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 7, 2024

Attend the church of your choice.

Peace River Rotaract River Days (Day of 3).

1:30 p.m. – Enjoy cribbage games at the HP Golden Age Centre, 4824-53 Ave.

Today’s Celebrity Birthdays – July 7, 2024

1752 – Joseph-Marie Jacquard, Invented a programmable loom

1880 – Otto Rohwedder, Invented bread-slicer

1887 – Raymond Hatton, Girls in Prison actor

1890 – Tom Powers, Destination Moon actor

1899 – George Cukor, My Fair Lady director

1901 – Vittorio De Sica, Bicycle Thieves director

1906 – Satchel Paige, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher

1916 – Lloyd “Tiny” Grimes, US jazz and R&B guitarist

1927 – Doc Severinson, Tonight Show trumpeter

1940 – Ringo Starr, Beatles drummer

1941 – James Rodford, The Kinks vocalist/bassist

1942 – Chris Stamp, Jimi Hendrix’s producer

1946 – Joe Spano, Hill Street Blues actor [Henry]

1948 – Larry Reinhardt, Iron Butterfly guitarist

1949 – Shelley Duvall, Popeye actress

1963 – Perry Richardson, Firehouse bassist

1969 – Cree Summer, Different World actress

1969 – Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche

1980 – Michele Kwan, US figure skater

This Day in Local History – July 7, 2024

July 7, 1913: Emile Brulotte, 19, drowns in the Heart River while riding a horse.

July 7, 1968: Falher’s Vivian Chalifoux is crowned Winagmai Lake Beach Queen.

July 7, 1969: Work begins on High Prairie’s new $127,000 water treatment plant.

July 7, 1969: The High Prairie Recreation Board hosts the first day of swimming lessons at Winagami Lake Beach.

July 7, 1971: South Peace News publishes photos of local flooding. June rainfall at the Enilda Tower is 8.27 inches and at the Sweathouse Tower 9.36 inches. High Prairie records 6.35 inches. Most flooding occurs along the south end of Lesser Slave Lake. Big Meadow reports 10 inches and loss of crops, plus forcing farmers to move cattle to higher ground. Later, High Prairie reports 40 per cent of canola crops are lost. Enilda News notes it reminds people of 1935-36 when the only way to Grouard was by boat. About 65 families are evacuated by Faust police as heavy rains fall in the Lesser Slave Lake area. Flooding in East Prairie is said to be the worst since 1935.

July 7, 1973: Manager Carl Boytinck holds a sod turning ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of the new $200,000 Boyt Department Store.

July 7, 1977: Tenders open for the installation of lights at the High Prairie Airport.

July 7, 1988: Floods in Kinuso and Driftpile cause an estimated $2 million in damages. Slave Lake suffers about $40 million in damages. Daniel Schmode, 50, and wife Joanne, die in the flood at Kinuso.

July 7, 1990: The four Yellowknee brothers from Whitefish River all win gold medals at the Indigenous Games in Edmonton. Rueben, Jonathan, Christopher and Jason all take home gold.

July 7, 1999: South Peace News reports the community walking trails will be named after Riana Otto.

July 7, 2005: Maureen Butterfield begins her new job as High Prairie Victim Assistance coordinator taking over from Pauline DeJong.

July 7, 2010: High Prairie Elementary School raises $300 for the Troop Morale Fund.

July 7, 2010: Gift Lake Metis Settlement celebrates the largest Grade 12 graduating class in its history at the community hall. The settlement recognizes the achievements of all 16 graduates.

July 7, 2010: Quintin Guttinger, Konrad Turcotte and Dylan Barrons each qualify for the Frank Lindsay Alberta Junior Boys Championships in Sundre July 14-16 after a qualifying tournament in Grande Prairie.

July 7-17, 2010: High Prairie Guide Leader Rosemary Halldorson, her daughter Larissa Halldorson, Pathfinder Leader Michelle Somerville and her daughter, Kim Somerville, all attend Guiding Mosaic 2010 in Guelph, Ont.

