Commentary: O.C.'s most overlooked city weathers chemical crisis

More than 50,000 Orange County residents were ordered to evacuate as authorities worked to cool a rapidly heating tank holding a highly toxic chemical. Donald Torres, a Stanton City Councilmember, moved between three locations for four days with family and pets while handling calls from frightened residents. He returned home after evacuation orders were lifted, then joined activists to demand denial of a GKN Aerospace expansion permit and investigation into shutting down the facility. Torres said Stanton, a diverse and economically struggling city, received little media attention compared with the larger nearby city of Garden Grove. He also said no Stanton officials spoke at daily news conferences, and he used a public appearance to press for Stanton to be treated as a priority during the crisis.

"He was one of more than 50,000 Orange County residents ordered to evacuate on Friday as authorities tried to cool down a rapidly heating tank holding a highly toxic chemical. Torres bounced around three locations over the next four days with his father, girlfriend, three parakeets, a dog and a turtle named Squirt while fielding calls from irate and scared residents."

"He returned home to "a mess" Tuesday morning after officials lifted all evacuation orders. Hours later, he joined activists outside the Garden Grove City Council chambers to demand that the city deny GKN Aerospace an expansion permit and look into shutting down the 15.5-acre facility altogether."

"His hometown of about 40,000 residents - Orange County's second-poorest and most ethnically diverse city - has long been a regional afterthought, the type of community that makes the news only when a tragedy happens. Local and national media didn't even bother with that courtesy during the GKN crisis, focusing mostly on Garden Grove, which is four times more populous."

"During the crisis, no Stanton officials spoke at the daily news conferences with other local authorities. So when Torres took the lectern in Garden Grove, he wasn't just there as an elected official. He demanded that the world give Stanton something it r"

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