Good morning, Murfreesboro.

Middle Tennessee Electric CEO Chris Jones held a monthly update that focused on energy innovation in Middle Tennessee, discussing quantum computing, nuclear energy, battery storage and smart grid improvements & partnerships with MTSU.

He explained how these initiatives will boost power reliability and keep electric rates affordable.

The Middle Tennessee Pickle Festival will take place on Saturday, Sept.

5 at Hop Springs in Murfreesboro with food trucks, live music, shopping, and family activities — including a petting zoo and pony rides — while admission is $5 cash only. The one-day festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The MTSU Administrative Professionals organization marks 50 years of service by fostering networking and mentorship across campus.

Founded in 1976 to support clerical staff + promote professional growth, it continues to strengthen connections among employees.

Read to Succeed, a local literacy initiative established with the help of the Jennings and Rebecca Jones Foundation, will host Reading In The Schools Day on Friday, Sept.

11 at local schools and offer free copies of the 2026 One Book selection at libraries and Simply Pure Sweets.

MTSU's Free Cycle program at MT One Stop (1860 Blue Raider Drive) lets students access free bedding, storage containers, and small appliances, though donations are lower than in previous years.

The program remains a key resource for students managing unexpected expenses.

MTSU hosted nearly 60 Civil Air Patrol cadets from 31 states for a weeklong National Cadet Engineering Technology Academy in Rutherford County this summer, where cadets learned through classroom lectures and hands on labs in subjects like aerospace, mechatronics, and criminal justice. CAP plans to hold a similar academy next year.

On Thursday, July 30, the Murfreesboro Housing Authority reopened Parkside Apartments on East Castle Street with 46 rebuilt units that replace the previous housing stock on 2.78 acres, offering family-oriented rowhouses around a shared green linking to Patterson Park.

Friday Night Live on the Square

6:30-9:30 p.m. — Main Street Murfreesboro — Free entry — Experience an evening of live music and dancing in the heart of downtown Murfreesboro.