July 7, 2011: The RBC Foundation presents the High Prairie and District Food Bank Society with a $5,000 donation. High Prairie RBC manager Yanik D’Aigle presents the cheque to food bank co-ordinator Kim Dumont.

July 7, 2012: Long-time area farmer Mike Hubar passes away at the age of 86 years.

July 7, 2012: Audrey Joan McQuarrie passes away in Vancouver at the age of 75 years. The accomplished artist worked for many years with the Rehabilitation Service Society, providing assistance for mentally and physically challenged people.

This Day in World History – July 7, 2024

1438 – King Charles VII issues the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges.

1456 – A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death.

1498 – Emperor Maximilian I establishes choir of Imperial Chapel.

1520 – Battle of Otumba, Mexico: Hernan Cortez and Tlaxcalans defeat superior Aztec force.

1534 – First known exchange between Europeans and natives of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

1543 – French troops invade Luxembourg.

1550 – Traditional date chocolate thought to have been introduced to Europe.

1585 – Treaty of Nemours: French Huguenots lose all freedoms.

1668 – Isaac Newton receives MA from Trinity College, Cambridge.

1753 – British parliament grants Jews citizenship.

1754 – Kings College in New York City opens [renamed Columbia College].

1801 – Toussaint Louverture declares Haitian independence.

1802 – First comic book “The Wasp” is published in Hudson, New York.

1807 – First Treaty of Tilsit signed: Napoleon 1 of France meets Alexander I of Russia.

1863 – First military draft by US [exemptions cost $100].

1875 – Jesse James robs train in Otterville, Missouri.

1891 – Marcellus F. Berry is granted four copyrights for what he called “the travelers cheque.”

1898 – US President McKinley signs the Organic Act to annex Hawaii.

1905 – 127F at Parker, Arizona [state record].

1912 – Jim Thorpe wins 4 of 5 events to win Pentathlon gold medal at Stockholm Olympics.

1919 – Philadelphia Phillies tie MLB record of 8 steals in one inning.

1923 – Cleveland Indians set an AL record 27 runs including 13 in the six inning in 27-3 win.

1928 – Sliced bread sold for the first time by the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri.

1930 – Construction begins on Boulder [now Hoover] Dam.

1936 – RCA shows first real TV program [dancing, fashion show and monologue].

1941 – US forces land in Iceland to forestall Nazi invasion.

1943 – Erich Hartmann shoots 7 Russian aircraft at Kursk.

1944 – RAF Bomber Command drop 2,572 tons of bombs on Caen, France.

1947 – Alleged and disputed Roswell UFO incident.

1949 – “Dragnet” premieres on NBC radio; also a TV series in 1951 & 1967.

1952 – SS United States crosses Atlantic Ocean in record 82 hours, 40 minutes.

1956 – “Hancock’s Half Hour” premieres as a TV show.

1958 – US President Eisenhower signs a bill approving Alaskan statehood.

1960 – USSR shoots down a US aircraft over Barents Sea.

1967 – The Beatles’ “All You Need is Love” is released.

1968 – France performs nuclear test at Mururoa atoll.

1969 – Canada’s House of Commons approves equality of French-English language.

1972 – Dutch Minister of Agt decides to ignore soft drug usage.

1974 – New Zealand imposes a blanket ban on sports teams from South Africa.

1977 – About 12,000 police occupy university in Mexico City.

1980 – Jim King completes riding Miracle Strip Roller coaster 368 hours.

1987 – Kiwanis Clubs end men-only tradition, votes to admit women.

1988 – Soviet Union launches Phobos 1 to probe Martian moon [unsuccessful].

1996 – Nelson Mandela steps down as president of South Africa.

2005 – Terrorist bomb blasts strike London’s public transport system killing 52 and injuring 700.

2017 – Tesla Motors produces its first mass-market car, the Model 3.

2019 – Mississippi closes all its beaches due to toxic algae bloom due to flooding of Mississippi River.

2021 – World’s biggest sandcastle 21.16 high using nearly 5,000 tons of sand completed in Denmark.

