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 – October 3, 2024

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

4 – 5 p.m. – After-School crafts at HP Native Friendship Centre (8-13 yrs) Call (780) 523-4511 to register.

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 – October 3, 2024

1803 – John Gorrie, Refrigeration Inventor

1890 – Henry Hull, High Sierra Actor

1924 – Harvey Kurtzman, Mad Magazine Founder

1926 – Marques Haynes, World’s Greatest Dribbler

1931 – Glenn Hall, Butterfly Goalie Inventor

1940 – Jean Ratelle, New York Ranger

1941 – Chubby Checker, The Twist Singer

1947 – Fred DeLuca, Subway Restaurants Co-Founder

1949 – Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac Singer

1951 – Kathryn Sullivan, First Woman to Walk in Space

1959 – Jack Wagner, General Hospital Actor

1962 – Tommy Lee, Motley Crue Musician

1969 – Gwen Stefani, No Doubt Vocalist

1981 – Amanda Walsh, Canadian Actress

This Day in Local History – October 3, 2024

Oct. 3, 1914: The Grouard News reports the town was left without a doctor for four days because all were away visiting and on business.

Oct. 3, 1962: Rene Boisson opens the High Prairie Meat Market in the building where Feren’s Meat Market had operated for 28 years.

Oct. 3, 1969: E.W. Pratt opens High Prairie E.W. Pratt High School named in his honour. Alberta Minister of Education Robert Clark attends to open the $2.25 million school.

Oct. 3, 1969: The High Prairie Curling Club holds its annual general meeting and elects officers Brian Bliss, Murray Couch, George Halldorson, Ken Hendry, Alex Komisar, Fred McCuaig, Reg Morin and Art Smith. A later meeting will be held to elect a president. Jack Evans is rink manager assisted by Bill Smith.

Oct. 3, 1974: High Prairie banks rule out a six-day work week at a meeting of the Retail Merchants’ Association. Banks announce they will not open Saturdays much to the chagrin of local businessmen.

Oct. 3, 1979: South Peace News reports that a crater is found on Claude and Joe Turcotte’s farm near McLennan. A silvery residue is left at the site.

Oct. 3, 1979: South Peace News reports that for the second year in a row there will be no champion declared in the High Prairie Men’s Fastball League. Bad weather and lack of commitment is cited.

Oct. 3, 1984: South Peace News reports the High Prairie Curling Association is considering scrapping curling for the coming winter. The dispute revolves around the High Prairie Recreation Board’s decision to charge the club 35 per cent of ice making fees.

Oct. 3, 1990: Sunset House residents attend an I.D. meeting asking for $100,000 for a new community hall.

Oct. 3, 1991: Thomas Goodson is appointed Alberta’s first native judge and is stationed in High Prairie.

Oct. 3, 1992: Both E.W. Pratt Charger volleyball teams win first at their Invitational Tournament in High Prairie. The women defeat Slave Lake in the final while the men defeat High Level.

Oct. 3, 1995: Harold David Smith, 51, and James Kenneth Randall, 47, both of High Prairie, die in a boating accident on Snipe Lake.

Oct. 3, 1997: Mike Poulter celebrates the grand opening of Ampersand, formerly Cathy’s Cottage, in High Prairie.

Oct. 3, 2006: Ken Matthews wins an M.D. of Big Lakes byelection in Gilwood, Triangle after defeating Susan Richter 36-19.

Oct. 3, 2006: High Prairie Mayor John Brodrick leaves a High Prairie Library Board meeting before it begins for fears of being what he calls “ambushed”. He is invited to the meeting to answer questions why the handicapped access at the library was not completed. Board members are furious.

Oct. 3, 2008: Heritage Trees of Alberta executive director Libby Fairweather stops in High Prairie to promote a book and place a plaque on a tree kitty corner to the High Prairie Christian Centre.

