East Palestine, Ohio has been rocked by twin disasters: a train derailment and chemical spill that have jeopardized the health of the small town's population, and its sudden appearance in the national spotlight as a schism between Republican and Democratic leadership opened over the site.

Former President Donald Trump and other Republican figures rushed to East Palestine in an attempt to capitalize on political pressure to the present Biden administration, handing out branded items and taking opportunity to attack the administration while they were there. Trump called out the president for not visiting the town and pledged his support to those affected.

Meanwhile, the local population grappled with the public health fallout of the spill. Volatile chemicals such as vinyl chloride threaten to increase the instance of liver cancer and other illnesses, and officials quickly enacted an evacuation of the surrounding area.

Local school buildings became centers of relief efforts, hosting evacuees and acting as incident command centers while they were cleaned and tested for