EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — Financial support is on the way for 18 East Palestine businesses that will receive a total of more than $3.3 million in forgivable loans to assist with their recovery from February’s toxic train derailment involving Norfolk Southern.
"The strong business community here in East Palestine is more than just the backbone of the local economy, it's the heart and soul of this town,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Friday. “By supporting these businesses, we’re giving them the tools to recover and restore jobs, services and the vibrancy of their community.”
The 18 businesses receiving Emergency Support Program loans are:
- Strohecker Incorporated - $965,145.97
- Ohio Valley Foods, Inc. - $566,127.76
- Medart, Inc. - $526,083.36
- Cardinal Welding, Inc. - $232,021.76
- Linsley-Royal Funeral Home - $160,683.50
- TRIPCO, LLC - $150,000.00
- Brave Industries LLC - $134,500.00
- Gorby's Grocery, Inc. - $97,721.25
- DAH Realty, LLC - $95,202.00
- Bush Heating, LLC - $87,774.00
- Hardcastle Realty, LLC - $80,066.76
- 1820 House, LLC- $66,531.25
- Columbiana Sanitation Industries CSI - $62,250.00
- McKim's Honeyvine LLC - $37,400.50
- Bea's Insurance Agency, LLC - $36,518.00
- Enchanted Salon, LLC - $18,871.50
- EPO2, LLC - $15,162.00
- Fuller Hardware Inc - $3,107.87
Gov. DeWine’s office says the loans were approved through the Ohio Department of Development’s East Palestine Emergency Support Program, which was launched in August to provide loans to businesses impacted by the derailment.
“Businesses are eligible to apply for 0% interest, forgivable loans ranging from $10,000 to $1 million to assist with ongoing expenses and recovery efforts,” according to Gov. DeWine’s office. “In total, $5 million was made available for the program. The loans are forgivable if utilized for payroll, employee benefits, rent or mortgage payments, utility expenses, worker protection, or inventory replacement expenses related to the train derailment.”
Additional loan applications are currently under review by the Ohio Department of Development. Eligible businesses located within a two-mile radius of East Palestine that were operational on or prior to Dec. 1, 2022, are eligible to apply for the loan program HERE.
“These loans are an important step to getting our community back to normal and making sure that our businesses are taken care of,” said East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway. “It’s good to know that the state has our back as we continue on the path to recovery as a community.”