The image above shows the Norfolk Southern Booth at the East Palestine High School Gym.
Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published March 2, 2023 9:40 P.M.

(East Palestine, Ohio)  Just a day shy of a month since the East Palestine train derailment, community members once again made their way to East Palestine High School for a public town meeting.  This time, however, Norfolk Southern made an appearance.  The event consisted of a resource fair with representatives from Norfolk Southern, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, among others.  Residents were able to speak with representatives and ask questions one on one.

Beaver County Radio spoke to Darrell Wilson of Public Affairs for Norfolk Southern, and asked him who made the call to conduct the controlled detonation of the tanker cars.  Wilson said that the decision was made by the Unified Command, a group of around 15 individuals including Norfolk Southern and local officials, as well as Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.  Wilson added that East Palestine Fire Chief Keith Drabick played a role in the decision as well and was in approval of the decision.  He went on to say that a full explanation of the decision making process will be made public in approximately 6 months when the National Transportation Safety Board finishes their investigation. Wilson said he wants to people to know that Norfolk Southern “want to keep people informed”.

Beaver County Radio was also shown an air quality meter demonstration by NS air monitoring specialists.  By using hand sanitizer, a representative showed the sensitivity levels of the devices in comparison to testing results they were providing which showed very little contamination detections in the area.  The only place marked on the Norfolk Southern Air quality map as having contamination was the immediate area of the crash.
Norfolk Southern air testing map: 

A Q&A took place at the event as well with East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, the EPA, the Ohio EPA, the CDC/ATSDR, and Norfolk Southern.  Those on stage answering questions were met with plenty of opposition from the crowd, who were simply making statements rather than asking questions for the most part. One resident asked Norfolk Southern if they have had any discussions about relocating people and NS replied they have not.  Many went on to describe health issues they have been experiencing since the derailment, and a few made comments that the banks will not lend any money to residents of the town. Mayor Conaway stepped in and stated that he has had discussions with the banks, and they will not be denying anybody money due to the derailment. A video of the Q&A can be viewed below:

Norfolk Southern issued a track removal plan for the clean up process. They say residents can expect to see increased traffic, smell odors coming from the ground, and hear more noise. Air and water monitoring is will be in place during the process. A copy of the information provided by NS can be viewed below:     

(WMBA van  in 1971 Courtesy of John Poister)

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Tune into Beaver County Radio at 9:10 AM Friday Morning as the 1968 WMBA VW Bus Time Machine makes it monthly appearance on Teleforum.
Frank Sparks and Eddy Crow will once again be sharing the driving duties as we go back in time to 1976 and celebrate the top songs of the year. The guys will also talk about what we paid for certain things in 1976 and they will be giving out free maple syrup along with free tickets the the Beaver County Maple Syrup and Music Festival to select listeners.  It’s all part of Beaver County Radio’s 75th Anniversary celebration. You’ll have an opportunity to guess the number song on 1976. Whoever guesses it will win a limited edition Beaver County Radio 1lb. box of Rosalind chocolates, two tickets to the upcoming Beaver County Maple Syrup Festival,  free half pint bottle of syrup, and best of all they get to pick what year the time machine will visit in April. Frank and Eddy will also take your requests to play in hour three at 724-843-1888 and 724-774-1888.
You can listen to the show at 95.7 and 99.3 FM along with 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA and beavercountyradio.com.

Betty Rivas prepares breakfast for her family Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023, in Commerce City, Colo. Rivas was startled by a letter telling her that the drinking fountains her 8-year-old used at school weren’t safe. PFAS stories had been in the local news and the school district told families to use bottled water. (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)

The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to propose restrictions on harmful “forever chemicals” in drinking water after finding they are dangerous in amounts so small as to be undetectable. But experts say removing them will cost billions, a burden that will fall hardest on small communities with few resources. Concerned about the chemicals’ ability to weaken children’s immune systems, the EPA said last year that PFAS could cause harm at levels “much lower than previously understood.” The expected announcement is intended to address this growing gap between health science and regulation.

