Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published February 19, 2024 1:39 P.M.

(East Palestine, Oh) President Joe Biden made a visit to East Palestine Friday afternoon over a year after the train derailment. Beaver County Radio was on scene as the presidential motorcade arrived to town. Taggart Road was lined with mostly anti-Biden and Donald Trump supporters, yelling expletives and holding signs while the president arrived. Biden went on to meet with East Palestine local officials and made a speech.

During his speech, the president blasted Norfolk Southern stating “Let me be clear. While there are acts of God, this was an act of greed that was 100% preventable,”. Biden also made a stop in Darlington Township to the fire department where he met with Beaver County officials. Beaver County Radio was not given access to either of the stops.

Beaver County Radio spoke with some locals in East Palestine on their opinions of Biden’s visit to the town. The most common answer was that “it’s too late”.

One man said “we don’t want him here, we don’t need him here, he’s late, he didn’t do nothing for us the first time, Trump showed up. It ain’t about Trump/Biden, it’s about help”.

Another man said “It’s just a shame, half the people in this town probably owe more on their house than what it’s worth now, something needs to happen to make it right.”

Congressman Deluzio, who met with Biden in Darlington, said he’s “grateful that the Biden Administration has been on the ground responding to Norfolk Southern’s toxic train derailment and providing federal resources since the beginning.

Photo/Video of Biden’s visit: