Bogus. That’s the word Jeff Selle, of Post Falls, uses for that $175 citation issued by a Spokane County health inspector to Riverside High mom Mary Beth Conklin for a fundraising tailgater. Selle? He’s a top regional barbecuer, handling the tongs for Bent BBQ at several North Idaho events, including the third annual St. Vincent de Paul Steak Fry this summer. Specifically, Jeff tells Huckleberries: “In Idaho you can cook a charity fundraiser without having to purchase a permit, at all. And, if you are vending or catering for profit, you only pay $80 for a yearlong permit.” Spokane charges $480 for a permit, whether charitable or not. Again, Jeff: “The fee is supposed to cover the cost of inspection. You can’t tell me it costs $480 to inspect one of these events. It takes all of 15 minutes to check the wash stations, hot-holding and cold-holding system. I know because I have been inspected several times”/DFO, SR Huckleberries. More here.

SR weekend columns:

• Parent-teacher group seeks input on reform/Betsy Russell
• Something eeerie about Siri, my new friend App/Doug Clark
• It's time to think outside the bank/Shawn Vestal
• Smart Bombs: Peons of prosperity/Gary Crooks
• Well, the score was very black-and-white/John Blanchette
• Mount Spokane transitions to winter/Rich Landers

Tree Top has chosen Spokane Fire Station No. 13 as the winner of America’s Best Firehouse Barbecue Cook-off.

Firehouse cook Tony Yuen and his Puleihu BBQ Sauce were selected by a panel of judges for the top prize and a $10,000 donation for the station.

Station No. 13 will use the donation to buy equipment and supplement the station’s benevolent fund, which assists needy firefighters and family members facing medical hardships or other problems. Lorie Hutson, SR

Where did you eat the best barbecue?

I sustained the most serious grilling injury of my long and illustrious barbecuing career over the weekend when a chicken tender flared up and singed my hair. I needn’t tell you that this near-tragedy really brought home the dangers of gas grills and tequila-based marinades. So naturally I went to George Mason University’s stats.org website — the oracle of indispensible statistical information on the Internet — to find out how close I came to losing an eyebrow. Here’s what I learned: Your risk of being involved in a nonfatal grilling accident is 1 in 86,830 — but 1 in 66,191 if you’re a guy. Kids 9 and under are at the greatest risk — 1 in 41,239, or 1 in 33,509 for boys alone/Steve Crump, Twin Falls Times-News. More here. (SR file illustration)

Question: Have you ever been injured while BBQing?