As the Maryland Crab Cake Tour made its way back into District 45, it was important to discuss crime, jobs and education with the State Senator and the urgency of the work being done in Annapolis to improve East Baltimore.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
crab cake, years, baltimore, people, maryland, 45th, annapolis, piece, standpoint, give, coco, young, learned, ingenuity, folks, wife, tour, city, school, thinking
SPEAKERS
Cory McCray, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:00
What about w n s t, Towson, Baltimore, Baltimore positive or positively in beautiful Lara Ville in Baltimore in the 45th. Weโre Cocoโs pub salt brought to you by our friends at the Maryland lottery get instant lottery scratch offs here. Itโs been a lucky batch. Iโm gonna give some away here to the friends and staff here Cocoโs weโre going to be celebrating 25 years it cost is two weeks from now, on August 3, and then drug city on the fourth next week. Weโre in the county at the Beaumont, in Gainesville. All of it, of course, brought to you by our friends when donation, the sloppy floppy hat, but wife washed it and got it all stiff. Itโs nice. So it fits nice, it looks nice. Itโs all good. And Senator, Cory McCray, is our guest. Itโs hard to take me seriously. And as I know, since I look like Gilligan a little bit in the Oreos, get back there floppies as well. So, you know, from from the standpoint of what you do, and I would ask you this, when you go down, and youโre chairing this or sitting on this, and I mean, take take us back to the first year, your delegate down there just waters, you know, triggered from the fire hose right now. Youโve been elected a couple of times, people are clearly pleased with the work enough people are pleased with the work youโre doing. Iโm sure thereโs a complaint department for you, at the end of this segment as well. But for you to go down to Annapolis, see these changes and be involved with it. Iโm gonna give you the two questions that are the tough questions, right. What are we doing about crime? Letโs start with what are we doing?
Cory McCray 01:22
The first thing is making sure that we can support our current stateโs attorney. I think that folks think that heโs doing a good job, Ivan Bates and making sure that weโre supporting our police commissioner next interim Commissioner Richard Worley, Iโve known rich, because he was the police commander in the northeastern district for a significant amount of time, and feel very confident and what heโs going to be bringing to the city in that position. And then I think about like our new stateโs attorney. And this is important, because when we went down there two people overwhelmingly elected oven beats. And one of the things is, is that Ivan Bates isnโt like a traditional or this or this or this known, elected official, he came in and he hadnโt been elected. So he didnโt really know the legislature. He came in with a bill this past session, that basically said that he wanted to align the penalty for current illegal handguns. For those that are 18 to 20. were receiving five years as the sentence and those that were 21 and older, were receiving three years, we all know what the Justice Reinvestment Act that youโre not doing that entire five years necessary. Youโre not doing the entire three years of photos, penalties, you know, what about 25 30% of that time, so thatโs about 18 months, or maybe three years,
Nestor Aparicio 02:33
all of these people are coming back home.
Cory McCray 02:36
So theyโre coming back home from that standpoint. So he wanted to align every
Nestor Aparicio 02:38
time I talk to somebody like you This is almost the first thing you bring up is we could put people way And shame on them and try to educate and try to rehabilitate whatever the word would be for all that. But at some point, they come back and there needs to be a better, something better, better path for a better it has to be
Cory McCray 02:56
so wanted. So one of the things is is that he couldnโt find a bill sponsor. And I was like, What do you mean, you canโt find a bill sponsor, your your agency, anybody can put in a bill by the request of that respective agency. So when he said that I said, Iโm not for theatrics. Iโm not for this. Letโs just get it done. And his bill went across. So we got it done. Everybody pushed a green button for it. And weโre thinking about that. So you had your stick, but you also have to have the current piece of it. Weโre working on education from the blueprint for Merlin weโre working on
Nestor Aparicio 03:25
thatโs my next question. By the way, Iโm glad you tackle that, because crimes first, then education. And thatโs if Iโm a citizen, if Iโm voting for you not voting for you, Iโd say we got 20 minutes talking about anything other than the Orioles or summer weather how good the crab cakes are. But like the crime piece of this is the glaring piece that haunts every murder rate crime. And so when
Cory McCray 03:47
you think about that, and thatโs the young folks want to have fun. So you got a young population thatโs going to be in fed Hill cat and things of that nature. But when youโre thinking about having the family, and when youโre settling now the two things that you think about is are my kids safe? And are they going to be well educated from that standpoint? So thatโs what I think about each and every day that I wake up as a father who live here as a father for and I live here. Yes. So Iโm thinking about the eight year old, the nine year old, my 14 year old, my 16 year old, what is the education that theyโre going to receive in our school system, whether itโs public or private minds go to a poly just got one thatโs already 11th grader poly, and one thatโs going to the ninth grade at Poly, but one of the things that I thought about me and my wife had this tough conversation. Sheโs a teacher also. But she teaches she teaches third grade. So sheโs teaching third grade for the last two decades. Third
Nestor Aparicio 04:34
grade is my fifth did he still do planets and dinosaurs and third, they have fun in third grade. Third grade is my favorite class.
