Today in High Prairie! See what’s happening today in town, celebrity birthdays, local history, world history and your daily horoscope. Please send your birthdays and community events to southpeacenews@hotmail.com and/or spneditor@outlook.com.

What’s Happening Today – April 9, 2024

9:30 a.m. – Northern Sunrise County meets at council chambers.

10 – 11 a.m. – Seniors’ Coffee Morning at Nampa Sunrise Café.

10 a.m. – Noon – Drop-In Coffee at HP Golden Age Club.

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Seniors Bistro at HP Church of the Nazarene. Free lunch for seniors! Soup & biscuits.

1 p.m. – Kinuso Seniors Coffee Time at Kinuso Seniors Centre. New members welcome.

1 – 3 p.m. – Elders Drop-in at HP Native Friendship Centre. Beading, Cards, Crafts, and more.

6:15 p.m. – Village of Donnelly meets in council chambers.

6 p.m. – Town of High Prairie meets in council chambers.

6:30 – 8:30 p.m. – High Prairie Air Cadets Parade (meetings) at HP Legion Hall.

7 p.m. – Whist games at Big Meadow Hall north of Enilda.

Today’s Celebrity Birthdays – April 9, 2024

1795 – Theobald Boehm, Inventor of modern flute

1883 – Frank King, Gasoline Alley cartoonist

1898 – Curly Lambeau, Green Bay Packers coach

1903 – Gregory Pincus, Birth control pill inventor

1903 – Ward Bond, It’s a Wonderful Life actor

1917 – Brad Dexter, The Magnificent Seven actor

1920 – Alexander Moulton, Folding bicycle inventor

1926 – Hugh Hefner, Playboy founder, publisher

1932 – Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes singer

1932 – Paul Krassner, MAD Magazine cartoonist

1932 – Cheetah, Chimp actor [1930s Tarzan]

1939 – Michael Learned, The Waltons actress [Olivia]

1943 – Terry Knight, Grand Funk Railroad singer

1946 – Philip Wright, Paper Lace rocker

1953 – Hal Ketchum, Country singer

1954 – Dennis Quaid, The Day After Tomorrow actor

1966 – Cynthia Nixon, Sex and the City actress

1971 – Austin Peck, Days of Our Lives actor

1971 – Jacques Villeneuve, Canadian race car driver

1979 – Keshia Knight Pulliam, The Cosby Show actress

1990 – Kristen Stewart, The Twilight Saga actress

This Day in Local History – April 9, 2024

April 9, 1914: F.W.G. Gaudette purchases the Grouard Drug Store from Dr. M. Hall.

April 9, 1969: South Peace News publishes a photo of Ed Sherington and the 12 1/2 pound pike he caught at Snipe Lake.

April 9, 1969: South Peace News reports on the latest tool used by local teachers: closed circuit television!

April 9, 1969: Grouard MLA Roy Ells announces in South Peace News that a contract is awarded to North American Road Limited for the grading and widening of the road between Enilda and High Prairie.

April 9, 1973: Prairie River School principal William Buck is elected by acclamation to High Prairie town council.

April 9, 1975: South Peace News reports that the MITAA Society is set up and a Detox Centre planned for the town which is expected to open in 90 days.

April 9, 1978: Pat Monahan places third in a motorcycle scramble race in Grande Prairie.

April 9, 1979: Barry Talbot opens a Mutual Life Insurance office in High Prairie.

April 9, 1980: Buchanan Lumber and Bissell Brothers Lumber go on record saying good help is hard to find.

April 9, 1980: South Peace News reports that the High Prairie Flyers sweep the best-of-seven High Prairie and District Hockey League final over the Gift Lake Islanders.

April 9, 1984: East Prairie Councillor Joe Courtepatte tells the High Prairie Chamber of Commerce East Prairie is getting a new townsite.

April 9, 1994: High Prairie holds its first bull sale at the Agriplex.

April 9, 1997: South Peace News reports Brian and Judy Glenn are leaving High Prairie and Blake Noecker takes over managing Fountain Tire.

April 9, 1997: Marigold Enterprises is upset after High Prairie town council sells the RCMP Building to Dan Kachnic of Dangill Investments for its market value of $160,401. Schell’s Carpets and KBS-TV are eventually moved into the building.

April 9, 1998: Enilda residents consider forming a Citizens on Patrol committee to fight crime.

April 9, 2002: Students at St. Andrew’s School join forces and break the world record for most participants in the Hokey Pokey at one time.

April 9, 2002: Students in Slave Lake, Donnelly and Kinuso walk out of classes in support of teachers in their ongoing contract dispute with the Alberta government. High Prairie students join the protest eight days later.

April 9, 2005: High Prairie provincial court Judge Roger P. Smith dies at his home from a heart attack. He is remembered as a man of honour and compassion.

April 9, 2005: Six teenagers are charged with various crimes after trashing Atikameg School. School is closed the next day to clean up the mess.

April 9, 2008: Serafina Jorquera, 9, attends a High Prairie town council meeting asking for $1,200 to give to schools to clean the town. Town council says they support the idea but give no money.

April 9, 2014: South Peace News features Faust Harbour Estates development on Lesser Slave Lake and reports that 44 lakefront lots will be on the market this coming spring.

April 9, 2014: High Prairie town council hears from its auditor that it records a $1.8 million surplus from 2013 operations.

April 9, 2016: Well-known High Prairie businessman Allan Smith passes away in Mesa, Arizona, at the age of 78 years. He opened Allan’s Welding in 1981.

April 9, 2016: James Willier is named High Prairie Firefighter-of-the-Year at the annual ball at Triangle.

