Today in High Prairie! See what’s happening today in town, local birthdays, 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 – July 25, 2022
1 – 3 p.m. – Scoops n’ Scores at Marie Reine Cultural Centre [8 years & older].
5 p.m. – Town of Peace River meets at town office.
7:30 p.m. – High Prairie AA chapter meeting at HP Church of the Nazarene.
Today’s Celebrity Birthdays – July 25, 2022
1861 – Andrew C. Lawson, First to Name San Andreas Fault
1874 – Sergey Lebedev, Mass-Produced Synthetic Rubber
1884 – Davidson Black, Canadian who identified Peking Man
1893 – Dorothy Dickson, Danny Boy Actress
1899 – Arthur Dubin, Mr. Ed Producer
1908 – Jack Gilford, Cocoon Actor
1914 – Woody Strode, Scream actor
1917 – Whipper Billy Watson, Canadian Pro Wrestler
1920 – Rosalind Franklin, Co-Discoverer DNA structure
1923 – Estelle Getty, The Golden Girls Actress
1925 – Jerry Paris, Dick Van Dyke Show Actor
1943 – Janet Margolin, Take the Money & Run Actress
1943 – Tom Dawes, Alka-Seltzer Jingle Writer
1951 – Verdine White, Earth, Wind & Fire Bassist
1954 – Ken Greer, Red Rider Guitarist
1954 – Walter Payton, Chicago Bear “Sweetness”
1957 – Ray Billingsley, Curtis Catoonist
1967 – Matt LeBlanc, Friends Actor – Joey
1967 – Wendy Robinson, Steve Harvey Show Actress
1971 – Roger Creager, American Country Music Singer
1978 – Louise Brown, First In Vitro Fertilized Baby
1985 – Jasmine Lennard, Big Brother TV Actress
1985 – Nelson Piquet Jr., Brazilian Auto Racer
This Day in Local History – July 25, 2022
July 25, 1914: Patsy Costello finds his way to Mrs. Schmidt’s house at Iroquois Creek after being lost for five days.
July 25, 1914: The Grouard News reports the town will be the base of winter operations for the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia railroad.
July 25, 1956: A.F. Menzies publishes the first issue of the High Prairie Progress newspaper. It publishes each Wednesday in High Prairie with a subscription price of $2 per year.
July 25, 1956: The High Prairie Progress reports the town’s men’s fire hose laying team places second to Westlock while the women’s team wins their part of the competition.
July 25, 1971: The High Prairie Golf Club holds its annual Open Tournament. Barry Dune of Valleyview wins the men’s title shooting 129 while Leola McRae of Peace River wins the women’s title shooting 168. About 50 enter the tournament.
July 25, 1973: High Prairie town council passes a curfew bylaw stating youths 16 years and under must be off the streets by 10 p.m. RCMP Cpl. Bill McCoy says the bylaw will be enforced.
July 25, 1973: South Peace News reports that Mr. Halldorson opens High Prairie Realty.
July 25, 1974: A thief smashes the window at the High Prairie Liquor Store, grabs three cases of beer and leaves.
July 25, 1975: The Alberta government calls for tenders for the construction of a 52,000 square foot addition to the existing 5,000 square feet at the High Prairie Hospital.
July 25, 1979: Hilliard’s Bay chief park ranger Brian Tarnarsky tells South Peace News the park will expand in the next three to four years with the addition of 165 camping stalls.
July 25, 1981: An estimated $10,000 in damages is caused during a break-in at B&P Foods in Grouard.
July 25, 1982: The High Prairie Dolphins place second in their annual swim meet with 282 points. Peace River wins the meet with 339 points.
July 25, 1989: Eight people are injured when a Greyhound bus rolls onto its side near Canyon Creek.
July 25, 1990: South Peace News reports Merner’s IDA Drugstore owner Murray Johnson decides to retire and move to Calgary.
July 25, 2001: Driftpile is placed on emergency alert due to rising waters in the Driftpile River. Eventually, no one is evacuated.
July 25, 2001: High Prairie town council is furious after receiving a bill for an extra $25,000 from their auditors.
July 25, 2001: Heavy rains in High Prairie cause flash flooding and severe damages to several homes. Over four inches of rain falls in less than two hours.
July 25, 2001: High Prairie town council agrees to spend $17,000 in an aggressive tree planting program in town.
July 25, 2007: South Peace News publishes a story on the new paint, flooring store being built by Trever Sekulich and Debbie Wales.
