Ranger Won’t Bow To High-Tech

Michael Messex of Spokane, while serving as an Army Ranger in Germany, has been competing in archery tournaments in Europe with a self-imposed handicap.

A dedicated bowhunter, Messex has shunned the high-tech compound competition bows for his basic hunting model. In August, he was in medal-winning position at the World Cup Archery Championship in Mildenhall, England, when his bow string broke at full draw, trashed his bow and dropped him to 28th place.

The day wasn’t lost. Dane, his 14-year-old son, took the silver medal in his age group.

Beaches along the Snake River near Asotin are cleaner and healthier for people and wildlife, thanks to Jim Land, who organized clubs and organizations from Asotin, Lewiston and Clarkston to adopt stretches of the river and haul out the bounty of trash.

By mid-April, he’d recruited volunteers to tend to 21 of 26 beaches.

Land said he started thinking about launching an Adopt-a-Beach project in Asotin County after a visit from his sister and brother-in-law. They told him about a similar program along Lake Coeur d’Alene.

About six months ago, he said, he started getting in touch with groups and anyone else who he thought might help.

Since then, he’s found churches, civic groups, Boy Scout troops and families willing to help keep the beaches clean. Only four prospects refused to get involved.

The Asotin County Landfill staff also got involved, agreeing to take the trash collected by the beach gleaners for free, Land said. The offer included supplying orange garbage bags for the project, a move that will help identify the beach trash.

The project shows people in Asotin County are willing to take care of their own back yard, Land said.

“I feel good about this,” Land said. “I did something right. I did something good for the community.”