March 24, 2019 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
LOCAL
CL ASSIFIEDS
PA GE 19
Tragedy strikes in Long Island City
Family of deceased LIC cyclist blames politics for slow bike lane implementation
BY MARK HALLUM
Michael Vega had no patience
for politicians at Saturday’s
rally in memory of his
brother Robert Spencer, 53, who
was fatally struck by a car on
an uncompleted bike lane just a
block from his Long Island City
home on March 14.
During the March 16 vigil,
a crowd of about 50 transit reform
advocates and family
members set up a ghost bicycle
and a placard on the northeast
corner of Borden Avenue and
Second Street, many of them
still grappling with the emotions
of having recently lost a
loved one.
Vega blamed a city government
that seems to wait on
community boards to vote in
favor — or against — bike lanes
before moving forward with
what data has shown to be a
life-saving redesign.
“We do things in this country
for the benefit of our citizens,”
said Vega, a retired
Marine Corps veteran. “These
politicians, they answer to
us; we don’t answer to them…
I have to live for the rest of
my life, my brothers and sisters
have to live for the rest of
their lives, knowing Robert is
no longer with us.”
Nicole Spencer, the victim’s
sister, was certain that while
the investigation is ongoing,
her brother — an experienced
bicyclist and motorcyclist —
would have not put himself in
such danger.
“I know for a fact my brother
is an avid biker; there’s no
way he would have rode into
traffic, no way. He’s been riding
bikes for years,” Spencer
said, claiming that the police
A SOMBER RENAMING
Siddiqur Rahman (l.), president of the Jamaica Muslim Center, addresses the crowd during a March 15
street renaming of 168th Street. The usually celebratory occasion was marred by the massacre at mosques
in New Zealand hours earlier. Photo by Carlotta Mohamed
Bayside cops
fi ght spike in
car break-ins
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Police from a Bayside-based
precinct are warning residents
about the recent uptick in thefts
from cars.
According to a recent Tweet
from the 111th Precinct, there has
been an increase in this particular
crime on the northern end of
the precinct. Thefts from cars
along with mailbox fishing are
classified as “grand larcenies,”
which have risen when compared
to last year.
“We have had an increase in
thefts from cars on the northern
end of the precinct. If you
see anyone pulling on door
handles, pls give us a call,” the
precinct tweeted.
According to a map from the
precinct, thieves have recently
targeted the following areas in
Bayside:
• Francis Lewis Boulevard and
33rd Avenue;
• 200th Street between 33rd
and 34th avenues;
• 203rd Street between 32nd
and 33rd avenues;
Continued on Page 18 Continued on Page 16
Newtown Creek recreation?
Two sought in failed
Rego Park burglary BY MARK HALLUM
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
Cops were looking for a pair of would-be burglars
who were caught in the act by a Rego Park
homeowner and chased off the property.
Two unknown men broke into a residence in
the vicinity of Saunders Street and 66th Avenue
During their most recent
meeting in Middle
Village, Community
Board 5 heard a presentation
from the Waterfront
Alliance on potentially
developing the portion of
Newtown Creek that runs
adjacent to the district for
ecological resilience and
recreation in the model of
Hunters Point South Park,
which was completed over
the summer.
Sarah Dougherty, a program
associate with the
organization, encouraged
community leaders to work
with companies that may
own different industrial
facilities along Newtown
Creek to not only bring
modern methods of flood
mitigation to the heavily
The Waterfront Alliance has a greener
vision for the Newtown Creek.
Photo by Mark Hallum
Continued on Page 16 Continued on Page 18
VAo Cl.N 8G.8G NPou.PNuob.b 1l2ic l1i2cation ation Vol. 7 No. 11 UPDATED UPDATED EVERY DAY EVERY AT TIMESLEDGER.DAY AT QNS.COM
/QNS.COM
