EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and first lady Fran began their day in East Palestine, first making a stop at the East Palestine Schools.

While there, they spoke with students and listened to their concerns about last month's train derailment and release of toxic materials. 

What You Need To Know

  • Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine made his fourth visit to East Palestine on Wednesday

  • DeWine said during a press briefing that he wants to begin taking a holistic approach to handling the trauma that East Palestine has been through 

  • The DeWines began their day at the East Palestine schools, speaking with students about the concerns they may have 

  • They then traveled to nearby Salem to the Brightside Project, a non-profit organization that helps children in Columbiana County

The DeWines then traveled to the Brightside Project in Salem. The mission based group works to provide food and resources to Columbiana County residents and children in need. 

The Brightside Project enacted its crisis plan following the train derailment and has been taking in donations for the residents of East Palestine. Gov. Dewine and his wife stopped by the Brightside Project to pack goodie bags that will be handed out to thousands of children on Saturday morning. Both the governor and first lady agreed that focusing on the youth of this community is very important. 

“I was so excited when I saw Brightside Project was going to do this because that is what the families need and it'll be really, it'll be really kind of, you know, uplifting to them just to get those, you know, the gifts, they're needed, but their gifts, you know. And so that'll be, that'll be good,” said Fran Dewine. 

Gov. DeWine explained how important this work is for the community of East Palestine.

“[The Brightside project is] doing an amazing job," he said. "They always are focused on kids. And now with this crisis that has occurred, the train wreck and the trauma, you know, they're they're focusing right on [East} Palestine and the kids there. So it's very, very appropriate. They're doing the Lord's work.”

The Brightside Project will travel to East Palestine on Saturday, March 4, to pass out the goodie bags.