Catherine Sweeney
@catherinejsweeney.bsky.social
Okie in Nashville. Health reporter at WPLN. Also write about social services and lethal injection. @cathjsweeney.38 on Signal
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
“We have a faith that God will provide, that He loves us & supports the work we do," said one TN food pantry director.
“But the human side of me looks at our shelves sometimes and the eyes of people we serve and it’s hard. It is scary.”
tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/10/t... @tennesseelookout.com
“But the human side of me looks at our shelves sometimes and the eyes of people we serve and it’s hard. It is scary.”
tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/10/t... @tennesseelookout.com
Tennessee food pantries see surge in demand as uncertainty over SNAP continues • Tennessee Lookout
Food banks across Tennessee report an uptick in demand as the Trump administration continues enforce a freeze on full SNAP payments.
tennesseelookout.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:38 PM
“We have a faith that God will provide, that He loves us & supports the work we do," said one TN food pantry director.
“But the human side of me looks at our shelves sometimes and the eyes of people we serve and it’s hard. It is scary.”
tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/10/t... @tennesseelookout.com
“But the human side of me looks at our shelves sometimes and the eyes of people we serve and it’s hard. It is scary.”
tennesseelookout.com/2025/11/10/t... @tennesseelookout.com
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
US HOUSE SPEAKER JOHNSON SAID HE WON'T COMMIT TO A VOTE ON ACA SUBSIDIES, I'M TOLD – SEMOFAR REPORTER ON X
November 10, 2025 at 4:56 PM
US HOUSE SPEAKER JOHNSON SAID HE WON'T COMMIT TO A VOTE ON ACA SUBSIDIES, I'M TOLD – SEMOFAR REPORTER ON X
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
WASHINGTON (AP) — Canada has lost its measles elimination status because of continued spread, international health experts say.
November 10, 2025 at 4:17 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) — Canada has lost its measles elimination status because of continued spread, international health experts say.
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
Contraband cell phones, thousands of dollars in Cash App transfers, daytime drug handoffs at a nearby hotel. Some details from new federal indictment related to drug trafficking at CoreCivic's biggest Tennessee prison. nashvillebanner.com/2025/11/10/t...
Federal Task Force Reveals Drug Scheme at Tennessee Prison - Nashville Banner
Tennessee prison drug smuggling case reveals how inmates and officers conspired to smuggle drugs into Trousdale Turner Correctional Center.
nashvillebanner.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Contraband cell phones, thousands of dollars in Cash App transfers, daytime drug handoffs at a nearby hotel. Some details from new federal indictment related to drug trafficking at CoreCivic's biggest Tennessee prison. nashvillebanner.com/2025/11/10/t...
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
November 10, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
I received this email about Democrats caving to end the shutdown from one of the SNAP recipients I spoke to:
November 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
I received this email about Democrats caving to end the shutdown from one of the SNAP recipients I spoke to:
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
Should be pretty clear that without House commitment on a vote on ACA extensions, it is purely symbolic as part of the Senate deal
Q: Will you assure House Democrats they'll get a vote on ACA subsidies by a date certain?
MIKE JOHNSON: Ah -- no. I'm not promising anyone anything.
MIKE JOHNSON: Ah -- no. I'm not promising anyone anything.
November 10, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Should be pretty clear that without House commitment on a vote on ACA extensions, it is purely symbolic as part of the Senate deal
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
Major concession from Democrats here is enhanced ACA funds aren’t extended. Preserving them was Dems’ central demand in this fight. They secured a promise of a vote (which Thune has been offering for weeks), but that could still fail. Even if it passes, Johnson has made no promise of a House vote.
Tentative Senate deal to end shutdown, multiple sources tell me & @frankthorp.bsky.social:
—CR through Jan 30
—Approps minibus
—Fully funds SNAP
—Reverses Trump’s shutdown RIFs
—Promise of Senate vote on ACA subsidies by Dec second week (details/outcome uncertain)
—Led by King/Shaheen/Hassan
—CR through Jan 30
—Approps minibus
—Fully funds SNAP
—Reverses Trump’s shutdown RIFs
—Promise of Senate vote on ACA subsidies by Dec second week (details/outcome uncertain)
—Led by King/Shaheen/Hassan
November 10, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Major concession from Democrats here is enhanced ACA funds aren’t extended. Preserving them was Dems’ central demand in this fight. They secured a promise of a vote (which Thune has been offering for weeks), but that could still fail. Even if it passes, Johnson has made no promise of a House vote.