April 9, 2018: The Loyie Brissenden Archives open at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Dedicated to local authors Larry Loyie and Constance Brissenden, the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre is part of the archives.

April 9, 2019: Long-time area farmer Grant Gaschnitz passes away at the age of 75 years. He was active in the Peace Country Beef and Forage Association and Pioneer Threshermans Association.

This Day in World History – April 9, 2024

1241 – Battle of Liegnitz: Mongol armies defeat Poles & Germans.

1682 – Robert La Salle claims lower Mississippi [Louisiana] for France.

1869 – Hudson Bay Company cedes its territory to Canada.

1872 – Samuel R. Percy patents dried milk.

1914 – “World, the Flesh & the Devil”, the first colour film, shown in London.

1917 – Vimy Ridge in France stormed by Canadian troops.

1918 – Latvia proclaims independence.

1941 – PGA establishes Golf Hall of Fame.

1950 – Bob Hope makes his first TV appearance.

1959 – NASA names first seven astronauts for Project Mercury.

1963 – Winston Churchill becomes first honorary US citizen.

1965 – First game at Houston Astrodome [indoor baseball stadium].

1967 – First Boeing 737 makes its maiden flight.

1968 – Martin Luther King Jr., buried in Atlanta.

1986 – “Dallas” announces it will revive killed Bobby Ewing character.

1997 – NFL announces it will give $3 million to CFL.

2002 – Funeral of “Queen Mother” occurs at Westminster Abbey, UK.

2003 – Baghdad falls to U.S. forces, ending the invasion of Iraq.

2018 – Tammy Duckworth is first US senator to give birth while in office.

2018 – Fleetwood Mac announce new members after firing Lindsey Buckingham.

Today’s Horoscopes – April 9, 2024

Aries [March 21 – April 20] – You might need to make a lot of phone calls and get through some lingering paperwork today. A business partner or friend could be instrumental in helping clear up some loose ends that have been left hanging. Be sure you get any leftover work out of the way, because soon you will probably be even busier. If you get bored, remember that success lies ahead. Good luck!

Taurus [April 21 – May 21] – If you have been worrying about having spent too much recently, the astral configuration indicates you should be able to put those worries behind you. There are plenty of opportunities that could bring increased income, possibly a new job, even a new career. A lot of phone calls, emails, or other communications could bring news of these possibilities your way. Be sure to record the ones that seem most promising.

Gemini [May 22 – June 21] – Communication takes a prominent place in your life today. Your practical, direct, and down-to-Earth manner can be very impressive. You are known for succeeding where others have failed. This is not lost on those above you on the hierarchical ladder. And they know you are not easily fooled. Expect steady personal and professional progress and a great boost to your self-confidence!

Cancer [June 22 – July 22] – You could be surrounded by secrets. A number of colleagues might be leaving to pursue new opportunities, and you could wonder if there is a reason for it that escapes you. It might even have you reevaluating whether or not you should stay put! However, do not panic because others leave. If there are things about your job that bother you, by all means consider your options.

Leo [July 23 – Aug. 23] – A phone call or email from a friend could open up new career possibilities for you, perhaps involving the communications industry. Tales of people who have hit it big in this field could be circulating widely, but you should carefully consider all the aspects of any new option before jumping in. You do not want to have any regrets about your decision later. Think about it!

Virgo [Aug. 24 – Sept. 22] – Communication of all sorts could be vital to you today. You might spend much of the day on the phone organizing an important event or perhaps clearing up a misunderstanding. This could make it a rather stressful day. It might be one of those days you just need to get through. Give yourself a bit of solitary downtime tonight to counterbalance the busy energy of the day.

Libra [Sept. 23 – Oct. 23] – Your outlook is apt to be optimistic, enthusiastic, and practical! You have both creative and workable ideas. They are likely to lead to success, although it could take considerable time and effort to make it happen. Communication with colleagues is likely to be open, honest, and very dynamic as projects and enterprises take on a life of their own. Work hard, make it happen, and enjoy the journey!

Scorpio [Oct. 24 – Nov. 22] – Tending to paperwork could take up much of your time today. A lot could be riding on your careful planning and projections, so you are probably taking it very seriously. Nonetheless, do not be intimidated. Trust your instincts. You know what you are doing. Be very thorough, check everything over carefully, then put your plan into action and wait for it to bear fruit!

Sagittarius [Nov. 23 – Dec. 21] – Communication between you and either a business or romantic partner should get a fresh start today. You have gotten to know each other better and feel more comfortable being honest and open with each other than before. All signs are that any partnerships begun, renewed, or confirmed today are likely to be successful and profitable. Bear this in mind in future months when you hit the rough spots!

Capricorn [Dec. 22 – Jan. 20] – You have been juggling career, romance, and creative interests for the past year. This is apt to continue. However, you could find yourself building a new career involving writing or speaking, perhaps in addition to your current career. You are also apt to develop a vigourous interest in improving your health. You could make a powerful effort to change your diet and exercise habits. Good luck with it all!

Aquarius [Jan. 21 – Feb. 18] – Ingenuity blossoms when you make the effort to do a little writing, perhaps technical manuals or other professionally oriented projects. This could represent a new stage in your professional life. You are apt to do well and attract considerable attention from higher-ups. Do not get too caught up in the need to revise, edit, then revise and edit again. It will only take up time, and it is possible to do too much rewriting.

Pisces [Feb. 19 – March 20] – Are you considering moving to a new residence, redecorating, or making some home improvements? If so, this is a good time to do it. These types of projects promise to go well, so do not let doubt get in your way. Explore every possibility, consider all the pros and cons, and then if it looks like it is going to work, go for it!