Good morning, Murfreesboro.

At its 19th Rutherford Society Gala on March 21 at 6 p.m. at Five Senses Restaurant, the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundation will honor local philanthropy—awarding Gordon and Cindy Ferguson the Philanthropist Award and Jim Rungee as Physician Champion—and feature Braves legends Chipper Jones, Dale Murphy and John Smoltz.

Pizza Hut will close hundreds of locations later in 2026 as part of its new rebranding strategy called Hut Forward — the chain currently has more than 160 locations in Tennessee and has not announced which stores will shut down, following a 3% sales decline in late 2025.

Bradley Academy and Patterson Park will host an African American Cultural Celebration on Thursday, Feb.

26 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the park, featuring student showcases, art and history exhibits, live music, and a Student Living Wax Museum (highlighting local heritage).

Middle Tennessee State University students and faculty returned from Los Angeles after attending the 68th Grammy Awards on Feb.

1 and a pre-Grammy celebration at The Godfrey Hotel in Hollywood, where they connected with alumni and industry professionals while celebrating graduates nominated for major projects.

Students at Walter Hill Elementary were evacuated after 2:20 p.m. Thursday (Feb.

5) when a broken steam pipe in the boiler room caused smoke. The fire department investigated the incident and, once the issue was resolved, students returned safely to the gym for a modified dismissal.

The Rutherford County Opioid Board is accepting grant applications from local agencies for opioid prevention, treatment and recovery funding until March 31, 2026.

Grant workshops are set online on Feb. 10 (10 a.m.), at Smyrna Public Library on Feb. 26 (2 p.m.), and in Murfreesboro on March 2 (10 a.m.).

Dr. Mark Kestner warns that numbness is a serious sign of nerve damage that may signal compressed spinal discs needing physical treatment rather than only pain relievers.

His office (1435 NW Broad St. in Murfreesboro) offers non-surgical spinal disc decompression.

Rutherford County has opened applications for nearly $4.5M in opioid abatement funds to help local agencies run prevention, treatment, and recovery programs — proposals must be submitted by March 31, 2026.

Financing for the $56M Womack Commons student housing project has closed, allowing construction to begin immediately at MTSU's northwest campus near Homecoming Drive + Blue Raider Circle.

The 554-bed community will open in summer, replacing the older Womack Lane Apartments.

The TnFCA will induct local football legends Ron Aydelott and Jimmy Maynord on Feb.

28 into the 2026 Tennessee Football Coaches Hall of Fame, recognizing their work building Riverdale High School’s strong football program+ Tickets for the banquet are available on the TnFCA website.

Revolution and Jill FM Concert

7-10 p.m. — Hop Springs — All ages welcome — Enjoy the best rock songs from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and more.

Candlelight Concert: Tribute to Queen

8:45-9:45 p.m. — Williamson Family Farm — Get your tickets now — Enjoy a mesmerizing candlelight tribute to Queen's greatest hits performed by a talented string quartet.

Galentine's Day Celebration

6-8:30 p.m. — RSRVD Event Studio — All ages welcome — Celebrate friendship with drinks, treats, and good vibes at this joyful gathering.

Raw Curious Seminar

6-7 p.m. — Licker & Whine Pet Market — Free entry — Discover the essentials of raw feeding for pets presented by OC Raw.

SPARK! M is for Moon

9-11 AM — Discovery Center at Murfree Spring — Admission required — Kids explore lunar landscapes with hands-on activities and a journey through an inflatable planetarium.