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
NEW: DOJ says full SNAP payments were "unauthorized," as USDA directs states to "undo" them.
A week of chaotic change-ups as food benefits for more than 40 million people hang in the balance.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
A week of chaotic change-ups as food benefits for more than 40 million people hang in the balance.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
DOJ says full SNAP payments were "unauthorized," as USDA directs states to "undo" them
A week of chaotic change-ups as food benefits for more than 40 million people hang in the balance. And, for paid subscribers: Closing my tabs.
www.lawdork.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:05 AM
NEW: DOJ says full SNAP payments were "unauthorized," as USDA directs states to "undo" them.
A week of chaotic change-ups as food benefits for more than 40 million people hang in the balance.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
A week of chaotic change-ups as food benefits for more than 40 million people hang in the balance.
Tonight, at Law Dork:
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
You can't use flexible spending accounts to pay for insurance premiums, only medical expenses. So your premiums go way up, but you can... pay for more visits? In practice, this would mean people end their insurance plans and try to save enough on their FSAs to cover care.
"A development that appeared to break the logjam: Republicans proposed that healthcare funding be provided directly to households rather than used to pay for a 1-year extension of ACA subsidies. That involves sending federal money into FSAs instead of insurance companies" www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Republicans Pitch Alternative to ACA Extension to End Government Shutdown
A proposal by GOP senators to send money directly to consumers’ health accounts rather than to insurance companies showed signs of breaking a stalemate on negotiations.
www.wsj.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:47 PM
You can't use flexible spending accounts to pay for insurance premiums, only medical expenses. So your premiums go way up, but you can... pay for more visits? In practice, this would mean people end their insurance plans and try to save enough on their FSAs to cover care.
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
JUST IN: The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.
Trump tells states to 'immediately undo' steps to fund November SNAP benefits
The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.
n.pr
November 9, 2025 at 5:34 PM
JUST IN: The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
This is going to snarl air traffic today! LaGuardia (LGA) facing air traffic controller staffing issues. Flights out of Nashville to LGA being held on ground, likely elsewhere in country, as well.
November 9, 2025 at 5:19 PM
This is going to snarl air traffic today! LaGuardia (LGA) facing air traffic controller staffing issues. Flights out of Nashville to LGA being held on ground, likely elsewhere in country, as well.
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
This is an absolutely insane administrative process. Within the space of a week, states were told by judges/White House
*no SNAP benefits
*half benefits
*full benefits
*pause provision of benefits.
Result is chaos, uncertainty, and uneven access to benefits depending on where people live.
*no SNAP benefits
*half benefits
*full benefits
*pause provision of benefits.
Result is chaos, uncertainty, and uneven access to benefits depending on where people live.
NEW: The Trump admin told states it must immediately "undo" the work to provide full food stamp benefits, or face penalties. The feds sent this in a late-night memo, only adding to the chaos and confusion around SNAP. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/b...
Trump Administration Demands States ‘Undo’ Work to Send Full Food Stamps
www.nytimes.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:34 PM
This is an absolutely insane administrative process. Within the space of a week, states were told by judges/White House
*no SNAP benefits
*half benefits
*full benefits
*pause provision of benefits.
Result is chaos, uncertainty, and uneven access to benefits depending on where people live.
*no SNAP benefits
*half benefits
*full benefits
*pause provision of benefits.
Result is chaos, uncertainty, and uneven access to benefits depending on where people live.
Been getting into collecting (pictures of) mushrooms in the parks. If any Tennessee friends have recommendations, let me know! These are all at Beaman!
November 8, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Been getting into collecting (pictures of) mushrooms in the parks. If any Tennessee friends have recommendations, let me know! These are all at Beaman!
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
Oil regulators claim Oklahoma's wastewater incidents are under control.
But our reporting with @readfrontier.bsky.social shows the state is still dealing with dozens of instances of toxic waste spewing out of the ground, one of which killed about two dozen cows in Sept.
