HEALTH WORRIES: Socorro Molina, right, and other parents voiced concerns Thursday at a meeting about emissions from a nearby motorcycle-parts plant in their Santa Ana neighborhood.
Rose Palmisano, The Orange County Register MORE INFO Markland Manufacturing Inc., 1111 E. McFadden Ave. Employees: 270
Revenue: $49.20 million, for the fiscal year ended December 2003
Founded: 1978
Business: Manufactures motorcycle parts Source: Markland Manufacturing, Goliath Article tools E-MAIL THIS ARTICLE PRINTABLE VERSION Site tools EVENTS SEARCH DISCUSSION BOARDS MOVIE TIMES LIVE TRAFFIC GET A MAP FINANCIAL TOOLS ADVERTISING NORTH: 'All we want is safety'
Residents near Santa Ana plant band together to get answers on their air quality.
The Orange County Register SANTA ANA – Gloria Maldonado worries about her kids like most parents do. "Don't talk to strangers," or "Look both ways when you cross the street," she tells them. The usual stuff. But after receiving a letter from South Coast Air Quality Management District in March alerting her that Markland Manufacturing Inc. was seeking a permit that would increase copper emissions of her neighborhood, she had a new – even more frightening – concern. "I want to know that if my kids are outside playing that they are safe," she said. "I didn't know this company existed so close to us, and I'm terrified that they are close to so many children." Maldonado and a group of parents from Kennedy Elementary – which sits across the street from Markland – banded together to get answers on their air quality. Their concerns led to a town hall meeting hosted by state Sen. Joe Dunn, D-Santa Ana, last week that brought in officials from the AQMD, Markland, local environmental groups and parents. AQMD officials announced at the meeting that in response to complaints, Markland agreed to make the changes needed at the plant so emissions will not rise. The company's owner, Donald Markland, attended the meeting to discuss the 27-year-old company that opened its motorcycle-parts manufacturing plant in Santa Ana in 1997. "I met with all the agencies in the city and did a walk-through with them," he said at the meeting. "Based on their approval, I made the acquisition to buy the building." Markland said the company was very clear with school and city officials that there would be metal polishing and finishing that causes chemical emissions. But he said the company has consistently met all AQMD requirements. AQMD officials said Markland has received three notices of noncompliance out of 13 inspections since 2000. Residents in this community, which is surrounded by industrial plants, railroad tracks and exhaust from traffic, want more answers. They want the AQMD to test the air and water in their neighborhoods. Several parents from the area complain that their children suffer from headaches, nosebleeds and allergies. "I'm very outraged that there are so many pollutants in our neighborhood," said parent Victoria Zaragoza. "All we want is safety and security." CONTACT US: carora@ocregister.com or (714) 704-3706
Clean air buttons distributed by AQMD
 State Senator , school officials, and environmental professionals met with Kennedy Elementary School parents in a town-hall style meeting in Santa Ana Thursday evening.  The parents aired their concerns over health issues at schools and workplaces, including a rash of  cases in the student population, and began a dialogue they have been working toward for years.

Representatives of Markland Manufacturing and of AQMD also spoke at the meeting, explaining their positions. The outcome of the meeting was that Senator Dunn and members of the community will tour the Markland facility and meet with county officials, and another public meeting will be held in a couple of weeks.