Woodcutter killed by falling treetop

A tree fell on a Coeur d’Alene woodcutter Monday, killing him.

Raymond R. Vaudreuil, 46 was collecting wood around the Bunco Road trailhead near Athol. Authorities said it appeared Vaudreuil was using a chain saw to cut down a tree when the top became entangled in another tree, broke off and fell on him.

Michael W. Black, 19, and Luke C. George, 22, also of Coeur d’Alene, were cutting wood with Vaudreuil but were in a different spot when the accident happened. Black and George heard the tree fall, followed by the idling of Vaudreuil’s chain saw. They found him on the ground and called for help.

Emergency crews pronounced Vaudreuil dead at the scene.

PULLMAN

Former provost’s pay as prof $245,000

Washington State University Provost Steven Hoch will make about $245,000 a year teaching history when he transitions to a job as professor Nov. 1.

Hoch became provost Aug. 1, then took a paid personal leave beginning Sept. 23 for reasons the university hasn’t disclosed. WSU President Elson Floyd said Friday that Hoch will become a tenured history professor at the university.

Hoch’s salary as provost was $300,000 a year; administrators who return to faculty positions are paid nine-elevenths of their administrative salaries, according to a story in the Seattle Times.

The newspaper said WSU history professors are typically paid an annual salary of between $60,000 and $120,000, depending upon their experience, seniority and level of administrative responsibility.

Eastern Washington

1 in 4 hunters bags deer over weekend

One in four Eastern Washington hunters bagged a deer on opening weekend, and no hunting violations had been reported as of Monday morning, a state official said.

“It was pretty average (turnout) … with just over 42,000 hunters afield this past weekend,” said Madonna Luers, spokeswoman for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

They constituted about 30 percent of deer hunters statewide, Luers said. About 25 percent to 28 percent of weekend hunters were successful, she said.

Mule deer season ends around Sunday, depending on the management areas; white-tail season continues until around Oct. 24.

A 36-year-old Port Angeles, Wash., man died in a hunting accident Sunday in Chelan County. His identity had not been released Monday, pending notification of relatives, Chelan County Chief Criminal Deputy Jeff Middleton said.

The victim’s hunting companion accidentally fired his rifle while unloading it.

The victim, sitting in his pickup, was struck by a bullet fragment and died at the scene, Middleton said.