🔗 https://propub.li/4oWsppu
But our reporting with @readfrontier.bsky.social shows the state is still dealing with dozens of instances of toxic waste spewing out of the ground, one of which killed about two dozen cows in Sept.
🔗 https://propub.li/4oWsppu
November 7, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Oil regulators claim Oklahoma's wastewater incidents are under control.
But our reporting with @readfrontier.bsky.social shows the state is still dealing with dozens of instances of toxic waste spewing out of the ground, one of which killed about two dozen cows in Sept.
🔗 https://propub.li/4oWsppu
But our reporting with @readfrontier.bsky.social shows the state is still dealing with dozens of instances of toxic waste spewing out of the ground, one of which killed about two dozen cows in Sept.
🔗 https://propub.li/4oWsppu
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
First severe thunderstorm warning of the day back to the west of us. We'll be watching as it get closer. Time to stay connected...til we give the all clear.
November 7, 2025 at 9:09 PM
First severe thunderstorm warning of the day back to the west of us. We'll be watching as it get closer. Time to stay connected...til we give the all clear.
I’ve never been able to have .ics files work on our outlook, so I have to add everything to my calendar manually. Spent about 10 minutes with Copilot, thinking it must be a user error. Eventually told it I quit.
Why do I feel like I’m being hit on?
Why do I feel like I’m being hit on?
November 7, 2025 at 9:05 PM
I’ve never been able to have .ics files work on our outlook, so I have to add everything to my calendar manually. Spent about 10 minutes with Copilot, thinking it must be a user error. Eventually told it I quit.
Why do I feel like I’m being hit on?
Why do I feel like I’m being hit on?
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
BREAKING: The USDA tells states funds will be made available later today to pay November SNAP benefits in full.
November 7, 2025 at 8:45 PM
BREAKING: The USDA tells states funds will be made available later today to pay November SNAP benefits in full.
Metro Health confirms a measles case in Nashville — believed to be the first since 2005. The person wasn’t vaccinated.
November 7, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Metro Health confirms a measles case in Nashville — believed to be the first since 2005. The person wasn’t vaccinated.
This is the fund the $5 million in food bank aid came from.
Tennessee’s one-of-a-kind TennCare Medicaid waiver program crossed over $1 billion in savings, TennCare Director Stephen Smith told state officials during the agency’s budget hearing Thursday. @friedmanadam5.bsky.social.
TennCare’s ‘shared-savings’ crosses $1 billion total after three years • Tennessee Lookout
Tennessee’s one-of-a-kind TennCare Medicaid waiver program has crossed over $1 billion in savings, TennCare Director Stephen Smith said.
tennesseelookout.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:41 PM
This is the fund the $5 million in food bank aid came from.
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
JUST IN: Trump administration files emergency stay motion at 1st Circuit, seeking to block judge's order to pay full SNAP benefits for November. DOJ says the ruling 'makes a mockery of the separation of powers.' Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
SNAPStayMotCA1110725.PDF
www.documentcloud.org
November 7, 2025 at 2:08 PM
JUST IN: Trump administration files emergency stay motion at 1st Circuit, seeking to block judge's order to pay full SNAP benefits for November. DOJ says the ruling 'makes a mockery of the separation of powers.' Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
Why is the Associated Press letting a White House official speak anonymously about why Trump pardoned a corrupt Tennessee Republican politician? And for 3 whole paragraphs, providing the defense that he only got $5,000 from his illegal scheme, which makes it OK In Trumpworld.
November 7, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Why is the Associated Press letting a White House official speak anonymously about why Trump pardoned a corrupt Tennessee Republican politician? And for 3 whole paragraphs, providing the defense that he only got $5,000 from his illegal scheme, which makes it OK In Trumpworld.
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
Casada confirms he and Cothren have been pardoned.
Casada Confirms Trump Pardon in Corruption Case
Former House Speaker Glen Casada says he and aide Cade Cothren pardoned by President Trump for public corruption convictions.
pro.stateaffairs.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Casada confirms he and Cothren have been pardoned.
Reposted by Catherine Sweeney
Cool, normal world we've got here where the man that brought you Nazi salutes and the cybertruck convinced shareholders to make him a trillionaire
November 6, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Cool, normal world we've got here where the man that brought you Nazi salutes and the cybertruck convinced shareholders to make him a trillionaire