Crocker points? Time to cash in

Betty Crocker fans: There is bad news to report this week.

No … the icon of American home cooking is not being forced into retirement, but she is hanging up her catalog.

Anyone who collects the Betty Crocker points with the familiar red spoon should redeem their points as soon as they can. The final printed catalog is due out this fall and the Betty Crocker coupons will be discontinued as well.

Once very popular, interest in the brand loyalty program has been waning recently, a Betty Crocker spokeswoman told The Minneapolis Star Tribune. The last run of catalogs was down to several hundred thousand, after a recent high of 8 million, according to the Star Tribune. The coupons can be redeemed for discounts on merchandise.

So, if you have a drawer full of points somewhere, clean it out now. A note on bettycrocker.com urges people to cash in their points soon for the best selection of merchandise. It says next year the company will only accept points toward purchases online and only while inventory lasts.

A Betty Crocker spokeswoman told the Star Tribune the company will now focus on its Box Tops for Education loyalty program, in which redeemed coupons generate donations from General Mills to the school of your choice.

For more information, go to www.bettycrocker.com and click on Catalog Sales.

Hacked Illustrated

Past and current subscribers of Cook’sIllustrated.com listen up: Hackers may have accessed your personal information.

Cook’s Illustrated recently sent a letter to Web site subscribers to let them know their personal information may be been stolen from its computer servers. In the letter, founder and editor Christopher Kimball said a data table that included names, street addresses and e-mail addresses was deleted from the Cook’s Illustrated servers and caused the Web site to shut down on Jan. 31. The table did not include any credit card information.

However, an investigation into the problem has failed to rule out the possibility that the credit card information of current and former subscribers was accessed, according to the letter. Kimball urges people who may have been affected to check their credit reports. Washington residents may also place a fraud alert on their credit file.

For more information go to www.cooksillustrated.com/ webfaqs, e-mail webinquiry@bcpress.com or call (800) 611-0760.

Lentil festival honored

The National Lentil Festival recently received some accolades for the annual effort.

The festival won four awards for its campaign, radio ads, Web site and brochure from the Washington Festivals and Events Association.

The 2006 festival, which celebrates the legume grown on the Palouse, will be held Aug. 18 and 19. For more information, call the Pullman Chamber of Commerce at (509)334-3565.