor's chickens. Yes, plural and, yes, Jamaica Plain. He wonders if anybody can tell what sort of animal did the fowl deed.

The Jamaica Plain Gazette interviews the chairman of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council, which claims it has standing to sue over a proposed South Huntington Avenue development because it is a municipal board, but which says it doesn't have to worry about the city dissolving it because it is not "a branch" of municipal government. Got that?

Katken ran across this space saver in Jamaica Plain yesterday:

Much better than the usual orange cone, or broken chair, or the ubiquitous trash barrel.

Earlier:
Something needs to be done about the nouveau gauche in the South End.

Copyright Katken. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

A confused citizen in Jamaica Plain seeks guidance from his municipal elders about that 48-hour period after the end of a snow emergency:

Does a parking spot placeholder negate a No Parking sign?

Jeanette Andrew photographed her street in JP.

Hyde Square in Jamaica Plain around 10 p.m. Photo by Ben Ray.

Fire in the machine room at Forest Hills tonight, which led to lengthy delays.

Boston Police report an officer walking through a corridor at 934 Parker St. last night happened to see an odd opening in the wall, about six feet up:

Upon closer investigation officers observed a brown handle that appeared to be protruding from the interior of the opening. Officers examined the handle closer identifying it to be the handle of a black firearm. Officers recovered a Rohm Model RG 40 .38 Special Revolver as well as a plastic bag of several rounds of ammunition.

Nobody came forward to claim the gun; an investigation continues.

Boston Police report arresting Joe Maloof, 31, on charges he broke into St. Aquinas Church, 95 South St., early this morning.

Police say officers arriving around 3:10 a.m. found "a broken window on the basement level, a shovel on the ground near the window and interior lights on inside the church. Rather than rummage through the church, officers summoned Nico the crime dog, who in quick order located Maloof. He was then charged with breaking and entering in the nighttime and possession of heroin.

Innocent, etc.

The Jamaica Plain Gazette reports he's earned $500 for the Franklin Park Zoo so far.

Somebody in Winthrop might be late for work today. Photo by Kdabbler.

A large tree decided to observe the law of gravity on Blue Hill Avenue at Seaver Street, taking out two cars with it. It caused no injuries, but did result in gridlock along the avenue.

New Jackson Square building gets a premature unveiling. Photo by Krodamai.

As of 7:40 a.m., NStar is reporting more than 5,800 powerless customers.

And there are delays on the Red Line due to a dead train at JFK/UMass. OK, that one's probably not wind related, just Red Line related.

Street light cover that blew off on Staniford, not a Rover looking for Number 6. Photo by A.P. Blake.

Police are swarming Egleston Square following a home invasion around 10:15 p.m. that left a resident of 10 Egleston St. dazed and bleeding.

The man, shirtless, made his way to Washington Street and Columbus Avenue, where police found him. Police are looking for a light-colored sedan, occupied by three black males, possibly in their 30s, and armed with a knife and a gun. They got away with some cash and, in what seems to be the norm these days, a cell phone.

A concerned citizen reports this morning he doesn't feel like he should have to buy a construction helmet just to board commuter rail at Forest Hills.

UPDATE: The T reports a maintenance crew is on its way to the station.