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 – July 30, 2024

High Prairie Elks Pro Rodeo (Day 1 of 2).

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

11 a.m. – High Prairie Elks Pro Rodeo Parade.

12:30 – 5:30 p.m. – Marigold Farmers’ Market in HP at Marigold Building.

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

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

Today’s Celebrity Birthdays – July 30, 2024

1818 – Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights Author

1859 – Henry Louis Smith, Maker of first X-Ray Photo

1863 – Henry Ford, American Industrialist [Ford]

1882 – Holmes Herbert, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Actor

1890 – Casey Stengel, New York Yankees Manager

1917 – Eddy Grove, Dragnet Actor

1922 – Henry W. Bloch, Co-Founder of H&R Block

1929 – Christine McGuire, McGuire Sisters Singer

1933 – Ben Piazza, Dallas Actor

1934 – Bud Selig, MLB Commissioner

1941 – Count Desmond, Famous Sword Swallower

1941 – Paul Anka, Canadian Singer

1946 – Jeffrey Hammond, Jethro Tull Bassist

1947 – Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terminator Actor

1947 – William Atherton, Ghostbusters Actor

1956 – Delta Burke, Designing Women Actress

1958 – Daley Thompson, British Decathlete

1961 – Laurence Fishburne, Apocalypse Now Actor

1962 – Andy Green, Broke Sound Barrier on Land

1963 – Lisa Kudrow, Friends Actress

1964 – Jürgen Klinsmann, German Football Icon

1974 – Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby Actress

1975 – Annie Parisse, Law & Order Actress

1980 – Justin Rose, English Pro Golfer

1982 – Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid’s Tale Actress

This Day in Local History – July 30, 2024

July 30, 1913: Work stops on the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia railway after engineers have trouble at the Smoky River crossing. All work stops on grading and clearing west of Grouard.

July 30, 1952: The Heart River post office closes.

July 30, 1956: High Prairie citizens go to the polls to decide whether or not to permit town council to borrow $86,000 to build the new arena, town office, fire hall and other facilities. The vote passes.

July 30, 1969: IGA wins Best Float as the High Prairie Elks Stampede opens. It’s the largest rodeo in the history of the event. Opposition Leader Peter Lougheed opens the Elks Stampede.

July 30, 1969: The old High Prairie Curling Rink burns. Salvage inside was nearly completed before the blaze.

July 30, 1969: South Peace News reports that High Prairie Mayor Terry Anderson is moving to Edmonton to accept a job at NAIT as instructor of plumbing and heating. Reg Burgar is named deputy mayor.

July 30, 1981: An estimated 8,500 people attend the annual Elks Stampede. Echo Valley and Cox Brothers Contracting tie for first for best commercial float in the annual parade.

July 30, 1985: The new High Prairie Liquor Store opens.

July 30, 1986: High Prairie town council reports building permits are up to $3 million from the same time in 1985.

July 30, 1990: Fred Maurice Courtoreille, 22, of Faust, is killed after being run over by a train at the hamlet’s east end.

July 30, 1994: Metis war veterans are honoured at a special ceremony at Gift Lake.

July 30, 1994: A vicious windstorm blows through Hilliard’s Bay Provincial Park uprooting trees and causing $25,000 in damages to one vehicle.

July 30, 1997: Country music star Patricia Conroy attends Budfest at the Crazy Horse Saloon.

July 30, 1997: Heart River resident Neill Stout says replacing the 50 year-old Heart River Dam is a priority. The M.D. of Big Lakes later agrees.

July 30, 2001: The Grouard 86’ers defeat the Peavine Junior Canadians 12-11 to take a 2-0 lead in their High Prairie and District Men’s Fastball League playoff series. Peavine protests the game but it is later refused by league officials.

July 30, 2005: Citizens line the streets of Faust to watch a parade which kicks off Homecoming festivities.

July 30, 2006: Fire destroys the Winagami Lake Provincial Park cookshack.

July 30, 2006: Henri Gervais dies of cancer in Grande Prairie at the age of 58 years.

July 30, 2007: The concrete pad is poured in the Gordon Buchanan Recreation Complex.

July 30, 2009: Sucker Creek Chief Jaret Cardinal is elected Grand Chief of Treaty 8 First Nations.

July 30-Aug. 1, 2010: The Driftpile Valley hosts North Country Stomp, a musical festival featuring several acts.

July 30, 2012: A meeting at the M.D. of Big Lakes building debates the proposed $300 per head wolf bounty. Council later agrees to continue the program. Cattle producers claim the program is working.

July 30, 2013: The names of Olga Johnston, Rhonda Keay and Verda Kozie are inducted onto the High Prairie Citizen’s Monument.

July 30, 2015: Linda Marie Taylor passes away at the age of 63 years. She was involved in the Air Cadets, 4-H, CWL, museum, library, and her church.

July 30, 2017: The Gospel Sing at the High Prairie Church of the Nazarene is dedicated to Pastor Pat O’Rourke in his memory. Local pastors are also recognized for their service to the community.

July 30, 2017: The High Prairie Sauce win the Alberta Bantam AA Tier 4 baseball title in Stettler after defeating Barrhead in the final.

July 30, 2019: Shelby Cook is crowned 2019 Elks Pro Rodeo Queen.

July 30, 2019: Town of High Prairie senior peace officer Alan Bloom in honoured for his service to the community. He is awarded an Alberta Emergency Services Medal for 12 years of service.

This Day in World History – July 30, 2024

1775 – Captain James Cook aboard Resolution returns to England.

1792 – 500 Marseillaisian men sing France’s national anthem for the first time.

1869 – The Charles, considered the world’s first oil tanker, sets sail.

