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 12, 2026

International Youth Day!

Middle Child Day!

World Elephant Day!

9 a.m. – M.D. of Smoky River meets in Falher in council chambers.

10 – 11 a.m. – Storytime at HP Municipal Library. (Ages 2-5 Years with Parent)

10 a.m. – Big Lakes County meets in High Prairie in council chambers.

10 a.m. – Noon – HP CRC Baby & Me program for children 0-12 months.

12:30 – 5:30 p.m. – Marigold Farmers Market in HP at 4724- 53 – Ave.

1 p.m. – Warhammer Wednesday at Nampa FCSS Office.

5:30 p.m. – Play bingo at Kinuso Ag Hall. Pre-call 6:30 p.m., regular games at 6:45 p.m.

6:30 p.m. – Town of McLennan meets in in council chambers.

7 p.m. – Drop-In Beanbag/Cornhole at Joussard Community Association Hall. $2 fee.

7 p.m. – Village of Girouxville meets in in council chambers.

7 p.m. – Town of Falher meets in in council chambers.

7 p.m. – AA meetings at Grouard in Brown Building behind Kapawe’no Hall #55.

7 p.m. – Faust Silver & Gold meeting at Faust Hall.

7 p.m. – Work bee at Pioneer Threshermans Association grounds at Triangle.

7 – 8 p.m. – Outdoor Concert Series featuring Ian Dickson at PR Riverfront Park. Free!

7 – 9 p.m. – Drop-In Volleyball for Teens at St. Isidore Cultural Centre.

7:30 p.m. – Play cribbage at Joussard Homesteaders Hall.

Today’s Celebrity Birthdays – August 12, 2026

1774 – Robert Southey, Story of the 3 Bears Author

1781 – Robert Mills, Washington Monument Architect

1848 – Macellus Emants , Along the Nile Author

1859 – Katharine Lee Bates, America the Beautiful Author

1881 – Cecil B. DeMille, The Ten Commandments Director

1885 – Marion Lorne, The Graduate Actress

1886 – Keith Murdoch, Australian Newspaper Magnate

1889 – Zerna Sharp, Dick and Jane Author

1898 – Oscar Homolka, Seven Year Itch Actor

1904 – Alexei Nikolaevich, Last Tsarevich of Russia

1907 – Joe Besser, Three Stooges Actor

1910 – Jane Wyatt, Father Knows Best Actress

1910 – Yusof bin Ishak, First President of Singapore

1914 – Ruth Lowe, Canadian Pianist/Composer

1918 – Sid Bernstein, Beatles Producer

1925 – Norris McWhirter, Guinness Book Co-Founder

1925 – Ross McWhirter, Guinness Book Co-Founder

1927 – Porter Wagoner, Discovered Dolly Parton

1941 – Jennifer Warren, Slap Shot Actress

1949 – Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits Musician

1954 – Sam J. Jones, Flash Gordon Actor

1961 – Roy Hay, Culture Club Guitarist

1971 – Pete Sampras, American Tennis Pro

1973 – Jonathan Coachman, WWE Announcer

1978 – Hayley Wickenheiser, Canadian Ice Hockey Player

1979 – Cindy Klassen, Canadian Speed Skater

This Day in Local History – August 12, 2026

Aug. 12, 1912: About 50 people attend a meeting at Cunningham’s Pool Hall to discuss incorporating Grouard into a town from a village. A census is commissioned to support the project.

Aug. 12, 1914: T.R. Bunfield concludes his feasibility study report on the draining of Stinking Lake. He was considering draining the lake and opening the land to settlement.

Aug. 12, 1933: The Governor-General of Canada and his wife, Lord and Lady Bessborough, visit St. Bruno Mission in Joussard.

Aug. 12, 1962: The visiting High Prairie Peewees lose to Barrhead 17-9 in the first game of their best-of-three provincial playoff series.

Aug. 12, 1968: The Salt Prairie post office closes.

Aug. 12, 1973: The Grimshaw Huskies defeat the High Prairie Playboys 4-3 to win a fastball tournament in High Prairie.

Aug. 12, 1979: The High Prairie Playboys win $600 after placing first at a fastball tournament in Slave Lake.

Aug. 12, 1979: Roy Kreiger wins Best All-Round Cowboy as the Salt Creek Riding Club hosts its annual rodeo.

Aug. 12, 1981: South Peace News reports water from the new raw water reservoir is being treated at the upgraded water treatment plant.

Aug. 12, 1981: South Peace News reports that the East Prairie Eagles win the Lesser Slave Lake Men’s Fastball League defeating the High Prairie Playboys in the final three games to two.

Aug. 12, 1984: The Peavine Smokers defeat the Driftpile Swingers to win the slo-pitch tournament portion of Driftpile Sports Days.

Aug. 12, 1992: The I.D. council agrees to build a $1 million administration building just outside High Prairie’s boundaries on the west end.

Aug. 12, 1993: Allen Leroy Cooper, 49, of Vermilion, dies on Highway 750 south of Gift Lake after falling off the tailgate of a truck and hitting his head on the pavement.

Aug. 12, 1998: High Prairie town council finally admits the new log tourist booth will not open until 1999. Earlier they had targeted a June 1 opening.

Aug. 12, 1999: Randy and Crystal Winterburn open R.J.’s Meats across from the post office.

Aug. 12, 1999: Jack Burley receives a Life Commitment Award from Alberta Museums.

Aug. 12, 2001: High Prairie Dolphin Nicole Vandermeulen breaks a 16-year Alberta record in the girl’s 17 years and over 50-metre butterfly in a time of 31.24 seconds at the Grande Prairie Regional Swim Meet. In all, 11 Dolphins qualify for the provincial swim meet.

