KITV will welcome new News Director Genie Garner back to Hawaii next month.

She was a producer for KGMB-TV news from 1989 to 1991 and has since held news management positions in larger markets.

“;Coming back to Hawaii years later and renewing my connection with the local viewer is an opportunity I couldn't pass up,”; she said in a statement.

Noting the growth and change in the state and within the local TV industry, Garner said, “;I am looking forward to establishing a long and successful working relationship with KITV President and General Manager Mike Rosenberg and the entire team at Island Television.”;

Since leaving Hawaii, Garner has been the assistant news director at KMOV-TV in St. Louis and, most recently, news director at WHAS-TV in Louisville, Ky.

“;It is serendipitous that our need came at a time when Genie felt a strong desire to come back to Hawaii,”; said Rosenberg.

That appears to be only the second time the word “;serendipitous”; has been used in this space—but is the first time it has been used in a direct quote.

“;She is certainly qualified to lead our news team at a time of great turmoil and opportunity in the market”;, Rosenberg said.

Garner succeeds Tod Pritchard, whose abrupt departure was confirmed immediately following the Fourth of July weekend.

Program promotes savvy

We're accustomed to helping to prevent our kupuna from falling victim to scams, so it would seem logical that many parents of teens would want to make sure their keiki are well prepared for the next generation of Nigerian spam.

The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has announced the start of the 2009-2010 LifeSmarts Consumer Education Competition, run by the National Consumers League.

The program is about more than just discerning which e-mail or text messages to delete, however. It is a free consumer education competition open to teens in grades nine through 12 that tests students' knowledge of personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology and their rights and responsibilities as consumers.

Teams of teens must have at least one adult sponsor or coach and can sign up for the online competition that runs from Monday to Dec. 7.

Official rules and regs are spelled out for perusal at the LifeSmarts Web site, after which anyone interested can contact LifeSmarts State Coordinator Jackie Choy at 586-2760.

For public schools the state Department of Education will offer a mentoring program to help students prepare. DOE high schools interested in working with mentors can contact Judy Nagasako at 586-3687. Potential mentors can sign up online at http://www.helphawaiischools.com.

The first goal for all teams is the state-level competition Feb. 20, and then maybe the nationals in Miami Beach from April 24 to 27.

ON THE NET:

» hawaii.gov/dcca/quicklinks/life_smarts
» www.lifesmarts.org