East Palestine Officials Cancel ‘Town Hall’ Offer ‘Open House’ No Q&A Only ‘Informational Tables’

EAST PALESTINE, OH. (THECOUNT) — Officials for the Village of East Palestine, Ohio, the city in which a train carrying toxic substances derailed nearly two weeks ago, canceled a planned Wednesday night Town Hall meeting with residents instead opting for what they are now calling an “Open House.”

Officials are now hosting the Open House event after scrapping the question-and-answer session meant to provide answers to the community on the Norfolk Southern train derailment.

Mayor Trent Conaway announced the Open House, which will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the East Palestine High School’s gymnasium.

It was originally planned as a town hall meeting for residents and the surrounding area to participate in a question-and-answer session. That event was later changed to an open house with informational tables for residents, reports WKBN.

Norfolk Southern is believed to have representatives in attendance.

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Geo quick facts: East Palestine is a village in northeastern Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,761 at the 2020 census. Located on the state’s border with Pennsylvania, East Palestine is about 20 miles south of Youngstown and 40 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. It is part of the Salem micropolitan area – Wikipedia.