Oct. 3, 2009: Another piece of High Prairie’s history comes tumbling down as the old Turbo gas station is demolished by HAZCO of Edmonton.

Oct. 3, 2011: Jennifer Laderoute begins her job as the first project co-ordinator for the Grouard and Area Historical Society.

Oct. 3, 2012: High Prairie Mayor Rick Dumont resigns saying the recently released report from Alberta Municipal affairs has left him with the ability to govern crippled.

Oct. 3, 2012: High Prairie Councillor Wayne Forrester says he heard from a reliable source that the proposed High Prairie Hospital is on hold.

Oct. 3, 2012: High Prairie town council denies a request from Councillor Barry Sharkawi to change meeting times to 10 a.m. from 7:30 p.m. Among councillors opposed is James Waikle, who says he has lost vehicle sales at Big Lakes Dodge because of meetings.

Oct. 3, 2013: The High Prairie and Area Chamber of Commerce hosts an election forum for M.D. of Big Lakes candidates at the Gordon Buchan Recreation Centre. The number of employees in the M.D., development bylaws, and an east-west power struggle on council are the hot topics.

Oct. 3, 2015: West Fraser celebrates 60 years of operations. High Prairie Forest Products celebrates with an employee family fun day and an open house and mill tours on Oct. 2.

Oct. 3, 2018: High Prairie RCMP are busy investigating a theft at the Bell store in town. A lone male breaks the front window but flees before taking any merchandise.

This Day in World History – October 3, 2024

2333 BC – State of Gojoseon [Modern-day Korea], founded by Dangun Wanggeom.

52 BC – Vercingetorix, leader of the Gauls, surrenders to Julius Caesar.

1283 – First person executed by being hanged, drawn and quartered.

1789 – Washington proclaims first national Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 26.

1888 – Explorer Fridtjof Nansen ends first crossing of Greenland interior.

1899 – J.S. Thurman patents motor-driven vacuum cleaner.

1908 – Pravda newspaper founded by Leon Trotsky and others.

1913 – US Federal income tax signed into law [at 1 per cent].

1920 – NFL [then American Pro Football Association] plays first games.

1922 – First facsimile photo sent over city telephone lines, Washington, D.C.

1929 – Kingdom of Serbs, Croats & Slovenes changes name to Yugoslavia.

1932 – Iraq gains full independence from Britain, joins League of Nations.

1941 – Adolf Hitler says Russia “already broken and will never rise again.”

1945 – Elvis Presley’s first public appearance at the age of 10.

1947 – First telescope lens 200” [508 cm] in diametre completed.

1948 – NFL becomes first sport televised as sport of week.

1952 – First video recording on magnetic tape.

1960 – “The Andy Griffith Show” premieres on CBS.

1967 – King Boudouin inaugurates world’s biggest floodgate at Antwerp.

1970 – Baseball umpires strike for first time.

1971 – Billie Jean King became first female athlete to win $100,000.

1974 – Pele retires as soccer player.

1974 – Watergate criminal trial begins.

1976 – Hank Aaron singles in his last at bat.

1981 – Montreal Expos clinch their first-ever postseason berth.

1982 – Scott Weiland runs Detroit marathon backwards in less than 5 hours.

1990 – Reunification of East and West Germany.

1992 – Sinead O’Connor rips up a picture of Pope John Paul II on SNL.

1992 – Toronto Blue Jays win AL East title.

1993 – Boris Yeltsin declares state of emergency in Moscow.

1993 – Battle of Mogadishu occurs, 18 US soldiers killed.

1994 – Gary Larson, announces he is retiring from doing “Far Side” cartoon.

1995 – O.J. Simpson found not guilty of the murder of Nicole Simpson.

1997 – Gordie Howie, 69, plays in 7th decade, with IHL’S Detroit Vipers.

1997 – Japan’s maglev train breaks world speed record at 280.3 mph.

2014 – 83 million accounts are compromised after a cyber attack.

