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 – August 8, 2024

10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Project Sewing at Joussard Homesteaders Hall. Bring your own lunch!

2 – 4 p.m. – HP Municipal Library Penny Carnival (time changed from previous notice).

7 p.m. – Darts Night at McLennan Legion Hall. Everyone welcome!

7 p.m. – Play bridge card game at the HP Golden Age Club.

Today’s Celebrity Birthdays – August 8, 2024

1763 – Charles Bulfinch, First US Pro Architect

1861 – William Bateson, First to Coin Term Genetics

1879 – “Dr. Bob” Smith, Co-Founder of AA

1887 – Esme Percy, Pygmalion Actor

1898 – Alexis Minotis, Merchant of Venice Actor

1922 – Rudi Gernreich, First Women’s Topless Swimsuit

1926 – Richard Anderson, $6 Million Dollar Man Actor

1930 – Nita Talbot, Hogan’s Heroes Actress

1937 – Dustin Hoffman, The Graduate Actor

1942 – Jay David, Dr. Hook Rocker

1942 – Henery Hawk, Looney Tunes Character

1947 – Ken Dryden, Montreal Canadien

1947 – Larry Wilcox, Lassie Actor

1952 – Robin Quivers, Howard Stern’s Sidekick

1953 – “Sweet” Lou Dunbar, Harlem Globetrotter

1953 – Donny Most, Happy Days Actor – Ralph

1954 – Nigel Mansell, British Auto Racer

1955 – Ali Score, A Flock Of Seagulls Drummer

1961 – Dave Evans, U2 Guitarist

1961 – Rikki Rockett, Poison Drummer

1976 – JC Chasez, NSYNC Rapper

1981 – Roger Federer, Swiss Tennis Pro

1998 – Shawn Mendes, Canadian Singer/Songwriter

This Day in Local History – August 8, 2024

Aug. 8, 1913: The Grouard Board of Trade decides to lobby the Minister of Railways and Canals for the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia railroad to come through Grouard. Oliver Travers and J.L. Cote are appointed to lead the cause.

Aug. 8, 1914: Grouard News editor Roy S. Burns criticizes the Peace River Record’s first editorial after they write of Grouard: “The only redeeming feature of this trail is that by it one may get out of the town of Grouard, which is some cause for thanks.”

Aug. 8, 1914: The Grouard News reports that A.B. Cote opens a general store opposite the Western Hotel.

Aug. 8, 1915: Temperatures in Grouard climb to 87 degrees during a 10-day heat wave.

Aug. 8, 1970: High Prairie businessman and sportsman George Maurice Canaday passes away in Edmonton at University Hospital.

Aug. 8, 1971: High Prairie’s Jim Fisher wins three races and places second in another at stock car races in Peace River.

Aug. 8, 1973: South Peace News reports High Prairie’s Tom Lysiak signs a $500,000 contract with the Atlanta Flames of the NHL.

Aug. 8, 1979: South Peace News reports Masterpiece Construction Ltd. of Pincher Creek is awarded a $248,700 tender to construct the High Prairie Airport terminal.

Aug. 8, 1979: Kemp Honey wins best commercial float as the annual High Prairie Elks Stampede kicks off with a parade.

Aug. 8, 1980: The Northern Woods and Water Route officially opens in McLennan.

Aug. 8, 1981: High Prairie Dolphin swimmer Barb Robertson wins a bronze medal at the Alberta Summer Games in Lethbridge as part of the zone medley team.

Aug. 8, 1984: Sucker Creek Band Chief Jim Badger announces a recreation complex will be built within a year.

Aug. 8, 1987: Ryan MacDonald wins a silver medal in the breaststroke at the Alberta Summer Games in Strathcona County.

Aug. 8, 1991: A boy, 15, shoots four members of his family near Sunset House and is charged with four counts of first-degree murder. The boy is Gavin Mandin.

Aug. 8, 1991: Athabasca MP Jack Shields announces plans to build a women’s emergency shelter at Sucker Creek.

Aug. 8, 1992: Greg Rich purchases the winning bird at the High Prairie Racing Pigeon Club Derby Race.

Aug. 8, 1993: High Prairie Dolphin swimmer Ian Griffiths wins two silver medals and a bronze medal at the Alberta Summer Games in Wetaskiwin.

Aug. 8, 2001: Persistent rumours continue to circulate that Keeweetinok Lakes RHA plans to move its head office to Slave Lake from High Prairie. Board chair Sharon Cox denies the rumours.

