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Steve Arstad
I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.
Steve Arstad's Stories
Another former tenant of Penticton rental speaks out about rat issue
PENTICTON - Another former tenant of a Penticton rental house says he was forced out of the house because of rodent issues. Bram Avery told Infonews he and his wife rented the house, located at 292 Kinney Ave., prior to Linda Childs, who moved out last month because rats were overrunning the property. Avery says...
Torchlight ceremony signals major milestone to B.C. Winter Games in Penticton
PENTICTON - The countdown to the Penticton 2016 B.C. Winter Games is underway with an official torch lighting ceremony set for next week. The ceremony will take place on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 6:30 p.m. outside the South Okanagan Events Centre on the plaza. Local entertainers such as Beamer Wigley, Outma Sqilx’W Cultural School Children’s...
Penticton hospital care facility temporarily locked down after verbal threat
PENTICTON - A fired employee threatened a manager last week, putting a long term care facility at Penticton Regional Hospital in lockdown. On Tuesday, Oct. 27, an employee of the facility who was fired threatened a manager while leaving, stating the manager 'wouldn’t make it out of the building alive,' Penticton RCMP media spokesperson Cpl....
Phony firearms, drunk driving and drugs keep Penticton officers busy
PENTICTON - In addition to answering the usual calls for assistance, calls about an axe handle disguised as a gun and a break and enter to the local bottle depot kept Penticton RCMP busy last week. On Tuesday, Oct. 27, Penticton RCMP stopped a man on Highway 97 just outside of Penticton and discovered he...
Community toy drive aims to give Penticton kids a special Christmas
PENTICTON - A new collaborative effort between two Penticton businesses hopes to make Christmas a little more special for local children in need. Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, through Lake City Casino in Penticton, is partnering with Locolanding Adventure Park to collect new, unwrapped gifts for underprivileged children in the South Okanagan. The first annual Community...
Similkameen youth treatment facility continues to languish
PENTICTON - The re-opening of a youth addiction treatment facility continues to stall in the Similkameen valley as the property’s owners work with the province to restablish new guidelines. Central City Foundation Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Johnstone says the foundation, which owns the former Portage youth addiction treatment facility known as The Crossing, remain committed...
Oliver family feels marijuana-laced baked goods to blame for sick dog
OLIVER - A family pet needed emergency care after ingesting enough marijuana to cause THC toxicity this past weekend, leaving his Oliver family to believe a Halloween prank is to blame. Faith Speed started 'Rangers Medical Support Fund' after her dog got sick this past weekend, which she believes was caused when someone left something...
Halloween hijinks include kids with ‘copious amounts’ of alcohol in Penticton
PENTICTON - Police spent a busy Halloween night responding to numerous fireworks and intoxicated persons complaints. “Copious amounts of liquor was seized from 15 year old youths,” Penticton RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says. Numerous backpacks were seized, full of bottles of everything from Jack Daniels whiskey to Captain Morgans rum, he says. Several two-litre...
Two Penticton men with head and neck wounds refusing to cooperate with police
PENTICTON - Two men were treated for what appeared to be assault wounds in Penticton last night, but both are refusing to cooperate with police. A 37-year-old Penticton man walked into the Penticton Regional Hospital with severe injuries to his throat on Monday, Nov. 2, around 11:15 p.m., according to Penticton RCMP media spokesperson Cpl. Don...
Senior ordered to abstain after series of booze related disturbances
PENTICTON - An elderly man who threatened a police officer and caused a disturbance at Cherry Lane Mall last month was released today, Nov. 2 after being sentenced to time already served. Gerzon Kovacs was arrested Sept. 3, 2015, at Cherry Lane Mall after Penticton RCMP were called to deal with a disturbance. Police arrested...
Downtown merchants to celebrate life of Gordon Kennedy on Friday
Please save the date - Friday Nov 6, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. which is also Random Acts of Kindness Day We are pleased to announce that in collaboration with, Penticton Access Centre Society and the Downtown Penticton Association, our “Celebration of Life for Gordy” will take place in one of Gordy’s favorite early morning hang...
