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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
City grant helping to reduce fresh fruit and produce waste
PENTICTON - A City of Penticton grant is helping to reduce the amount of food wasted during the abundant summer months. The Okanagan Fruit Tree Project says the $7,000 grant has allowed the hiring of a part time coordinator to increase the amount of overproduced food redistributed to those in need. Coordinator Deb Thorneycroft says...
Initial phase of Penticton Creek restoration half complete
PENTICTON - The first phase of the Penticton Creek restoration is half finished. Reconstruction of the showcase section of creek bed began August 4. The initial project was designed to provide a demonstration to the public of what creek restoration looks like, as construction efforts worked to provide restored fish habitat, maintained flood protection and...
Airport expanding while transfer talks in limbo
PENTICTON - Expansion of the Penticton Regional Airport continues while talks with the federal government over local management of the facility appear to be in limbo. Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen director and Penticton mayor Andrew Jakubeit noted those facts following the announcement of a contract award to Penticton based Greyback Construction for expansion of...
Penticton Regional Hospital gets temporary parking lot
PENTICTON - A temporary parking lot has been approved by Penticton city council for use during construction of the new patient care tower at Penticton Regional Hospital. The parking lot on Camrose Street will be for construction workers, but there won't be a crosswalk in the middle of Industrial Avenue as originally proposed by Interior...
Osoyoos RCMP get their man for possession of stolen property
PENTICTON - A man well known to Osoyoos RCMP, who was caught at the scene of a break and enter, has been convicted today for possession of stolen property. Osoyoos RCMP say Cameron McRae, 44, was arrested on January 18 at an Osoyoos winery where police found McRae trying to smash through a fence on...
Woman killed crossing Penticton street identified
PENTICTON - The B.C. Coroners Service has identified the woman struck and killed at a pedestrian crossing in Penticton last week. Colleen Esther Mary Brennan, 48, died of injuries sustained after she was struck by a pickup truck at approximately 4 p.m., Aug. 18, while crossing Maple Street. The Penticton resident was rushed to Penticton...
Temporary closures anticipated during salmon restoration effort
PENTICTON - A salmon restoration project will impact road, trail and channel users this fall, as the Okanagan Nation Alliance Fisheries Department moves ahead with plans to restore salmon habitat in the Okanagan River channel beginning in September. Biologist Natasha Lukey told the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen Board of Directors about plans to build...
ELECTION 2015: Liberal candidate hopes to be unifying force in new riding
PENTICTON - The Liberal candidate for the new federal riding of South Okanagan-West Kootenay feels her party is ideally situated, ideologically, to represent the area in Ottawa. Connie Denesiuk says Liberals have a history of bringing people together, something she is also noted for. “This is a huge, diverse riding containing 40 communities, every one...
Wildfire smokes Rock Creek music festival
PENTICTON - The Rock Creek fire has claimed another victim, this time in the form of an annual music festival. Ponderosa Music and Arts Festival organizers have announced the Rock Creek event will not take place this year. They explain in a media safety concerns have been raised by local government officials due to the...
Penticton city councillor forced to flee Washington State wildfires
"IT WAS VERY, VERY SCARY" PENTICTON - A camping trip turned into a nightmare for a Penticton couple thanks to the wildfires raging in Washington State. Penticton city Coun. Helena Konanz and her husband Adam were forced to cut short the mid-week holiday when wildfires had them beating a hasty retreat from Winthrop yesterday, August...
Improvements could be coming to vacant Three Gables Hotel property
PENTICTON - A long standing vacant lot in Penticton’s downtown core has attracted the attention of Penticton's city councillors. The owner of a series of vacant lots on Main Street which used to contain the Three Gables Hotel approached city council this week with a request for a variance in order to operate a parking...
First phase of Trail of the Okanagans nearing completion in Summerland
PENTICTON - Construction is nearing completion on the Trail of the Okanagans connection between Summerland and Trout Creek. Founding Director of the Trail of the Okanagans, Don Gemmell, says the link is nearly finished, as workers perform clean up work on the corridor. The connection, which links Lakeshore Drive in Summerland to Landry Crescent in...