July 25, 2007: South Peace News reports Bethel Baptist Pastor Eric Kregel places fourth in a writing contest for Christians.
July 25, 2007: Ice fishermen will face increased enforcement on Lesser Slave Lake next winter after the M.D. of Big Lakes meets with Sustainable Resource. Last winter, complaints of fishermen leaving too much garbage on the ice angered Joussard residents.
July 25, 2007: The M.D. of Big Lakes receives a $995,000 grant form the Alberta government for improvements at the Swan Hills Airport runway.
July 25, 2007: The M.D. of Big Lakes agrees to give the High Prairie Agricultural Society $10,000 for electrical repairs at the Agriplex.
July 25, 2012: The Enilda and District Society for Recreation and Culture holds a barbecue to officially open their new $25,000 playground.
July 25, 2012: High Prairie town council bans audio recording at meetings.
July 25, 2012: High Prairie Mayor Rick Dumont says he wants to explore the idea of constructing the world’s biggest walleye and calling High Prairie its home.
July 25, 2012: High Prairie town council decides to add the names of Arnold Aarts, Leonard Olson and Warren Stout to the High Prairie Citizens Monument.
July 25, 2012: Alberta Municipal Affairs appoints Sandra Dohei as the Town of High Prairie’s official administrator.
July 25, 2012: The M.D. of Big Lakes confirms it will set aside $75,000 for the proposed skateboard park in High Prairie.
July 25, 2013: Norman Dow passes away at the age of 86 years. He retired to live in Faust but soon opened a campground/café.
July 25, 2014: Marigold Enterprises celebrates the opening of its Sears outlet during a grand opening and community fair.
July 25, 2014: The High Prairie Community Beautification Association is ordered to disperse over $50,000 generated from casinos after it is deemed they were not eligible for the money.
July 25, 2015: Jim Coyer’s 1970 Plymouth Road Runner is named Best Car at the High Prairie Customs and Classics Car Show. Todd Parsons’s 1956 Ford F100 wins Best Truck.
July 25, 2015: James Lawrence Helmer passes away at the age of 82 years. He worked at Bissell’s, Wagner and Buchanan Lumber sawmills.
July 25, 2016: The High Prairie Community Beautification Association decides to enter the 150 Community Gardens contest and the chance to win 1,000 tulip bulbs. They are later successful.
July 25, 2016: The High Prairie Community Beautification Association decides to hold a Best Yards contest, designed to recognize the neatest yards in town with a sign and certificate.
July 25, 2017: High Prairie town council agrees to send a letter to the Government of Alberta asking them to pay for reclamation of the old hospital site as soon as possible to clear the way for development of the new Northern Lakes College Integrated Campus.
July 25, 2017: History is made in High Prairie when ATCO Electric installs the first three LED streetlights in town.
July 25, 2018: South Peace News reports three young women are competing for the title of 2018 Elks Pro Rodeo Queen: Reann Cardinal, Hayley Cox, and Sarah Neill. Neill eventually wins the title.
July 25, 2018: Big Lakes County proposes a speed limit reduction to 50 km/hr from 80 km/hr along Peace River Avenue near Red Sky Developments.
July 25, 2018: Big Lakes County presents the Farm Family Award to the Dwayne Pollack family of Big Meadow.
This Day in World History – July 25, 2022
1814 – Battle of Niagara Falls: Americans defeat British.
1814 – George Stephenson introduces his first steam locomotive.
1854 – Walter Hunt awarded first U.S. patent for paper shirt collar.
1871 – Carousel patented by Wilhelm Schneider.
1897 – Writer Jack London sails to join the Klondike Gold Rush.
1907 – Korea becomes a protectorate of Japan.
1909 – First successful airplane flight across English Channel.
1917 – Sir Thomas Whyte introduces first income tax in Canada.
1941 – US bans selling benzine/gasoline to Japan.
1943 – Benito Mussolini dismissed as Italian Premier.
1944 – First jet fighter used in combat.
1944 – WWII: Operation Spring: 5,021 killed.
1963 – US, Russia & Britain sign nuclear Test ban treaty.
1964 – Beatles’ album “A Hard Day’s Night” goes #1 for 14 weeks.
1966 – Mao Zedong swims the Yangtze River.
1966 – Supremes release “You Can’t Hurry Love”.
1981 – Voyager 2 encounters Saturn.
1983 – First non-human primate [baboon] conceived in a lab dish.
1984 – Cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya is first woman to walk in space.