Today’s Horoscopes – July 7, 2024

Aries [March 21 – April 20] – There is a damper on your emotions today that could leave you feeling like a pot of simmering water! Just by knowing there is a lid on things you are likely to heat up more quickly than usual. Try to hold your temper. A furious rage will get you nowhere. Concentrate your energy on getting your material affairs in order. Deal with finances, investments, and long-term security planning!

Taurus [April 21 – May 21] – It could be hard for you to feel connected to anyone today! You are probably better off keeping to yourself. If you are feeling sad or depressed, it is best to work through these feelings on your own. Other people are not apt to be too sympathetic to your situation. You are better off sticking to your work in order to keep the demons out of your head!

Gemini [May 22 – June 21] – You may feel a sense of restriction to the day, but in truth, this is for your own good! You will find your acute sense of discipline comes in handy today as you tackle work with incredible enthusiasm. Your goals are not far from your grasp. Stay focused, and do not let the ticking clock pressure you. Hastiness will lead to careless mistakes. If you are going to do a job, do it right!

Cancer [June 22 – July 22] – Find comfort in your work today! Although it may sound ridiculous, you will find getting things checked off your list is the most rewarding activity of the day. Try not to be too critical of others. Focus on your own tasks at hand. Mountains that seem too daunting will continue to grow bigger until you take the first step. Your perseverance will be an inspiration to others!

Leo [July 23 – Aug. 23] – Get your head out of the clouds! You will find out that nitpicky details you failed to attend to earlier are now coming back to haunt you. Do not postpone your work any further. The time to take care of the job is now. Balance your chequebook and do your laundry. Clean your bathtub and go grocery shopping. The more you accomplish today, the better you will feel about yourself tomorrow!

Virgo [Aug. 24 – Sept. 22] – Today you need to finish whatever you did not get done yesterday! Themes of the journey include discipline and paying attention to the sand slipping through the hourglass. The more you are able to accomplish, the better you will feel about yourself. Stagnant energy in your life signals it is time to get things moving. Do not waste another moment waiting for someone else to find the solution for you. Take the initiative!

Libra [Sept. 23 – Oct. 23] – Put aside frivolity for a day! This is an important time to prepare for the future. Do not take another step forward before you know you are on solid ground. This is a good time to secure your goals on a piece of paper. Writing them down in ink will help you manifest them in your life. Think about the long-term harvest. Security and grounding are key themes of the day!

Scorpio [Oct. 24 – Nov. 22] – People may be a bit critical of you today and you would do well to hear what they have to say! Be receptive of feedback from others so you may establish a healthy ego. It is important to keep your sense of humility in check. You might find you are feeling rather critical as you see people moving like sloths compared to your lightning quick mind. Be patient with others!

Sagittarius [Nov. 23 – Dec. 21] – Maintain your psychic shield today, because you will need it. People’s comments may seem harsh even if they mean well. Your best defense against the critical tone of the day is to use other people’s criticisms as constructively as you can in order to build a stronger foundation from which to work. Process this energy in a positive frame of mind and use it to get things done.

Capricorn [Dec. 22 – Jan. 20] – Unfortunately, this is not a day for fun and games! In fact, you might feel an annoying emotional weightiness, making you feel less energetic than usual. There is a sober tone that is asking you to take a hard-nosed look at reality and make some decisions regarding goals and plans. You could feel like the timer buzzer is about to go off. The minute hand is ticking away and there are many more adventures in store!

Aquarius [Jan. 21 – Feb. 18] – You will find little comfort in your emotions today! You may want to simply stick to business. Concentrate on getting things done in your regular routine. Create a plan and stick to it. This is not a day to deviate from the norm, nor is it a time in which you will find sympathy from others. Stick close to home and take care of your personal business. Time is precious! Do not waste it!

Pisces [Feb. 19 – March 20] – Try not to be smothering today! You may want to seek comfort in conversations with others but find this only produces grouchiness on the part of all involved. Curb your tendency to find fault in loved ones. Your best bet is to focus your energy on tasks you have had on the back burner for some time. Tackle projects that need special attention and the most discipline.