Cory McCray 04:40
But we had hard conversations when we got to middle school because youโre thinking I need my child to have the most robust, rigorous academic experience within our school system, whatever they are going to, and I was lucky because we have the ingenuity program. I think that thatโs one of the best things that Baltimore City Public Schools has going on is this ingenuity program. Unfortunately, itโs only For schools in Roland Park, itโs in Hamilton. Itโs over and oh my god, I canโt think we have to qualify you have to qualify for this program. So that was one of the things that I think about from that piece of it and weโve been blessed because weโve had to matriculate through the process they in poly now but theyโre in the ingenuity part of Polly from that piece of it. So that is that is covered but how she knew it i like how do we make sure that every young scholar is getting that same experience as ingenuity? How do we make sure that parents feel the confidence that theyโre doing? We have to make sure that our and this is one of the things Iโm proud of first the place that they are going to in any urban jurisdiction across the country. You will not see them building buildings as fast as the city of Baltimore doing in the last five years. We put 23 online brand new school buildings thatโs not happening across the country in Detroit, Philly, New York.
Nestor Aparicio 05:53
I feel that went on doc I was at the Heritage fair a couple of weeks ago. The Heritage fair is sits on Dundalk Elementary. I played Pop Warner Football there, John Rollo bunch, weโll practice there. And itโs a brand new school. I went to Colgate Elementary was built 100 years ago, brand new school took Johnny Oh little while by the way, Johnny is gonna be at my anniversary drug city on the fourth but and Dundalk High School as well, which was you know, old and falling apart. Completely new. I mean, this is something I that I would say that you would go to other places I might be in LA next week screwing around just seeing like, are they built the squat not like not like the city was always Howard County build new schools, Harford County build some school. I donโt know I donโt spend any time to go MRI kid.
Cory McCray 06:42
But but at the end of the day, like thatโs one of the pluses that
Nestor Aparicio 06:45
sound like a guy that goes to Annapolis now.
Cory McCray 06:48
Like, thatโs one of the pieces to the puzzle. But then you think about like the inside of the school, making sure that we can raise teacher pay, and what are we thinking about from the folks that are educating our young folks, making sure that school is not the traditional way that may you see it, or went through it at one point. Itโs not a blackboard and notebooks not not at all. Itโs also having to make sure that you have the mental health piece of it, because a lot of our young folks are going through things at the home. And we need to make sure that thatโs explored and make sure that thatโs thought about when theyโre attending school. Also thinking about from a food standpoint, as we talked about the food deserts with some of these young folks, if theyโre hungry, how are they actually use their minds to be able to learn from that standpoint. So these are some of the things that weโre doing and weโre partnering with our EDS and meds. So when you think about Hopkins University of Maryland, being able to partner and think about the health aspect within our schools, thatโs an important piece to this puzzle. And so some of the things that weโre working on each and every day in the city of Baltimore, and when we go to Annapolis, we tend
Nestor Aparicio 07:43
to Kerwin and the impact of that, because I spent a lot of time before it happened. And obviously the governor fought at the time, tooth and nail was about a year and a half. I mean, obviously COVID was a big part of the mess. And your wifeโs an educator, talk to me about Kerwin and this money and what you hear about the things in Annapolis because, you know, it wasnโt popular everywhere because it came at a price tag. Oh, all things cost money. All good things cost money included Cocoโs crabcake.
Cory McCray 08:13
So Iโm laughing at you because you gave me a hard time by my water on this carpet, but now I see yours over there too. So
08:19
when he talked with water, the water I got a little you got a sippy cup. Okay, okay. Okay.
Nestor Aparicio 08:25
water all over my equipment at the Super Bowl 10 years ago in New York,
Cory McCray 08:29
and we give it everybody
Nestor Aparicio 08:32
just over the top bad guy about anybody having liquids in your mind computer.
