Puna Geothermal Venture reported a release of steam Thursday afternoon from one of its wells, Hawaii County Civil Defense reported.

Hawaii County Fire Battalion Chief Gerald Kosaki said Puna Geothermal monitors on the perimeter of the facility registered at 15.7 parts per billion of hydrogen sulfide, “a very minute amount,” shortly after the release.

Monitors in the community did not detect any of the dangerous gas, he said.

The release occurred at 3 p.m. Thursday, and it was contained and secured by 3:45 p.m.

The Fire Department monitored the air quality at the site, the perimeter and the surrounding community.

Civil Defense spokeswoman Kanani Aton said in an email: “Based on all available data, there is no threat to the public and no evacuation is necessary.”

Business owner admits tax return false

A Mililani businesswoman has pleaded guilty in federal court to filing a false tax return in 2012 in which she underreported her tax by $101,831, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday.

Amalia Ralar, 43, doing business as Muscle Inc., faces a maximum three-year prison term and a fine of up to $250,000 when she is sentenced Jan. 12.

According to court documents, Ralar filed a tax return for 2012 that claimed she owed $10,872 in taxes based on $50,672 in taxable income. But Ralar’s actual income for 2012 was $380,364, which would have resulted in tax of $112,703, said U.S. Attorney Florence Nakakuni.

Also, according to information produced to the court, Ralar agreed that the tax returns she filed for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014 were not accurate returns, Nakakuni said. Ralar has acknowledged that she owes the IRS $354,511 for those years.

Drug take-back event Oct. 22

The Kauai Police Department and Life’s Choices Kauai will collect unused or expired prescription medications and other drugs on “Drug Take Back Day,” Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Police Department headquarters, 3990 Kaana St. in Lihue.

Drug paraphernalia will also be collected during the event. Needles and syringes will not be accepted.

Drop-offs will be accepted anonymously, no questions asked, according to a Kauai County news release. The Drug Take Back program is part of a national initiative run by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to allow safe disposal of prescription and other drugs.

For more information on the National Take Back Initiative, go to the DEA’s website, dea.gov, or contact acting Assistant Chief Richard Rosa at 241-1635, or Theresa Koki of Life’s Choices at 241-4925.

Training affects Maui pool hours

Three Maui County swimming pools will be opening later than usual due to staff training, according to a Department of Parks and Recreation news release.

>> New Wailuku Pool, Pakahi Street: opens at 9:30 a.m. Monday.

>> Coach Spencer Shiraishi Memorial Pool, 145 Kaulawahine St., Kahului: opens at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

>> Kokua Pool, 275 Uhu St., Kahului: opens at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 13.

The pools regularly open at 9 a.m. on weekdays. For more information about the closures, call 270-6137.