• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Nashville's local news and NPR station

Search
Listen Listen
Give Now
  • Search
  • News
    • Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom
    • Arts, Culture & Music
    • Criminal Justice
    • Curious Nashville
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Housing
    • Metro Government
    • Race & Equity
    • State Politics
  • Schedule
    • WPLN-FM
    • WPLN International
  • Support
    • Give Now
    • Ways to Support
    • The Producers’ Circle
    • Donor Hub
    • Donate A Car
    • Give Stock
    • Business Support
    • Planned Giving
  • Shows + Podcasts
    • NashVillager
    • This Is Nashville
    • The Promise
    • Curious Nashville
    • See All
  • NashVillager
    • Podcast
    • Newsletter
  • Events
  • Giveaways
  • Donor Hub
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Catherine Sweeney

Catherine Sweeney

Catherine Sweeney is WPLN’s health reporter. Before joining the station, she covered health for Oklahoma’s NPR member stations. That was her first job in public radio. Until then, she wrote about state and local government for newspapers in Oklahoma and Colorado. In her free time, she likes to cycle through hobbies, which include crochet, embroidery, baking, cooking and weightlifting.

Storm repair costs could mean rate increases for Nashville Electric Services customers

By Catherine Sweeney

February 9, 2026

The winter storm knocked out power and destroyed hundreds of miles of power lines and about 400 utility poles. To cover repair costs, customers could see higher bills.

Filed Under: Metro, WPLN News Tagged With: Emily Benedict, Housing, Nashville Electric Service, Teresa Broyles-Aplin, utilities, winter storm 2026, Winter Storm Fern

Carbon monoxide poisoning hospitalizes dozens in Tennessee winter storm

By Catherine Sweeney

January 30, 2026

Two men have been found dead in Nashville during the winter storm of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Filed Under: Health Care, WPLN News Tagged With: carbon monoxide, winter storm 2026, Winter Storm Fern

Where to find warming locations in Nashville

By Justin Barney, Rose GilbertandCatherine Sweeney

January 25, 2026

In a rare move signaling the major impact of the winter storm, Metro has opened cold weather warming locations across Nashville. Here are the details as of 4 p.m. Friday.

Filed Under: Metro, WPLN News Tagged With: Cold weather, Extreme weather, Nashville Electric Service

Winter storm week 1: Tennessee fatalities rise; outage frustrations mounting

By LaTonya Turner, Rose Gilbert, Tony Gonzalez, Catherine Sweeney, Jacqui Sieber, WUOT, Nina CardonaandCynthia Abrams

January 24, 2026

Listen

Lengthy power outages continue to fray nerves in Tennessee after the winter storm and weather-related fatalities climb to 21 as another arctic blast brings dangerous cold this weekend.  Here’s the latest from WPLN at 6:00 p.m. Saturday.

Filed Under: Environment, WPLN News Tagged With: Cold weather, Freddie O'Connell, Middle Tennessee, Nashville Electric Service, NDOT, snow, Tennessee Department of Transportation, Weather, William Swann, Winter Storm Fern

Tennessee is on its way to implementing SNAP improvements — but change won’t be simple

By Catherine Sweeney

January 20, 2026

The state acknowledges there are problems with how it runs the SNAP food stamps program, and a special mediator has signed off on the first phase of an improvement plan.

Filed Under: Health Care, WPLN News Tagged With: Bull v. Carter, Clarence Carter, SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Tennessee’s flu rate remains high as federal health officials abruptly reduce flu shot recommendations

By Catherine Sweeney

January 14, 2026

Although federal health officials have made a dramatic departure from established flu vaccine advice, local doctors are still recommending the shot every year.

Filed Under: Health Care, WPLN News Tagged With: Flu, influenza, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, Vaccines

NashVillager Podcast holiday edition: A deadly loophole

By Catherine Sweeney

December 26, 2025

Listen

How could a loophole in parole oversight give domestic abusers an opportunity for murder? 

Filed Under: NashVillager Podcast, WPLN News Tagged With: 2025 Year In Review

Five years after Christmas Day bombing, Nashville reopens historic Second Avenue

By Catherine Sweeney

December 22, 2025

Monday afternoon was a celebration in downtown Nashville; the city’s oldest street is open for business.

Filed Under: Arts, Culture & Music, Metro, WPLN News Tagged With: Christmas bombing, Downtown Businesses, Metro Nashville, Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency

Conservatives threaten Tennessee’s new protections for IVF and birth control

By Catherine Sweeney

December 15, 2025

Tennessee has a new law on the books guaranteeing access to in vitro fertilization and birth control, but conservative lawmakers could have the policy in their crosshairs in the upcoming legislative session.

Filed Under: Health Care, WPLN News Tagged With: Awake Tennessee, birth control, contraception, Gino Bulso, IVF, Jody Barrett, Plan B

Tennessee executes Harold Wayne Nichols in third lethal injection of the year

By Catherine Sweeney

December 11, 2025

The Tennessee Department of Correction executed Harold Wayne Nichols Thursday morning, injecting him with a massive dose of the sedative pentobarbital.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, WPLN News Tagged With: Byron Black, death penalty, Harold Wayne Nichols, lethal injection, Oscar Franklin Smith

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Become a sponsor?
Become a sponsor?
Become a sponsor?

Footer

About

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Staff
  • Employment Opportunities
  • Impact Report
  • Financial, FCC and CPB Reports
  • WPLN News Transparency Report
  • FCC Public File
  • Board of Directors
  • Privacy Policy

Listen

  • Ways To Listen
  • Shows & Podcasts
  • iPhone App
  • Android App
  • Alexa Smart Speakers

Sister Stations

  • WPLN International
  • 91.ONE, WNXP
  • Nashville Classical Radio

Stay Connected

  • Contact News Department
  • Receive Our Newsletters
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
WPLN News, Nashville Public Radio
630 Mainstream Drive
Nashville, TN 37228

Phone: (615) 760-2903
©2026 Nashville Public Radio

on-air light On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM

Pop-Up Player : All Channels
Launch Streaming Player