Cory McCray 08:38
Yeah. But back back to Carol, when I think that thatโs one of the most important things that we can do as a legislature and thinking about like, what does what does the economy look like? What does it look like? 1020 30 years from now I keep talking about setting that foundation, especially as an entrepreneur, so weโre making sure that our teachers are well taken care of. Weโre making sure that we think about careers that theyโre going to be entering into as an electrician. Thatโs one of the things that I think about apprenticeships and everybody not going to one of our distinguished electrician. Well,
Nestor Aparicio 09:07
what went into that? Did you did you have a shop class? Whereโd you go to high school
Cory McCray 09:12
next, I went to a couple of high school so I was had a couple challenges, but I ended up graduating and coming out of family hospital, Harford and 25th. But I tell folks, I found out about an act by accident. My mom reached out to the Maryland Department of Labor. She said send me every apprenticeship in the state of Maryland. She said Cory go fill out applications. I went to fill out applications that Dobie W local 24 and ended up getting lucky and I was accepted into it. I didnโt have to know anything about electrical so I didnโt know how to know what Black White green is. I didnโt know anything from that standpoint. As long as
Nestor Aparicio 09:41
I know anything about like ohms and all things love the man I took a class and Iโm like I would if some electric in my house is screwed up. Iโm calling you.
Cory McCray 09:53
I was gonna say but so from there, being able to not just be used to the four block So what I was used to in the city and being able to work around other folks that were doing things productive. Thatโs how I actually started buying houses up and down Belair road, it was some journeyman electricians that I was working around, I had some rental property and had had property. And I said, I can do the same thing he donโt he no smarter than I am, it started a model rat in the space that I was in. But like minds as you just needed to have a good attitude, wanted to come and learn some of the basic functions of coming to work on time and things of that nature. And I learned everything else on the job while getting paid.
Nestor Aparicio 10:27
I had a business partner of mine say to me recently, trying to hire local people to run a cash register, and he canโt make change. Because the math skills of their being taught or they learn that thereโs just this real basic to your point, like showing up on time and what a job is, and what a commitment is and what your word is. And you know, and you said something right off the bat that tells me a lot about who you youโre like I had some challenges, but my mother blanked, you my mother got involved. She said, My mother got involved. Well, if the mother doesnโt get involved, you know, youโre gonna have a challenge to begin with, right? So like having that, that foundation of somebody saying you, you can do better than this, you should expect more from yourself, right? And I just think
Cory McCray 11:15
about, like some of the basic skills we take for granted. So I think about getting to work on time, every day might I was supposed to show up at seven oโclock. Well, one day, I actually did get a flat tire and I get there at 715 and the general Foremanโs come down. Why are you late? And Iโm like, Well, Iโm never late. But he said, You didnโt pay attention to the parking lot. People are here 1520 minutes early. And from there, Iโve always come 1520 minutes early, because thatโs what I learned at that moment. From that experience from that stand. Itโs a
Nestor Aparicio 11:44
football coaching thing, you know, early for me and youโre late, not five minutes early. Youโre late. Yeah,
Cory McCray 11:48
exactly. So like, that was something that I learned. And Iโve never, Iโve always come and practice that behavior ever since then. But I learned it or what and Iโll tell you the job that I learned in one was Patapsco. on Seventh Avenue. We built the courthouse right there. So that was probably 20 Some years ago when I had that experience. And then I think about
Nestor Aparicio 12:05
an engineer earlier electrician. It began with a knee. My wifeโs an engineer, sorry about that.
Cory McCray 12:09
Then I think about like, some of some folks may not always know about the banking piece of it. I forgot that early on in my career, I was actually cashing my check at the check cashing spot. And then I actually had a young lady. A lot of our companies will hire out young folks. So I look for some of the high schools where they have 11 for 12th graders that may be looking or interested in this. And she was in Emerson village, she was attendant Emerson high school, but she was cashing her check at the check cashing spot. So we had to redirect that piece of it or that thinking and say, Hey, youโre paying them to 3% by time you get your check. From that standpoint, why donโt we hit some of the other things that we need to put in place to make sure so I forgot that that was what I was understanding banking, you understand and banking from that. But but but some of those same behaviors that we do, we forget that weโve done it and now young people are modeling, modeling or going through the same things we have to break that cycle.
Nestor Aparicio 13:02
Senator Cory McRaeโs here weโre at KOKO saw brought to you by our friends at the Maryland lottery. Give him some lottery scratch offs away here today and beautiful Oroville will be Catonsville next week at the Beaumont then on the Dundalk for the 25th anniversary. Weโre in the 45th year he goes down to Annapolis when heโs not doing ohms and amps, amps and ohms. Right.