Aug. 8, 2009: Thirteen teams compete in a hands games competition at Driftpile. The team comprised of Beatrice Collins, Gabe Isadore, Sheila Isadore and Jay Jay Isadore place first.

Aug. 8-9, 2009: Sheila Jaworski, Marilyn Willier and Albertine Prince participate in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer Walk in Edmonton.

Aug. 8, 2010: Grace Pardell and Nicole Peyre each win four races at the Peace Regional Swim Meet held in Grande Prairie.

Aug 8, 2011: RCMP S/Sgt. Myron Friesen begins his new posting in High Prairie.

Aug. 8, 2012: Spotlight features a story on the 100th anniversary of the first issue of the Grouard News.

Aug. 8, 2012: Messy and weed-infested ditches along Highway 2 prompt the M.D. of Big Lakes to ask the Alberta government to get its act together.

Aug. 8, 2013: POPS Home Hardware holds its grand opening in it newly-expanded premises. Long-time employees James Hopps, Dan Bachman and Bill Hitchcock saw a board to open the building.

Aug. 8, 2013: Long-time Big Prairie resident Lawrence W. Jobin passes away at the age of 67 years. He operated a grader most of his life.

Aug. 8, 2014: The High Prairie Community Beautification Association donates $10,000 to the High Prairie Skate Plaza project.

Aug. 8-9, 2014: Former Edmonton Eskimos coach and former CFL star Kavis Reed conducts a football camp at High Prairie E.W. Pratt High School. About 18 players attend.

Aug. 8, 2015: Wabasca resident Edith Sinclair picks up her new quad at The Honda Shop. She won the Elks ATV Raffle July 29.

Aug. 8-9, 2015: Seventeen High Prairie Dolphins qualify for Provincials after the Regional Swim Meet concludes in Peace River. As a club, the Dolphins place second at the meet behind Grande Prairie.

Aug. 8, 2017: High Prairie town council says the old Esso lot could become a green space featuring a garden. The first of two motions made asks town administration to contact Esso to restart negotiations to lease the lot.

Aug. 8, 2017: High Prairie RCMP recover the body of a man who drowns in Lesser Slave Lake. His name is not released.

Aug. 8, 2017: Kapawe’no resident Frank “Frankie” Halcrow passes away at the age of 66 years.

Aug. 8-9, 2017; The High Prairie Dolphins qualify 26 swimmers for the provincial swim meet after regionals conclude at Grande Prairie.

Aug. 8, 2018: Several thousand dollars worth of clothing is stolen during a theft at Heberts Motor Sports. General manager David Ayles estimates items stolen value $3,000.

Aug. 8, 2018: Enilda resident Donald Bissell is recognized for his 40+ years of fire service. He receives a medal and certificate.

This Day in World History – August 8, 2024

1585 – John Davis enters Cumberland Sound in search of Northwest Passage.

1609 – Venetian senate examines Galileo Galilei’s telescope.

1786 – Mont Blanc first climbed.

1844 – Brigham Young chosen as head of Mormon Church.

1853 – Russian fleet appears at Nagasaki, Japan.

1854 – Smith & Wesson patents metal bullet cartridges.

1876 – Dan O’Leacy completes 500-mile walk in 139 hours, 32 minutes.

1898 – Will Kellogg invents Corn Flakes.

1911 – The 1,000,000th patent is filed in the US Patent Office.

1914 – Third pole expedition of Ernest Shackleton aboard “Endurance”.

1929 – German airship Graf Zeppelin begins a round-the-world flight.

1945 – US, USSR, Britain & France sign Treaty of London.

1945 – USSR declares war against Japan in WW II.

1945 – USSR establishes a communist government in North Korea.

1946 – India agrees to give Bhutan 32 square miles.

1949 – Bhutan, land of Dragon, becomes an independent monarchy.

1953 – Russia’s Georgi Malenkov reports possession of hydrogen bomb.

1955 – Geneva conference held to discuss peaceful uses of atomic energy.

1960 – “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini” hits No. 1.

1963 – Great Train Robbery in England, $7.3 million stolen.

1966 – South African Broadcasting bans Beatles.

1968 – Jarry Park approved by Mayor Jean Drapeau for use by Expos.

1975 – Banqiao Dam in China fails, causing 229,000 deaths.

1978 – Pioneer-Venus 2 with five atmospheric probes launched toward Venus.

1985 – Japan launches Planet A, a probe to Halley’s comet.

1987 – Lynne Cox became first to swim from US to Russia across Bering Strait.

