Hunt’s Tomato Sauce recall affects Hawaii

Specific 8-ounce cans of Hunt’s Tomato Sauce are being voluntarily recalled by Con­Agra Foods for a defect in the inner lining of the cans.

The company says there is no food-safety concern associated with either the regular or no-salt-added versions of the product being recalled. However, the defect may cause the can to swell and the product to spurt out when opened, according to the Nebraska-based company.

Cans of the sauce were shipped to distributors and stores in Hawaii, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, and Con­Agra is working to coordinate their removal from store shelves.

Customers should inspect cans at home for the following "best by" dates to arrange for replacements:

Hunt’s Tomato Sauce (8-ounce cans): July 23, 2014; July 24, 2014; Aug. 29, 2014; Aug. 30, 2014; or Oct. 8, 2014

Hunt’s Tomato Sauce No Salt Added (8-ounce cans): July 23, 2014; Aug. 29, 2014; Oct. 7, 2014; or Oct. 8, 2014

Customers may call the company toll-free at 866-511-7752 with any questions.

Few health insurance claims rejected in isles

Hawaii has among the lowest rates of health insurance claims being rejected in the U.S., according to analysis firm HealthPocket Inc. An average 5 percent of health insurance claims in Hawaii are rejected, compared with a national average declination rate of 22 percent.

Hawaii’s low rate compares to Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont, the five states with 0 percent declination rates. States with the highest declination rates, meanwhile, are Montana, at 45 percent; Ala­bama, at 40 percent; and Washington, D.C., at 37 percent.

HealthPocket noted that Kaiser Permanente plans in Hawaii have a declination rate of 22 percent, compared with a much higher 34 percent rate in Georgia. In its statement, the firm did not specify a declination rate for other Hawaii health insurers.

Rate on 30-year mortgage rises to 3.42 percent

WASHINGTON >> Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week but remained near record lows, keeping home buying more affordable.   

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year fixed loan increased to 3.42 percent from 3.38 percent last week. That’s still near the 3.31 percent rate reached in November, the lowest in records dating to 1971. The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage increased to 2.71 percent from 2.66 percent last week. The record low is 2.63 percent. 

The rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 3.66 percent in 2012, the lowest annual average in 65 years.

Low mortgage rates are a key reason the housing market began to recover last year, and many economists predict 2013 could be an even stronger year.
 

ON THE MOVE

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced Tammy McGrew as branch manager for the New Agent Training Office West in Kapolei. She joined CBP as an assistant branch manager in 2011. McGrew began her real estate career in the title insurance and escrow industry, including serving as escrow officer, trainer, business analyst and manager.

Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher law firm has announced:

» Andrew J. Lau­tenbach as a director of the firm. He concentrates in complex commercial disputes with a primary focus on resort development and lender litigation.

» Stephanie E.W. Thompson as senior litigation counsel for the firm. She concentrates in the areas of commercial and real estate litigation.