Cory McCray 13:21
Voltage you forgot voltage
Nestor Aparicio 13:23
forgot voltage. Well, youโre further along than me. But I have a good attitude about learning. The Oriole sport you got I mean, this is this has been a little bit of research, you know, and the one thing for me is any word down there and what they want this from the stadium. I mean, like youโre the first person your first elected, thatโs a molar word effected that yeah, Iโve had on but like, Iโll get a little chap and get a little burned. I didnโt like him lying to the media about weโre gonna open up books for you. I donโt like being locked out every night where my my employees allowed in and they donโt allow me access. Thereโs a lot of things I donโt like about it. But I do like when theyโre winning and the feeling it gives people and watching that. I mean, baseball is a great thing. I mean, I was the proponent of building this stadium. Iโm a proponent of keeping the team and all that but it needs to be more of this and less of what weโve had the last 30 years, right like this is fun.
Cory McCray 14:14
Yeah, itโs great time. It really is but
Nestor Aparicio 14:17
it should be this way every year and tip the cap to the NFL for what they do because they tend to keep teams competitive, even Cincinnati, they have a chance now right there.
Cory McCray 14:26
I think theyโre the legacy that Donald Schafer set when he may show the stadiums were here we need to also make sure from that standpoint, so the legislature was able to work with Prince Georgeโs were able to work with our surrounding jurisdiction to make sure that when we look at our budget document that we also see the stadiums as a priority. Itโs an economic engine not just for the city of Baltimore, but also for the state of Maryland.
Nestor Aparicio 14:48
Well I guess we forget here I mean, itโs gonna take you long to bring up PG County or they hate it when I was gonna say donโt be doing that Prince Georgeโs County Iโm sorry about that. They freak out gorgeous person. You freak out. Michael Steele vamos a crabcake me. I
Cory McCray 15:02
do not know. Prince Georgeโs. I let them have it. Yeah, I
Nestor Aparicio 15:08
donโt know. Okay, Iโm sorry. But so Prince Georgeโs and Montgomery County, there is an Austin them. I mean, it really is and like, I guess I donโt feel it, we donโt feel it. But if youโre in Annapolis, you feel it. And if youโre fighting, sitting at the table, same thing in Western Maryland, eastern shore where they donโt really understand larvell And they donโt get you all the density of population here, why, you know, all of the issues that they have different issues there, right. And they want money to solve different problems.
Cory McCray 15:37
Oh, and as one Maryland, we have to figure it out. Like we have to figure out all these dynamics and these other geographic jurisdictions and make sure that we come away and that budget document that 60 plus billion dollar budget document reflects it.
Nestor Aparicio 15:49
Well, the crabcake tour has been such a gift to me on so many levels. First excuse that people like you buy in, hang out with Marcel and meet nice people. But I took this thing on the road two summers ago since last time I saw you actually we were here with masks, and in the summer 21. And then again in 22. My wife and I did 30 crabcakes in 30 days. I did 31 last year for my 31st anniversary on radio. And we went to Deep Creek loan accounting, Cumberland Rocky, Rocky gap is beautiful. Easter Sure. I didnโt even know you were allowed to get off 50 I just thought you went straight. I didnโt even realize it. Thereโll be suicide bridge up. I was gonna
Cory McCray 16:26
say I had to one of the best crabcakes it was suicide bread. Itโs a great place. That was a nice one. It was like 10 years ago that I had that that was like 10 years ago.
