*By Kristen Lee* A Nashville councilwoman called Amazon's abrupt cancelation of its plan to build a campus in New York City "disheartening" on Thursday, saying it sends a negative signal about the company's willingness to work with local officials. "It seems like the politicians up there and the local elected officials started asking tough questions, and that's what elected officials are supposed to do ー we're supposed to be stewards of the taxpayer dollars," Councilwoman Kathleen Murphy told Cheddar. "If we ask questions, are they just going to run away?" Nashville was chosen as the site of a smaller Amazon outpost that will create 5,000 jobs for the city at the same time the e-commerce giant announced its larger "HQ2" campuses in Queens, New York, and suburban Virginia. Murphy, who has been critical of some of the incentives Nashville is providing Amazon, said debate is important. "We need to have open and transparent conversations so our constituents know what is going on and we know that we're doing what's best for Nashville."

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Small grocers and convenience stores feel an impact as customers go without SNAP benefits
Some small grocery stores and neighborhood convenience stores are eager for the U.S. government shutdown to end and for their customers to start receiving federal food aid again. Late last month, the Trump administration froze funding for the SNAP benefits that about 42 million Americans use to buy groceries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about 74% of the assistance was spent last year at superstores like Walmart and supermarkets like Kroger. Around 14% went to smaller stores that are more accessible to SNAP beneficiaries. A former director of the United Nations World Food Program says SNAP is not only a social safety net for families but a local economic engine that supports neighborhood businesses.
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