JEFFERSON CITY – The first meeting of the “21st Century Missouri Transportation System Task Force” takes place this week.

According to a news release, the task force was created to evaluate the current condition of the state’s transportation system and funding levels and to make recommendations. It was created during this year’s legislative session with the passage of House Concurrent Resolution 47 sponsored by Rep. Kevin Corlew (R-Kansas City).

Corlew is the task force chair and Sen. Dave Schatz (R-Sullivan) is vice chair. The panel includes five members of the House of Representatives, five members of the Senate, the governor or his designee, the director of economic development or his designee, the superintendent of the highway patrol or her designee, and nine Missouri residents or representatives from non-governmental organizations within the state.

The 23-person group also includes MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna who will give a transportation funding overview at the initial meeting.

The first meeting takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28, in House Hearing Room 3 at the Capitol in Jefferson City.

Future monthly meetings will be held in locations across the state to be determined. At each session, an hour will be devoted to public testimony.

A Kansas man was charged Thursday with robbing an Overland Park bank.

U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said Steven D. Lavy, 55, Kansas City, Mo., was charged in federal court in Kansas City, Kan., with one count of bank robbery. A criminal complaint alleges that on June 21 Lavy robbed Bank of the West at 12080 Blue Valley Parkway in Overland Park. He placed a blue bag on the counter and showed the teller a gun.

He was wearing a polo shirt, khaki pants, a fake mustache, a hospital mask and a straw hat. When Lavy left the bank with the money, a bank employee took a picture of his license plate. When officers of the Leawood Police Department spotted the car, Lavy led them on a chase that lasted several minutes. Lavy’s car rammed a Leawood police car two times before he was taken into custody.

If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the robbery charge.

The state of Kansas is once again warning of blue-green algae at lakes across the state, in what has become an annual concern. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism, has issued a public health warning for five lakes and a watch for three lakes due to harmful algal blooms.

If a lake is under a public health warning for blue-green algae, activities such as boating and fishing may be safe. However, direct contact with water (i.e., wading, skiing and swimming) is strongly discouraged for people, pets and livestock. The lakes currently under a watch or warning status are:

Warning: Kirwin Lake, Phillips County
Warning: Marion Reservoir, Marion County
Warning: Milford Reservoir, Geary, Dickinson and Clay counties
Warning: Sam’s Pond, Syracuse, Hamilton County
Watch: Keith Sebelius Reservoir, Norton County
Watch: Marion County Lake, Marion County
Watch: Webster Lake, Rooks County

Lakes under a warning are not closed. Marinas, lakeside businesses and park camping facilities are open for business. If swim beaches are closed, it will be specifically noted. Drinking water and showers at parks are safe and not affected by algae blooms. Boating and fishing are safe on lakes under a warning, but contact with the water should be avoided. It is safe to eat fish caught during a harmful blue-green algae outbreak, as long as the fish is rinsed with clean water. Only the fillet portion should be consumed, and all other parts should be discarded. Hands should also be washed with clean water after handling fish taken from an affected lake. Zoned lakes may have portions fully open for all recreation even if other portions are under a warning.

Kansans should be aware that blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.

When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:

Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock.
Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.
Water contact should be avoided.
Fish may be eaten as long as they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.
Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.
If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.
Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.

KDHE samples publicly accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.