Nestor Aparicio 16:37
Donโt tell anybody donโt tell more sell because Iโm about to have her crab cake here because Iโm not. Iโm equal opportunity that crab cakes. You know, I mean, people would you like him a certain way. I like him good. I like him fresher. Like, this is how I like I like the way you make them as well. Iโm probably gonna like it. But I got a tip one suicide bridge over the eastern shore. And I went over there. It was the first day of the tour and I ate it. And Iโm sitting I was alone. I went down alone. I was Dennis Colossus gave me this big ol Bronco, Big Blue Broncos. Brando was the only one that had people staring at me in the truck. It was crazy. And cruise forward. I had the first crab cake and I had a beer. And I was just going to Ocean City to start the tour the Marlin open. I had the mayor on the next day, Dan and Harrisonโs I mean, we had the whole thing so 30 crab cakes and 30 days, right? And I hate that crab cake. And I took two bites and Iโm like, man, Iโve been eat crab cakes my whole life. And this is really, how can I go crazy for the first crab cake on the first day of the tour. Iโve gone back four times. This is true story. My wife and I are going back for anniversary two weekends, weโre going to see Tommy Conwell and a young Rumblers. And do we beach, and I promise you sheโs gonna say itโs only like 14 miles. If we just go south off a 404 we can grab a crab cake. And sheโs gonna want to go because she loves it that much too. And people say favorite. Iโll tell you what, if your knees are short, thereโs a place called the old salties as well. Itโs in Hooperโs Island. Okay, you gotta want that. You gotta want that crab cake. I mean, itโs weighed out, but itโs the most beautiful drive. Have you been? I donโt want to out you here because you canโt be everywhere in the state you are representing people to 45th But have you been down down to the swampy area below Cumberland? Have you been down at the Blackwater refuge seeing those birds and fish? Itโs the most beautiful. Take your children. Okay, take your children, you get when you get to Cumberland, if you youโre going to do suicide at the age of 70. So just make go not completely Cambridge, I say Cambridge Forget it. Forget what to say Cambridge, Easter short. Okay. You want to go south out of Cambridge, toward Hooperโs Island. Okay. And you want to see the Blackwater refuge. Itโs only 10 minute drive from America from 50. Get off and go see the birds see the Eagles see them?
Cory McCray 18:51
tell you we did a committee tour. We did a committee tour. So I was there when I was on TNT in the House of Delegates. And we did a committee tour over
Nestor Aparicio 18:57
there. All right. Well, I want to make sure you get over there. Again. Itโs a great state. Thatโs all Iโm saying. You know, it is representing the people in 45th. Thank you very much coming by any message for the people summer anything they could do to help you in the 45th?
Cory McCray 19:13
Just make sure just keep betting on Baltimore as the most important thing. Like I said, I think that all the pieces of the puzzle was there. I just want to lift up Nestor, thank you for coming to the 45th Thank you for picking the one of the greatest spots in the 45th. To be at Cocoโs Iโll say 123 more times. But most importantly, weโre doing each and everything that we can do diligently for the citizens of Baltimore to make sure that it is a great place as walkable that safe that we can educate our young people.
Nestor Aparicio 19:38
Well, I appreciate you coming on being accountable and itโs not easy you know, talking about the stuff right and itโs harder to try to fix it
Cory McCray 19:45
right I feel good because every day I wake up to be inspired to do something I have something to do.
Nestor Aparicio 19:50
No I take kids black water, take them out to Rocky gap take them out to to Deep Creek go. Rogers took me fly fishing and On the north Potomac leg I donโt know itโs by Luke, Maryland Westernport Maryland, and Iโm out in my waders fly fishing out there using lefty crazy techniques, you know, and Iโm thinking to myself, this is a great state. I donโt even need to go to Montana to do this. I donโt need to go to Louisiana to have that marshy I just go over to black water and then we get Ocean City got Baltimore we got the Orioles second place soon to be in first place. Alright, Iโm gonna take a break. Day shine and heโs here. Heโs got his sports writer hat on. I donโt know what that is. He looks like we look like weโre going to the track is what we look like weโre doing. Itโs all brought to you by our friends at the Maryland lottery. Weโre gonna let ourselves play Iโm giving these out is the 25th anniversary of wn St. It is the 50th anniversary of our friends at the Maryland lottery. A lot of Lucky scratch offs or friends or window nation said that itโs out on the road. Weโre going to be at the Beaumont Gainesville next Thursday. And then on the third at Costas the fourth at drug city celebrating 25 years with lots of friends lots get if you have a seat, oh suck shirt. Iโm looking for that. Iโm looking for anything that is a picture of something Iโve done over the last 25 years that I have forgotten. Thereโs been beer involved. So sometimes I have forgotten some things. So if you guys have pictures, send them over to me. NASA Baltimore. positive.com. Big thanks to Senator Cory McCray for stopping by. We got peach cake here from Fenwick. The gals are starting to get into this. I think over here. Theyโve been making crap because Iโve been watching the gal make the crab cakes back here. Sheโs got the gloves on. And sheโs like, itโs just like, she knows how to make him softball size. And theyโre the biggest credit. Nobodyโs ever made a crab cake that big at home. You know what I mean? Itโs this big. So Iโm watching the crab cakes get made here. Weโre having fun. Weโre Coco stay with us. Itโs Baltimore positive WNS day