FILE – Former President Donald Trump speaks at the East Palestine Fire Department as he visits the area in the aftermath of the Norfolk Southern train derailment Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Trump’s lawyers in Georgia are criticizing the Fulton County investigation into potential illegal election meddling after the foreperson of the special grand jury seated to help the probe went public this week. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department says former President Donald Trump can be sued by injured Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers over the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The department’s position that Trump was not immune from suit was laid out in a filing before a federal appeals court. The brief was filed by lawyers in the Justice Department’s Civil Division and has no bearing on a separate criminal investigation by a department special counsel into whether Trump can be criminally charged over efforts to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election ahead of the Capitol riot.

FILE – Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. Shapiro unveils his first budget next week, poor districts that won a landmark school-funding lawsuit want him to propose a significant down payment and a plan to overhaul how Pennsylvania pays for K-12 education. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — When Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro unveils his first budget next week, poor districts that won a landmark school-funding lawsuit want him to propose a significant down payment and a plan to overhaul how the state pays for K-12 education. Lawyers for the districts tell The Associated Press they think $2 billion in additional education funding would be a good start toward billions more the poorest school districts need. One attorney says they also hope Shapiro presents a plan for developing a system that funds schools based on what students need. So far, Shapiro has said little about how he’ll respond to the court decision.

Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw speaks to reporters, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, near the site where a freight train derailed Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The CEO of Norfolk Southern railroad will testify in Congress next week about last month’s fiery Ohio derailment and the precautions the railroad takes to prevent similar crashes. The railroad said Wednesday that Alan Shaw will appear before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works next Thursday. Already, several lawmakers have proposed a series of rail safety reforms in response to the Feb. 3 derailment that forced the evacuation of half the town of East Palestine, Ohio, near the Pennsylvania border. The National Transportation Safety Board has said that an overheating bearing likely caused the derailment that sent 38 cars, including 11 carrying hazardous materials, off the tracks.

FILE – Shown is the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Jan. 5, 2021, at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. Six weeks after Pennsylvania state representatives elected a Democratic speaker and have not returned to session, the Republican leader on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 warned of chaos when they reconvene next week. (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania lobbyist is naming the Democratic state representative who she says sexually harassed her. Service Employees International Union lobbyist Andi Perez said in a statement Wednesday that she was sexually harassed by state Rep. Mike Zabel of Delaware County four years ago. She’s calling on Zabel to resign. Zabel didn’t respond to several messages seeking comment in recent days. He was among those who voted Wednesday for new House rules with an expanded section on handling sexual misconduct allegations. The expansion was prompted in part by Perez’ story. Perez went public with Zabel’s name a few hours later, after it was published by a conservative news and opinion outlet.

FILE – Bryan Kohberger, left, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, looks toward his attorney, public defender Anne Taylor, right, during a hearing in Latah County District Court, Jan. 5, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. Law enforcement officials seized dark clothing, medical gloves, a flashlight and other items from a Pennsylvania home where they arrested Kohberger, a graduate student charged with stabbing four University of Idaho students to death, according to newly unsealed court documents. The records were made public Tuesday, Feb. 28. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, Pool, File)

STROUDSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Law enforcement officials have revealed more details regarding items seized from the Pennsylvania home where they arrested a graduate student charged with stabbing four University of Idaho students to death. Additional court documents made public Thursday stated that a knife, a pocketknife, and a Glock 22 handgun with three empty magazines were found at the home of Bryan Kohberger’s parents. The home, Kohberger’s car, the garage and a shed on the property were all searched when he was arrested there Dec. 30. Kohberger, a 28-year-old doctoral student at Washington State University, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary in connection with the stabbing deaths in Moscow, Idaho.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published March 2, 2023 11:49 A.M.  

(Aliquippa, PA) Aliquippa Police Chief John Lane reported on Thursday multiple arrests were made in the recent car thefts. He added that all those arrested are juveniles. The thefts all occurred within 48 hours.