Rosemarie Bernardo, reporting for the Star-Advertiser:

The Honolulu City Council wants the authority to create special funds to ensure fees and taxes paid by the public are spent for the proper purposes, such as requiring fuel tax revenue to pay for road improvements.

The renovation of the old Sprint building on Nimitz is a sign of things to come: modern design, a mix commerical and residential, and yes – Starbucks.

Linda Lingle and Mazie Hirono will face-off in the second televised debate of this election season tonight on KITV. The debate will air at 8 pm, and will be about 1-hour long. Questions for the candidates can be sent through the Live Wire section, on the KITV website.

Absentee ballots began being sent out Monday for the 2012 general election. Ballots must be mailed in at least 7 days before the November 6 election.

UH researcher Chip Fletcher via Jan TenBruggencate:

“Hawai‘i’s climate is changing in ways that are consistent with the influence of global warming. In Hawai‘i: air temperature has risen; rainfall and stream flow have decreased; rain intensity has increased; sea level and sea surface temperatures have increased; and, the ocean is acidifying,” Fletcher wrote.

In November, the state water commission will consider allowing Monsanto to develop an emergency water source.

Duane Shimogawa, reporting for PBN:

D.R. Horton’s Hawaii-based Schuler Division plans to file a re-zoning petition next year with the City and County of Honolulu for its proposed 11,750-home Hoopili subdivision in West Oahu.