Today’s Horoscopes – October 3, 2024

Aries [March 21 – April 20] – Do something for the community today and really consider how your talents and skills can best be put to work! Consider volunteering at a school or library! Donate blood or help the elderly! Whatever you do, smile knowing you are making direct contact with friends who need your assistance! Instead of just complaining about the way things are going, take a proactive role in leading the way toward a more philanthropic world!

Taurus [April 21 – May 21] – If you are having trouble tackling a giant problem, do not get discouraged or overwhelmed! They key for you is to break things down into smaller chunks, analyze them, and figure out their role within the greater whole! You will find that by taking things one step at a time, any problem you encounter will be infinitely easier to overcome than you may have thought at first!

Gemini [May 22 – June 21] – It may seem like everyone around you is happy and getting what they want while you are stuck in the trenches! Do not compare yourself to other people and make judgments based on outside appearances! The truth of the matter is they are most likely only looking at the immediate future and experiencing short-term pleasures! You, however, have your sights set on the long-term and will probably be much better off!

Cancer [June 22 – July 22] – Imagination and fantasy play a big part in your thinking today and you should not hesitate to embrace this frame of mind! There is a great deal of power to be drawn from your sense of freedom to explore and dream! Your thinking is more of a higher consciousness now! You should take advantage of this lofty perspective to see things from a neutral viewpoint!

Leo [July 23 – Aug. 23] – Engage more of your rational mind today! If your mind continues on its track into a fantasy world, you might consider enlisting the help of people who can help you bring some discipline to your situation! For you, the general feeling of the day is likely to be that the mind is willing, but the flesh is weak! Let others help you get inspired to get out of lazy mode.

Virgo [Aug. 24 – Sept. 22] – Suppose you were someone else for a day! How would it feel to be treated the way you normally treat other people? This is a good time to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and experience life through their eyes! By doing this, you are apt to become more conscious of your own actions and the effect of those actions on the people around you!

Libra [Sept. 23 – Oct. 23] – Today your thoughts may turn to fashion and the different ways in which you can improve your wardrobe! Do not be afraid to create a look that reflects your true inner spirit! Deck yourself in external splendour to illustrate the many different colours and layers you carry on the inside! Do not hesitate to pick up a fashion magazine at the grocery store!

Scorpio [Oct. 24 – Nov. 22] – The amazing thing about your nature is that, like a good politician, you have just the right tone of voice and catch phrase for every situation! You can put on your smile and charm and talk your way out of just about any pickle you get into! Embrace this incredible gift, but make sure your overall goals are noble as opposed to self-serving or vengeful!

Sagittarius [Nov. 23 – Dec. 21] – You are apt to get the feeling that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence today! Try not to get too hung up on this! Either make the effort to go where the landscape looks richer and more fruitful or stay where you are! The key to true happiness is to make sure that regardless of where you end up, you enjoy the spot where you are!

Capricorn [Dec. 22 – Jan. 20] – Your mind may wander to a fantasyland full of castles, wizards, and magic dragons today! You could find you are putting yourself in the robes of a beautiful or handsome figure in a tall tower who is waiting for the perfect mate to come along! Observe the fanciful scenario you have created and see how the symbols and characters connect with your real life! Your imagination is trying to tell you something!

Aquarius [Jan. 21 – Feb. 18] – Get on the fast track and use your powerful words and creative mind to make quick decisions that are mindful yet spontaneous! If you get in a pinch today, do not worry about it! Simply relax, take a deep breath, and let your intuition guide you to the right path! Instead of wasting your energy thrashing helplessly in the water, call for help!

Pisces [Feb. 19 – March 20] – Start the day with some vigorous yoga and then some meditation to help clear your mind! Stretch your body and get the blood flowing through all of your limbs! Once your blood is flowing, your mind will get moving! Before it gets too far into its noisy routine, take the opportunity to maintain a quiet, serene state while you clear out the static and set forth your goals for the day!