Volunteer appreciation evening planned in Oliver
PENTICTON - The Town of Oliver is preparing to show its appreciation to the many volunteers who worked tirelessly to manage emergency efforts last weekend during the worst of the Wilsons Mountain and Testalinden Creek fires. An appreciation event is planned for Thursday, August 20, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Oliver Community Park. Emergency Support...
Controlled burn operations continue on Testalinden Creek fire
PENTICTON - Fire fighters on the Testalinden Creek and Wilsons Mountain fire continued to make progress on the fire front today. B.C. Wildfire spokesperson Noelle Kekula says the Testalinden Creek fire is now estimated to be 1,850 hectares in size, at 40 per cent containment. It is currently being worked by 126 firefighters, 10 helicopters...
Smoky skies advisory issued for Penticton
PENTICTON - Residents with respiratory issues are being advised to limit activities as smoke conditions worsen in the South Okanagan. The Ministry of Environment in collaboration with Interior Health, has issued a smoky skies advisory for the South Okanagan today, August 19. The ministry advises residents to avoid strenuous outdoor activities as smoke concentrations are...
How does a local Penticton company one up an A&W float-thru? One word: Relvis
PENTICTON - Earlier this week, the massive burger chain A&W produced a commercial about a stunt on the Penticton channel. Now a home-grown competitor has one-upped the big guys in style: Elvis style. Ralph "Relvis" Ramsay, owner of Houndogs at the mid-way point on the Penticton channel produced a high-quality commercial celebrating ten years in...
Former mayor blasts council for waterpark decision
PENTICTON - Penticton mayor and council received an earful in council chambers last night as those opposed to the proposed waterpark development at Skaha Park addressed council once more. A deal was signed earlier in the month for redevelopment of the Skaha Marina area, but council agreed to hear, once more, from those opposed to...
Cautionary notice from Penticton as B.C. Wildfire crews continue suppression efforts near Oliver
PENTICTON - The City of Penticton is urging residents to take extra care while using interface areas of the municipality. Communications Officer Simone Blais says the city identified high hazard areas last week, including Munson Mountain and the Kettle Valley Trail as places where the public needs to take “that extra step to make sure...
Doughnuts, deportation and tossed cigarettes keep Penticton police busy
PENTICTON - Crime appears to be taking a bit of a break in the Peach City, although RCMP were still kept busy working at the wildfires that broke out across the region last week. In the past week RCMP dealt with the following incidents, according to RCMP media spokesperson Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth: - Thieves attempted...
Penticton airport expansion announced
PENTICTON - Rumours of impending expansion of the Penticton Regional Airport are rumour no more. According to a post by Coun. Andre Martin on the Penticton Business website the expansion of the holding area will begin soon. He notes local contractor Greyback Construction was awarded the contract from Public Works and Government Works Canada. The work is expected...
Oliver wineries confident wildfires won’t affect quality of crop
OKANAGAN - The full effects of Friday’s wildfires on Oliver wineries may not be known for awhile but winery owners are breathing a sigh of relief no wineries have been lost during the blazes. Fire crews continue to make progress in their efforts to quench the Testalinden Creek and Wilsons Mountain fires this week. What still...
Okanagan First Nations develop new business with sustainable sockeye initiative
PENTICTON - Years of hard work and dedication by the Okanagan Nation Alliance to re-establish the Okanagan sockeye has resulted in a new and emerging interior fishery, as well as a new business opportunity for local First Nations. The Alliance reintroduced sockeye fry into Skaha Lake in 2003, entering into cooperative water sharing agreements with...
Structure fire at Oliver business
PENTICTON - Oliver has been rocked by another major fire, this time a structure fire to a business. Following two major wildfires near the town last Friday, August 14, the Oliver Fire Department is fighting another fire this afternoon. Members of the Oliver Volunteer Fire Department have been fighting a blaze that broke out at...
The danger of drones in wildfire zones
PENTICTON - One of the members of the B.C. Wildfire aircrew who spotted the drone flying over the Testalinden Creek fire near Oliver Sunday says it was pure luck they saw the unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV. The errant drone prompted an immediate grounding of eight helicopters and five planes, and as a result, the...