This Day in World History – August 12, 2026

1336 – English King Edward III ends wool export to Flanders.

1492 – Christopher Columbus arrives in Canary Islands on first voyage.

1676 – First war between American colonists & Indians ends in New England.

1833 – The town of Chicago is incorporated [population 350].

1851 – American inventor Isaac Singer patents the sewing machine.

1856 – Anthony Fass patents accordion.

1863 – First cargo of lumber leaves Burrard Inlet [Vancouver].

1865 – Joseph Lister performs first antiseptic surgery.

1877 – Thomas Edison completes first model for the phonograph.

1883 – The last quagga [zebra subspecies] dies.

1898 – Hawaii is formally annexed to US.

1908 – Henry Ford’s company builds the first Model T car.

1927 – “Wings” – 1 of 2 silent films to win Oscars best picture – opens.

1930 – Patent granted for method for quick freezing food.

1943 – Alleged date of the first Philadelphia Experiment.

1944 – Pipeline under ocean [Pluto] begins operating.

1953 – Ann Davison becomes first woman to sail solo across Atlantic.

1953 – Soviet Union conducts secret test of its first hydrogen bomb.

1960 – Echo 1, first communications satellite, is launched by NASA.

1962 – First time 2 people are in space.

1972 – Last American combat ground troops leave Vietnam.

1979 – Iranian press censors start massive book burnings.

1981 – IBM introduces its first personal computer.

1983 – General Manuel A Noriega becomes commander of Panamanian army.

1988 – Movie “Last Temptation of Christ” is released.

1988 – Nelson Mandela is treated for tuberculosis at hospital.

1992 – Canada, Mexico, and USA end NAFTA negotiations.

2000 – Russian submarine K-141 Kursk explodes and sinks.

2014 – Ebola outbreak death toll exceeds 1,000.

2016 – Cannes becomes first French resort to ban the burkini.

2018 – NASA launches the Parker Space Probe, its first mission to the sun.

Today’s Horoscopes – August 12, 2026

Aries [March 21 – April 20] – Today you might wake up feeling you can move mountains! This might be exactly what you set out to do, figuratively speaking! Your physical energy, enthusiasm, and self-confidence are very high! Your own and others’ creative projects could take up a lot of your time! If you are coaching or helping others, however, avoid the temptation to take over the project!

Taurus [April 21 – May 21] – Today you could recapture the joy in life you had as a child! You are serious by nature, and feelings of joy are to be lived and treasured! You could be experiencing true flow! There might not be any real reason for it, so do not try to find one! Your imagination and your relationships with others could be enhanced as a result! Relish the moment!

Gemini [May 22 – June 21] – Projects involving a group, perhaps your entire community, could take up a lot of your time! Interesting news and stimulating conversations could come your way! Expect a lot of activity around you! You could be running around in the car, seeing people, getting errands taken care of! You could also find yourself changed somewhat – for the better, of course!

Cancer [June 22 – July 22] – New ideas for your career could be on your mind! You might be thinking not only about getting a new job but also entering an entirely new field! This could be a positive development, but do not be too impulsive and leap without thinking! List your options, cross out the unworkable ones, and do some research on the rest! Even though you may feel some urgency, there is none!

Leo [July 23 – Aug. 23] – Continued success and good luck should have you feeling charged up to move ahead with plans and ideas! Your energy and enthusiasm are high! You are likely thinking about expanding your horizons, perhaps through travel or education! You should definitely give these serious thought! Plan carefully and take care not to move before the time is right!

Virgo [Aug. 24 – Sept. 22] – Do not be surprised if sometime during the day you feel angry for no apparent reason! It is probably rooted in the past, from a situation that was not resolved long ago! Take a good look at what is going on today! Did some person or event awaken old traumas within you? Let them and the anger go! This can only benefit you and clear the way for more positive emotions!

Libra [Sept. 23 – Oct. 23] – This is a great day to start new enterprises with others! Possible gatherings with friends or group activities could lead to ideas for new projects that fire your energy and enthusiasm! New immediate and long-term goals should be set! Some people may not be interested and could drop out, but do not worry! Others who share your interests will quickly step in to take their places!

Scorpio [Oct. 24 – Nov. 22] – Activities of some kind could put you in the public eye today! Some work you have done well might bring you richly deserved acknowledgement! Your energy and enthusiasm are already high, and you are probably all fired up to do more! This could bring up thoughts of changes in your working situation! But do not give notice right away! Some careful thought is needed!

Sagittarius [Nov. 23 – Dec. 21] – Changes to your chosen field are indicated! Ideas from other states or countries might fire your creativity! Your intellectual or artistic interests could take on a new dimension, expanding your horizons and opening new opportunities! You might toy with the idea of travel, perhaps to learn more about these matters! Possible formal education in new fields is also indicated!

Capricorn [Dec. 22 – Jan. 20] – A sum of money above and beyond your usual income could come your way! This could be a bonus, settlement, or even a gift of some kind! You could put it to work making changes in your home, perhaps repairs, perhaps remodeling or redecorating! This may seem like a daunting prospect, but you will have the energy and enthusiasm in addition to the money! Go to it!

Aquarius [Jan. 21 – Feb. 18] – Some vast changes in your community could take place! They are positive, for the most part! Today the news should spread widely, and you could be hearing about it from all sides – local newspapers, neighbours, and conversations on the street! The level of excitement in your neighbourhood is likely high, and you could get caught up in it! Be prepared for some surprises!

Pisces [Feb. 19 – March 20] – You might choose to do some volunteer work today or help a friend! This could make you aware of a talent you did not know you had! It could pave the way to more income! You could feel very proud of yourself and decide to do more with this ability, leading not only to financial benefits but also to increased self-esteem! Go for it!