Bill McGaha has joined the Keller Williams Realty family in Franklin.

McGaha is an experienced realtor and real estate instructor whose experience, training and knowledge have benefited many clients over the years.

Keller Williams is located at 1573 Highlands Road, Franklin.

McGaha may be reached at 828-421-0142 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has awarded 34 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grants in the state of North Carolina, totaling more than $138,000. These schools received grants during the fall 2012 grants cycle, which encompassed more than 550 schools and parent organizations that were awarded a grant for parent-initiated school improvement projects benefiting K-12 public education across the United States.

In Western North Carolina, Jackson County received $5,000.

An official signing ceremony held in December marked the January 1 inauguration of SECU Life Insurance Company, a new service organization of North Carolina State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU). Credit Union representatives, including SECU Board of Directors Chairman, McKinley Wooten were on hand to witness Wayne Goodwin, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner, sign the official license of the new organization. SECU Life Insurance Company has been initially funded by SECU members with a $25 million capital investment. With this investment, the credit union will be able to expand its fiduciary responsibility to its members – providing sound, consumer financial products and services to help members create a successful financial path, including the protection of their assets.

Tax season is here and making it easy for taxpayers to understand and file their taxes is a top priority for the North Carolina Department of Revenue (NCDOR). Providing the correct information and remembering a few simple tips will help ensure you have an error-free tax return that can be processed quickly and correctly.

NCDOR offers the following easy tips and recommendations as you prepare your taxes this year.