1985 – Spokeswoman for Rock Hudson confirms he has AIDS.
1987 – USSR launches Kosmos 1870, 15-ton Earth-study satellite.
1994 – Jordan and Israeli end 46 year state of war.
2007 – Pratibha Patil is sworn in as India’s first female President.
2016 – Verizon announces $4.83 billion purchase of Yahoo.
2017 – Report: sperm counts have halved in last 40 years.
2018 – Liquid lake found on Mars under its South Pole.
Today’s Horoscopes – July 25, 2022
Aries [March 21 – April 20] – Other people could have some seriously opposing opinions about how things should be done. Be prepared for battle, because others are likely to have sharp tongues. Compromise is the key to finding solutions that will work for everyone. Realize the best solution is probably one neither party has thought of on his or her own. Work together to come up with the best situation for everyone involved!
Taurus [April 21 – May 21] – Information is apt to come in erratic bursts today. You will find a great deal of nonverbal communication is revealed and you should listen not only with your ears but also with your eyes and heart. Keep an open mind. Let others finish their thoughts before you make any judgments. You are probably better off not making any judgments at all. Let people say their peace!
Gemini [May 22 – June 21] – An unexpected opportunity to take a short trip could present itself today. Hop on that boat or train and see where it goes. If you have no real reason to travel, make one up. You do not need one anyway. The point is it is time to get away from your current surroundings and explore other ways of living. If the time is not right for you to get out and travel, at least make a plan now for a trip later!
Cancer [June 22 – July 22] – If you are not paying close attention today, you might miss what is said. Important information is being relayed quickly, so do not miss out on the action. It may not be important for you to agree with everything you hear, but at least listen to it and seriously consider incorporating elements into your point of view. Do not dismiss other opinions just because they are new and different from your own!
Leo [July 23 – Aug. 23] – Actively express your thoughts today. You will find a great deal of information needs to be exchanged. You have the power to deliver a strong, thoughtful message to others, so do not give up this opportunity to exercise your acute mind. You may also find people to be rather argumentative, but do not let this keep you from expressing your true thoughts on the matter at hand!
Virgo [Aug. 24 – Sept. 22] – You may be feeling a little bit lost in the dust today. Somehow what you are thinking and feeling is not exactly coordinating with the current conversation. Do not think you need to agree with the group just to feel like you fit in. Maintaining your own point of view is critical. You are better off rolling with the punches rather than trying to put up a fight!
Libra [Sept. 23 – Oct. 23] – Your thinking is clear and sharp, and your mental awareness keen. You should use it to head toward new, forward-thinking projects. Do not waste your time beating around the bush. Cut right to the heart of the issue. You will easily outwit your opponents in a game of Scrabble or chess. Engage in activities that exercise your brain. There is no reason for you to doubt yourself today!
Scorpio [Oct. 24 – Nov. 22] – You are apt to come up with some new, radical thoughts today, which you should feel free to share with others. There are opportunities around that you should grab hold of. Be aggressive about pushing ahead with your progressive thoughts. Communication with people who possess opposing viewpoints will prove quite valuable. Take a lesson from the bizarre and outlandish!
Sagittarius [Nov. 23 – Dec. 21] – Today is a terrific day to express your thoughts. You will find your mind especially clear and ready to tackle any mental issue that comes your way. Your tendency is toward free and unconventional ways of problem solving. Express the importance of being able to think for yourself. Write letters, make calls, and surprise someone with a personal visit. Connect with friends you have not spoken with in a long time!
Capricorn [Dec. 22 – Jan. 20] – Someone may challenge your mental capabilities today. Your natural tendency might be to take the information, mull it over for a while, and come back with your decision or opinion at some later date. The truth of the matter is things are moving quickly and decisions must be made quickly and efficiently. Stay on your toes and have confidence in your mental processes!
Aquarius [Jan. 21 – Feb. 18] – Unexpected information may be coming at you today from out of the blue. You will find this information is extremely important, so make sure to keep all lines of communication open. You are apt to learn some important lessons regarding working harmoniously with groups to fulfill not just your own needs but also those of others. Let other people’s viewpoints be heard!
Pisces [Feb. 19 – March 20] – Do not be so nosy about others’ affairs today. If you were meant to be included in the conversation, you would have been invited. Suspicion of other people’s actions and motives will only cause them to lose their trust in you. Keep any abrasive and critical thoughts to yourself. Perfection is a hot topic in your mind. Realize the only person you can control in that department is you!