1872 – Mahlon Loomis patents wireless telegraphy.

1909 – Wright Brothers deliver first military plane to the army.

1909 – Eugène Schueller founds L’Oréal with new range of hair dyes.

1928 – George Eastman shows first amateur colour motion pictures.

1935 – First Penguin book published, starting the paperback revolution.

1937 – Phillies Dolph Camilli, plays first base and registers no put outs.

1946 – First rocket attains 100 miles altitude.

1948 – Pro wrestling premieres on prime-time network TV.

1954 – Elvis Presley joins the Memphis Federation of Musicians, Local 71.

1954 – Fifth British Empire Games and Commonwealth Games open in Vancouver.

1966 – US airplanes bombs demilitarized zone in Vietnam.

1971 – US Apollo 15 lands on the moon.

1975 – US Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa disappears in Detroit.

1978 – Expos crush Braves, 19-0, collecting 28 hits, NL-record-tying 8 HRs.

1980 – Vanuatu [New Hebrides] gains independence.

1984 – Holly Roffey, 11, is youngest ever to receive heart transplant.

1988 – Harry Drake shoots arrow record 1,873 metres.

1988 – Man pedals from Vancouver to Halifax in 13 days, 15 hr, 4 min.

1990 – The first Saturn automobile rolls off the assembly line.

1991 – MTV announces it will split into 3 channels in 1993.

2003 – The last ‘old style’ Volkswagen Beetle rolls off assembly line.

2008 – “Slumdog Millionaire” starring Dev Patel premieres.

2012 – Indian power grid fails leaving over 300 million without power.

2017 – China’s President Xi Jinping heads 12,000-troop parade.

2017 – First centenary of WWI Battle of Passchendaele.

2017 – Hackers reveal they have stolen data from HBO.

Today’s Horoscopes – July 30, 2024

Aries [March 21 – April 20] – Your ego may be bruised by events from a few days back! Has it occurred to you it is within your power to right the wrong you feel was done to you? It is not a matter of confrontation but of conversation! The person in question is probably unaware of what they did or said! An expression of your dismay might elicit an apology! You will both feel better for having cleared the air!

Taurus [April 21 – May 21] – Today’s planetary configurations are pushing you to get some perspective on your life and the lives of people closest to you! You must admit you have been rather selfish lately! You are not the centre of the universe, so why do you sometimes act like you are? This is a day to make amends with friends and loved ones! They will welcome you back with open arms!

Gemini [May 22 – June 21] – This is a day to be up front with your partner! It is possible your relationship has reached some sort of stalemate! It is up to you to get that fire burning brightly once again! How? You know the drill – romantic time alone is all it takes! A nice outfit, a reservation at the best restaurant, and you and your mate are back in business!

Cancer [June 22 – July 22] – This is a day of untold opportunity! If you have been concerned you have not been using your full creative potential, you can put that concern to rest today! Your creativity is boundless and you will finally realize it! Be on the lookout for any unusual opportunities! Someone or something you encounter could have meaningful ripple effects on you!

Leo [July 23 – Aug. 23] – There is tension in the air today! Even though it is not your doing, you may want to keep a low profile, especially if you need to work! Try to avoid any discussions! Just because someone is confrontational does not mean you have to rise to the bait! It would be better if you did not! Keep to yourself and all of this will blow over by tomorrow when it will be safe to mingle again!

Virgo [Aug. 24 – Sept. 22] – You are a dreamer at heart! You prefer not to think about material things! That explains why you tend to forget groceries or dry cleaning! You are happiest if things get done for you! But circumstances today will force you to handle some of these mundane chores! You will feel better by day’s end just knowing you can be self-sufficient even if you do not want to be!

Libra [Sept. 23 – Oct. 23] – If you follow your instincts and dare to take some risks, you will be handsomely rewarded! You have the capability to make a good project great! Do your best not to get distracted today! Keep your eye on the big picture rather than let yourself get bogged down in details! You will find when you take care of the big issues, the little ones take care of themselves!

Scorpio [Oct. 24 – Nov. 22] – Finally, you will be able to breathe a long overdue sigh of relief! It is likely you have been worried about your finances for some time! Well, you need worry no longer! The events of today either put you back in the black or show you a clear path to get there! You have been working hard to resolve these financial matters! You can now start working smarter!

Sagittarius [Nov. 23 – Dec. 21] – Separate the wheat from the chaff today! Look at your relationships and decide who your true friends are! You are loyal, which is to your credit, but why be loyal to people who do not return it? You have given these so-called friends plenty of chances to demonstrate their affection! It is time to let them fall by the wayside and free up time to spend with your real friends!

Capricorn [Dec. 22 – Jan. 20] – Whether you acknowledge it or not, creation is the central theme of your life! If you are not an artist or writer, you should be! There are plenty of creative ideas in your head clamouring to be expressed! Why not give it a try? You have nothing to lose, and you may be astonished by what you are able to produce! Your brain does have two sides! It is time to use both!

Aquarius [Jan. 21 – Feb. 18] – You seem to be filled with questions! Some of them are big, some trivial! All you know is they preoccupy you, and the answers are not readily apparent! Do not fret! All that will change by day’s end! The planetary configurations are such that all the confusing events of recent days will begin to make sense! Your world will once again seem calm and orderly! Enjoy it!

Pisces [Feb. 19 – March 20] – You are an individual, but sometimes it is hard for you to suppress your uniqueness in order to get the job done! It may not be you! The problem may be your job! If you are feeling like you do not have enough fun in your life or you are not using the full potential of your creativity, this might be a good time to make a change – a big change! You are ready to take on new challenges!