1988 – Russian troops begin pull out of Afghanistan after 9-year war.

1988 – Ceasefire between Iran & Iraq takes effect after 8 years of war.

1990 – Iraq annexes Kuwait as its 19th province.

1991 – Warsaw radio mast, once the tallest construction built, collapses.

2000 – Confederate sub raised to the surface after 136 years in ocean.

2007 – Carlos Slim overtakes Bill Gates as world’s richest person.

2008 – 29th Summer Olympic Games opens in Beijing, China.

Today’s Horoscopes – August 8, 2024

Aries [March 21 – April 20] – Your talents as a psychologist could be put to work today when misunderstandings arise! Your companions are not likely to be thinking straight and may not respond to reassurance! Use your intuition to find the best way to defuse the situation! Finances might cause some worry right now, but your ingenuity and money sense should put things right! Go out and have fun tonight!

Taurus [April 21 – May 21] – Someone who interests you could seem to be showing interest in someone else! This might arouse your insecurities and cause a bit of jealousy! Do not make yourself crazy! All may not be as it seems! Try to discern the facts! Invitations to do more than one thing on the same night might force you to make an uncomfortable choice! Make the one that suits you best!

Gemini [May 22 – June 21] – Someone is keeping secrets from you! We all have private issues, but this situation affects you! Your intuition will probably tell you who the person is! Try to get them to open up without exerting pressure! Unfinished tasks could drive you crazy! You may try to race through them, which can cause too much stress! Get the crucial ones done and let the others go! Relax with a movie tonight!

Cancer [June 22 – July 22] – Circumstances beyond your control might get in the way of attending a group event! This could cause some disappointment for you and others! It is best to find something else to do! Your own project is likely to need some attention, and this could prove to be a challenge that keeps you engrossed for hours! Treat yourself to takeout tonight!

Leo [July 23 – Aug. 23] – A female visitor who needs some sympathy could contact you today! She may want advice on some problems, but she could also bring information, possibly involving new scientific or metaphysical studies you find fascinating and that you will want to relate to others! This information could trigger your own insights! Write down your ideas! You will want to remember them!

Virgo [Aug. 24 – Sept. 22] – Some important plans, perhaps involving a vacation or education, could be temporarily blocked by circumstances beyond your control! This can make you upset and might even set your temper on edge! You may be tempted to take out your frustrations on others! It would be more productive – and challenging – to find ways to make your plans work, even if they are delayed!

Libra [Sept. 23 – Oct. 23] – A letter or call could arrive today bringing upsetting news about money! Your first reaction might be to blame yourself or someone else, but the circumstances are probably beyond anyone’s control! Chances are it can be set right! Before anyone gets too upset, it is best to investigate and find out what needs to be done! It might take some effort, but all will be well!

Scorpio [Oct. 24 – Nov. 22] – Jealousy could rear its ugly head today! This could involve a romantic relationship! Jealousy is often groundless, so avoid it by doing some communicating! This is the time to make the effort to turn a disadvantage into an advantage! Strong emotions can work for you under some circumstances! A passionate reconciliation is better than an angry estrangement!

Sagittarius [Nov. 23 – Dec. 21] – Nervous tension could cause a temporary malaise that keeps your energy very low today! But there are tasks that need to be done, so you will probably try to do them in spite of the way you feel! Try not to overwork yourself or take your weariness out on others! It is better to let some things go than make yourself and everyone else that much more stressed out!

Capricorn [Dec. 22 – Jan. 20] – A group with which you are affiliated may be temporarily torn apart by quarrels among its members! It is best to stay out of it! A friend could be having trouble and come to you for advice and help! Do not let yourself get too frustrated by his or her weakness! This could be a frustrating day for you, and one best spent concentrating on projects! All will be better tomorrow!

Aquarius [Jan. 21 – Feb. 18] – Changes taking place in your home could cause some temporary frustration tense nerves on the part of family members! Perhaps you are moving or refurnishing or trying to do a thorough cleaning and everyone is getting into everyone else’s way! Just try to get the job done as quickly as possible! Once it is done, tempers will subside, and all will be well!

Pisces [Feb. 19 – March 20] – Miscommunication with someone from far away could lead to bruised egos, heightened emotions, and angry phone calls! It is best not to get drawn into a quarrel! Try to straighten it all out! Changes in your neighbourhood could cause problems with travel, so be prepared for blocked streets and heavy traffic! Walk! It will clear your head and get you where you are going more quickly!