During a press conference late Wednesday night, law enforcement officials confirmed they have made an arrest in the murder of 23-year-old Kayla Qualls.
Police said Michael L. Curtis, 48, of 603 General St. Tullahoma was arrested Wednesday around 7pm and charged with the murder. Curtis was said to be the grandfather of Qualls’ children. He is the father of Qualls’ former boyfriend.
Police said that Qualls’ former boyfriend was still considered a person of interest in the case. Both Curtis and his son were said to have criminal pasts.
Franklin County Sheriff Tim Fuller confirmed to WMSR that the murder did take place in Tullahoma at Curtis’ house.
Curtis is charged with 1st degree murder and is currently in the Coffee County Jail under a $1 (M) bond.
Qualls was found murdered inside her SUV on Monday morning, just a few miles across the Franklin county line. A preliminary investigation indicated that Qualls died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Qualls left behind two children, ages three and four.
Franklin and Coffee County Sheriff Departments along with Tullahoma and Estill Springs city police and the TBI worked almost non-stop for 3 days leading to the arrest of Curtis.
Michael Curtis was set to appear in court on Monday, December 3.
Speaking on the video below: First is Chris Guess with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Deaprtment followed by Sheriff Tim Fuller from Franklin County.

A former Tennessee teacher convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old student is now out of jail.
Pamela Rogers was released from the Tennessee Prison for Women on August 12 when her sentence expired, Dorinda Carter, spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Correction, said.
Rogers pleaded no contest to sexual battery in 2005 for her relationship with a student while she was a teacher in Warren County.
She was released on probation in 2006, but was sent back to jail for sending nude photos to the boy.
She was denied parole in 2008.

A task force of state health officials is trying to reverse an alarming rise in the number of babies born addicted to drugs in Tennessee. Babies born addicted suffer from neonatal abstinence syndrome, often spending many days in the hospital as they go through the painful withdrawal process, experiencing seizures, tremors, fever and vomiting. The Health Department reported that the number of babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome increased by tenfold between 2000 and 2010. To combat the growing problem, the Health Department will begin requiring hospitals to report babies born with the syndrome beginning on January 1. State health officials also have petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to place a black box warning on prescription painkillers that alerts physicians to the harm they can cause a fetus.

Each year Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves and his staff provides toys to over 500 children and food baskets to 250 elderly, handicapped and needy families in Coffee County at Christmas. This is a very important project and can only be accomplished with community support as we provide this service strictly through donations and charity events such as the Christmas Open House.
Coffee Co. Sheriff’s Department Christmas for Charity Open House will be held this Saturday from 9am-Noon at the Sheriff’s Department. Please come and bring a non-perishable food item or unwrapped item or unwrapped toy and enjoy some refreshments with Sheriff Steve Graves and his staff. Tours of the jail will be available to those who wish to participate.

It’s the season for family, friends and most of all – food. Are you trying to decide to make, when to start prepping, how much to serve, or how to make it a bit healthier?
Shari Steinbach, registered dietician and healthy living advisor for Meijer says,”We want to make entertaining as easy as one, two, three”. Whether you’re a first-time host who wants to serve the classics, a pro who wants to put a creative twist on a traditional dish or you want to lighten up your holiday meals but keep the flavor, Meijer is here to help.
Any ideas for changing the traditional dishes a bit? Shari says there are so many options! If you want a flavor kick in the turkey, add a nice herb rub or go with a citrus stuffing. Instead of pumpkin pie, make pumpkin pie pops, served on a stick. Our corporate chef and team of healthy living advisors have come up with great options.
Visit Meijer mealbox.com for helpful tips, tricks and recipes for holiday meals. You can even watch video how-to’s, get step-by-step recipes and entertaining guides.

It’s time for the DIG-N-DREAM GARDEN CLUB “Trees of Christmas”.

The Trees will be shown again this year at the Ada Wright Building, Fred Deadman Park, 328 Woodland Street in Manchester.

The Theme this Year: “A Creative Christmas”

December 1st through December 10th

Saturday and Sunday – 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m.

Monday-Thursday – 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.