A two-year=old St. Thomas child narrowly escaped serious injury when struck by a car.

Police say the toddler stepped into traffic from behind a parked car on Centre Street on Monday during the noon hour.

The child was struck by an approaching car and was taken to St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital for treatment of a broken leg.

Police say they do not intend to lay any charges against the driver.

Celebrate being outdoors with tender chicken sliders and grilled apples

The new book “Mennonite Girls Can Cook Celebrations” features recipes that the 10 authors have developed to mark birth, childhood, marriage, family, community, hospitality, milestones, holidays and life.

At this time of year, Canadians move outside to enjoy spending time with family and friends in backyards, parks and campsites. Here are two recipes from the book that are ideal to serve at a barbecue.

Chicken Sliders With Pineapple Salsa

If you make these tender little burgers ahead of time, stack the uncooked patties with parchment paper between layers and cover. Patties will keep in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.

Chicken Sliders

500 g (1 lb) ground chicken breast

45 ml (3 tbsp) finely crushed saltine crackers

15 ml (1 tbsp) pineapple juice (reserved from salsa; recipe follows)

45 ml (3 tbsp) thick teriyaki sauce

5 ml (1 tsp) dried parsley

30 ml (2 tbsp) grated onion

1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt

2 ml (1/2 tsp) pepper

125 ml (1/2 cup) thick teriyaki sauce (to use for glazing after sliders come off grill), plus more for basting

16 to 18 small slider buns

In a mixing bowl, place all ingredients except 125 ml (1/2 cup) teriyaki sauce and buns. Using hands, gently mix together until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Form small meatballs and flatten in the palm of your hand to make patties that are no larger than 7.5 cm (3 inches) in diameter. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet until ready to grill.

Grill chicken sliders, basting with teriyaki sauce on both sides. These are very delicate and small, so be careful when flipping and watch that they don't burn. Cook sliders until a meat thermometer registers 74 C (165 F).

Heat 125 ml (1/2 cup) teriyaki sauce and pour into a glass baking dish. When sliders come off the grill, place into warmed sauce to glaze.

Toast split buns, if desired, and place meat on buns. Top with pineapple salsa. Serve immediately.

Makes 16 to 18 sliders.

Pineapple Salsa

1 can (375 ml/12 oz) pineapple tidbits

30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh lime juice

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 ml (1/4 tsp) red pepper flakes

5 ml (1 tsp) sugar

1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced

50 ml (1/4 cup) finely diced red bell pepper

50 ml (1/4 cup) finely diced red onion

15 ml (1 tbsp) finely chopped fresh cilantro

15 ml (1 tbsp) finely chopped fresh parsley

2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt

1 ml (1/4 tsp) pepper

Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the liquid for the sliders.

Squeeze lime juice into a glass bowl and add drained pineapple and olive oil. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes and sugar. Stir vegetables and herbs into pineapple mixture. Add salt and pepper.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Grilled Lattice-Topped Apples

Whether barbecuing on the deck or at a campsite, grilled lattice-topped apples are an easy-to-make dessert. Once the main course comes off the grill, put the apples on the grill. The apples and filling soften while the woven pastry browns to apple-pie perfection.

4 Granny Smith apples

60 ml (4 tbsp) butter

60 ml (4 tbsp) honey

5 ml (1 tsp) cornstarch

5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon

1 unbaked pastry shell, rolled out flat

50 ml (1/4 cup) apple juice

Heat grill to 190 C (375 F).

Cut tops off apples and discard.

Scoop out flesh from apples, making a hollow in each one. Discard cores and seeds. Finely chop apple flesh into a small bowl.

In a small saucepan, melt together butter and honey.

Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch and cinnamon. Pour over chopped apples and stir to combine. Spoon filling into hollowed-out apples.

Using a pastry wheel or a sharp knife, cut thin strips of pastry. Weave strips of pastry over each apple to form a lattice top.

Place apples in a cast-iron or heavy pan that can go on a grill. Pour apple juice into pan around base of apples. Place pan on grill. Close grill lid and bake for 45 minutes or until apple filling is soft when poked with a sharp knife.

Remove from heat and arrange on serving dishes. Serve as is or with a scoop of ice cream and caramel sauce.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: “Mennonite Girls Can Cook Celebrations” by Lovella Schellenberg et al (Herald Press, 2013).