Penticton council to look at utility rate review tonight
PENTICTON - Penticton city council will be discussing the results of a rate review of the city’s utilities tonight. The rate review was undertaken earlier this year and looks at how the rates for electric, water and sewer services compare with other municipalities and service providers such as BC Hydro and Fortis. The city also...
Penticton crash sends motorcyclist to hospital
PENTICTON - A car crash on Skaha Lake Road Sunday afternoon sent one person to hospital. A car and a motorcyle were involved in the crash at around 12:45 pm., Nov. 1, in the 3500-block of Skaha Lake Road, according to reports. Witnesses say the man riding the motorcycle was lying in the middle of...
Fireworks readily available, but mostly illegal in Penticton and area
PENTICTON - With Halloween upon us this Saturday, many residents may be thinking of celebrating the evening with a fireworks display. Unfortunately, depending on where you live, that might not be such a good idea, from both a legal and a safety point of view. "In Penticton it’s against the bylaw to set off fireworks...
Penticton pool reopening delayed again
PENTICTON - It’s taking much longer than originally anticipated to get the leisure pool at the Penticton Community Centre full of water again. The leisure pool was originally slated to open in September after being closed for most of the summer while pool tiles were replaced. Leaks in the drains were discovered when city workers attempted...
Construction of South Okanagan private racetrack set to begin next week
PENTICTON – Plans to construct a five-kilometre motorsport race track in the South Okanagan received…
Community meeting derailed by outside participants
PENTICTON - A group of people opposed to Electro-magnetic radiation got in the way of an information session for local residents in Kaleden yesterday, Oct.29. The gathering, intended to allow community input and explain a communications project in Kaleden, derailed when a number of outside protesters attempted to focus attention on the ills of cell...
Halloween fun in Penticton
PENTICTON - Halloween falls on a the weekend this year and there are a variety of events to celebrate the ghoulish day in Penticton. Downtown Penticton Associations’ annual Trick or Treat on Backstreet' event takes place Saturday, Oct. 31, running from 3 to 7 p.m. on Backstreet Boulevard. There will be trick-or-treating in local businesses, a...
Peach City Radio concluding a progressive year
PENTICTON - Peach City Radio is completing an exceptional year and making plans for next year as the society gets ready to host its annual general meeting next month. The non-profit society has been working to build a unique, community based radio broadcasting initiative in Penticton and 2015 has been a busy one for Peach City Radio,...
Prolific Okanagan property crimes offender looking for rehabilitation
PENTICTON - A man with a lengthy list of property convictions who 'never got a break' will serve 56 more days in jail for his latest string of criminal activity. Harley J. Barich appeared in Penticton court Tuesday, Oct. 27, pleading guilty to charges of possession of property obtained by crime. Osoyoos RCMP were notified...
Rat infestation forces Penticton woman to leave home
PENTICTON - Linda Childs thought she was moving into the perfect home and it was. For rats. She didn’t notice anything before she moved into the Kinney Street home two years ago with her two grandchildren, ages 5 and 7, until a neighbour let her know. “My neighbours were telling me the last few tenants...
Wine connoisseur Aaron Olfert leaves behind a legacy of kinship
PENTICTON - Friends, business associates and customers are still coming to terms with the passing of one of Penticton’s most revered wine connoisseurs. Aaron Peter Olfert, 37, died of natural causes Saturday, Oct 24, at his home in Penticton. Olfert has worked for the last eight years at the VQA Wine Information Centre on Vees...
Penticton Indian Band hopes to win over Gateway Casinos in bid for new location
PENTICTON – With the future location of the Lakeside Casino in Penticton up in the…
Multiple school closures considered for School District 67
PENTICTON - A deficit for the 2016-2017 school year estimated at $1.025 million has forced School District 67 to come up with some tough choices. The school board revealed those options at a public meeting held at Shatford Centre on Monday, Oct. 26. School board chair Linda Van Alphen says seven of the 18 originally...