(The Canadian Press)

Police have now likely heard it all, after a driver was caught speeding in Chatham-Kent.
West Region Sergeant Dave Rektor says a car ran through police radar at 143 kilometre per hour in a posted 80-k zone along Highway 40 just South of Fairview Line this (Wednesday) morning.
Rektor says OPP stopped the driver who admitted that he had just washed his vehicle and was in the process of trying to dry it out.
52-year-old John Corriveau from Chatham was charged with stunt driving and had hit car seized and licence suspended for seven days each.
OPP Traffic and Marine Inspector Ian Chappell says “it's these types of preventable actions that cause injury and death on our roadways, while Sergeant Rektor says driving safety is everyone's responsibility and it starts before the vehicle is put into drive.”

Provincial police are investigating a death in Fergus.
Wellington County officers were called to Victoria Park today (wednesday).
Crime unit investigators and the coroner's office attended the scene.
No word on the gender or age of the deceased.

St. Thomas:

Intersection now reopened.

Previously: Serious crash between motorcycle and vehicle at St. Catharine's and Kains Street (approx 1:15 p.m.)

Strathroy:

Highway 402 westbound at Hickory Drive (Interchange 69) will have an alternating lane closure on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 from 0800 hours to 2000 hours for a bridge condition survey operation.  One lane will be open at all times.

Brantford:

Highway 403 Eastbound and Westbound will have alternating median lane closures from west of Oak Park Road, Interchange 30,  to King George Road, Interchange 36, on Wednesday,  May 15, 2013 to Thursday, May 16, 2013, from 0600 hours to 1800 hours daily for construction operations.

St. Thomas to Dunnville:

Highway 3 from Dunnville to Highway 4 Talbotville will have lane closures in both directions on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 from 0900 hours to 1700 hours for a mobile pavement marking operation.

Dorchester-Ingersoll:

Highway 401 eastbound from Dorchester Road (Interchange 199) to Highway 19 (Interchange 218) will have a moving closure in the median lane on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 from 0800 hours to 1430 hours for a sweeping operation.

NHL Playoffs

Western Conference Semifinals
Detroit at Chicago, 8 p.m.
(First game of series)

AHL Playoffs

Toronto at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m.
(Series tied 1-1)

Intercounty Baseball:

Guelph at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Burlington at Brantford, 8 p.m.

Baseball

American League
Houston at Detroit, 1:08 p.m.
Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.
Texas at Oakland, 3:35 p.m.
Seattle at N.Y. Yankees, 7:05 p.m.
Boston at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.
Kansas City at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m

National League
Atlanta at Arizona, 3:40 p.m.
Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m.
Cincinnati at Miami, 7:10 p.m.
Colorado at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m.
N.Y. Mets at St. Louis, 8:15 p.m.
Washington at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

Interleague
San Diego at Baltimore, 12:35 p.m.
Cleveland at Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m.
San Francisco at Toronto, 7:07 p.m.
NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference Semifinal
Chicago at Miami, 7 p.m.
Western Conference Semifinal
Memphis at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m.
(Memphis leads series 3-1)

Canadian Soccer Championship
Vancouver at Montreal 7:30 p.m.
(first leg)

MLS
Los Angeles at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

The Progressive Conservatives say Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne's apology for the scandal over the cancelled gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga is “too little, too late.”

After repeatedly rebuffing calls for an apology, Wynne finally went further than just saying she regretted the $585 million cost of the gas plant cancellations and said she was sorry.

The premier made the formal apology on TV Ontario's The Agenda, saying 11 times she was “sorry” for the mistakes the government made.

But Conservative Steve Clark says Wynne had plenty of opportunities to apologize in the past, but refused.

He said the Tories want a judicial inquiry into the gas plant cancellations, adding Wynne can “apologize to the judge too.”

The Tories are trying to get the New Democrats to support their non-binding motion today to force the Liberals to allow a vote on their non-confidence motion over the cancelled gas plants.

(The Canadian Press)

HAMILTON, Ont. - A Toronto man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a southern Ontario father who never returned after taking two men for a test drive.

Dellen Millard, 27, looked tired and unshaven as he appeared in a Hamilton courtroom this morning and was charged in the death of Tim Bosma, 32.

He was ordered detained until a bail hearing can be arranged, and will appear again by video remand on June 13.

Millard was wearing a rumpled white shirt and grey slacks and appeared to have dark circles under his eyes. He stood tall and straight while stating his name.

Police announced Tuesday that Bosma's burned remains had been found in Waterloo Region, about 50 kilometres away from his Hamilton-area home.

They say Bosma went on a test drive last week with two men after they contacted him about his pickup truck, which he'd posted for sale on the Internet.

(The Canadian Press)