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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
Man accused in doctor beating enters not guilty plea
PENTICTON - The man accused of brutally beating a doctor in Penticton Regional Hospital’s psychiatric ward last December says he is not guilty of the offence. Defence counsel came before Penticton court on Wednesday, March 18 to inform court of Gregory Stanley Nield’s not guilty plea and set a date for further court action. Nield...
City preparing residents for planned power outages in April
PENTICTON - The City of Penticton is preparing residents for the prospect of planned power outages, beginning next month. A $1.3 million capital project to construct a secondary bus to distribute power from the city side of the Westminster Substation to city customers is the reason for the planned outages. The upgrade will update the...
Penticton takes aim at 55+ B.C. Games
PENTICTON - With preparations to host next year’s B.C. Winter Games now underway, Penticton council last night set its sights on the 55+ B.C. Games for 2018 or 2019. Penticton has received an invitation to bid on the 2017, 2018 or 2019 B.C. Senior Games, acting City Manager Chuck Loewen told council at the March...
City councillors uncomfortable discussing benefits package
PENTICTON - Penticton councillors found it difficult to talk about paid benefits for themselves at the Monday March 16 meeting, but managed to get over it. “I think we tend to tiptoe around this whole conversation about compensation and benefits." Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said. "We have to deal with this now, within the first three...
New city service intended to make it easier to do business in Penticton
PENTICTON - The City of Penticton continues to look for ways to make it easier to do business in the city. Penticton recently signed on to be a part of the BC OneStop Program, a provincial initiative through the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens Services designed to make it easier to launch a new...
City council to look at electrical disconnect fees, benefits package
PENTICTON - Penticton city staff could have a solution to high electrical disconnect-reconnect fees at this evening’s council meeting. Staff are expected to bring a new rate proposal regarding electrical disconnect-reconnect fees to council at tonight’s March 16 meeting. Staff is recommending an amendment to the fees and charges bylaw that would see the disconnect-reconnect...
CROSSING CLOSURE: Portage insists closure was budgetary
PENTICTON - The company that closed its youth residential treatment centre in Keremeos earlier this month without any notice disputes claims by the provincial government that it was closed due to unlicenced staff. Portage B.C. is sticking to its assertion that it closed the facility because of funding issues from the B.C. government, despite a...
Search and rescue teams sharpen skills at Penticton meeting
PENTICTON - Penticton was "SAR Central" on the weekend with several teams from the region gathering to hone their skills and share ideas. The event took place in Penticton Saturday, March 14 and teams practised rescue and communication techniques and did a little networking. The teams, which included Penticton Search and Rescue, Central Okanagan Search...
Quick action limits fire damage in Keremeos
PENTICTON - Keremeos and District Volunteer Fire Department’s quick action limited damage from a kitchen fire yesterday. The Keremeos department responded to a call to a structure fire at River Road and South Keremeos Road on March 12. The fire damaged a portion of the residence’s kitchen above the stove, spreading to the microwave, kitchen...
Thriving Fest of Ale symbolizes microbrew industry in Penticton
PENTICTON - Less than a month away, the 2015 version of Penticton’s Fest of Ale promises to be the biggest and best ever, fitting because this is also the 20th anniversary of the beer quaffer’s gathering. As Fest of Ale has thrived, so too has the local microbrew industry that is growing up around it....
Penticton’s problems with potholes plummet after pleasant winter
PENTICTON - It’s pothole season in Penticton - but cruising the city streets, one would have a hard time noticing it. Penticton’s paved streets got a reprieve from severe winter damage this year due to the unseasonably mild and dry winter. Penticton Communications Officer Simone Blais said public works crews have been working throughout the...
Regional district board hopes to create fertile economic environment
PENTICTON - The regional district continues to be interested in economic growth, but for the time being will not be implementing a full regional economic development service. The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen board of directors discussion regarding the establishment of a regional economic development service focused on the need for public assent for such...
Summerland woman accelerates towards goal as a professional driver
PENTICTON - Summerland’s Sarah Cornett-Ching is going places, and getting there fast. Just weeks after Cornett-Ching made her ARCA racing debut at Daytona International Speedway, her race team, RACE 101, announced in a media release the 23-year-old Summerland resident would be contesting the full ARCA racing series this year. RACE 101 owner Tony Blanchard said...
CROSSING CLOSURE: Licensing issues at the heart of shutdown, ministry says
PENTICTON - A lack of properly licensed staff was a key issue in the sudden closure of the Portage youth treatment facility near Keremeos known as The Crossing last Thursday, March 5, according to the provincial government. “They gave us notice of their decision to withdraw on that day,” said Connie Coniglio, executive director for...
Many questions in Keremeos over quiet closure of The Crossing
PENTICTON - Rumours were swirling in Keremeos over the weekend about the sudden closure of the Portage youth rehabilitation centre last Thursday, but residents had few hard facts to go on with no official announcement from anyone involved. The facility was quiet and empty Monday, a gate barring access to the driveway, with no one...
Broken plate art a public safety concern in Penticton
PENTICTON - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but a recent art project is creating a danger to residents in Penticton. The City of Penticton has received a number of reports from residents complaining of unsafe art following incidents in three different locations. Some residents have asked if these are city art installations but...
Generous donation to hospital care tower fund
PENTICTON - A local businessman has provided a big boost to the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation’s $20 million fundraising effort. David Kampe, owner of the Peters Brothers Group of Companies, became the first major individual donor with his $2 million donation to the new patient care tower at Penticton Regional Hospital. Kampe said he...
City says farewell to former mayor
PENTICTON - The City of Penticton expressed its condolences to the family and friends of Ivan C. Messmer, a former mayor of the City of Penticton, who passes away recently. Ivan Messmer was elected to Penticton council in 1975, taking on the mayor’s role in 1980. Prior to becoming mayor he ran a construction business....
Overdue hiker found after Summerland search
PENTICTON - A search in the Summerland area for a missing woman ended happily for all involved. Penticton Search and Rescue were called to the Summerland area Saturday, March 7 to look for a 28-year-old woman who went missing after a hike. The woman’s West Kelowna family called Summerland RCMP just before 9 p.m. to...
Work on waterfront walkway resumes
PENTICTON - A more widened walkway will enhance visitors and residents useage of the Okangan Lake waterfront during the coming summer days. The reconstruction of Penticton’s lakefront walkway began for another season today, March 9. The walkway reconstruction project, which began in 2013 and officially opened last year, will connect The Peach with Kiwanis Pier....
Addicted youth suffer from lack of treatment facilities
PENTICTON - The closing of Portage’s youth treatment centre near Keremeos last week eliminated an important treatment facility for addicted Canadian youth, says an addiction specialist and certified interventionist. The Crossing, a residential rehabilitation centre for addicted adolescents between the ages of 14 - 18, closed suddenly last week due to a funding disagreement with...
Local cop walks the beat old style
PENTICTON - Penticton RCMP Corporal Don Wrigglesworth is common sight on Penticton city streets these days. But he’s a rare sight as well. Wrigglesworth is the city’s full-time community policing corporal, and in taking on the job has brought some good old-fashioned tradition to Penticton’s police force. Wrigglesworth is a rare sight because he is...
Layoffs announced as Keremeos youth treatment centre closes doors
PENTICTON - A Keremeos residential treatment facility for addicted youth known as The Crossing suddenly closed its doors yesterday, ending the service and sending roughly 20 people out of work. The facility was operated by Portage British Columbia, which confirmed the closure today, March 6. Portage spokesperson Christina Panagio said after a dispute with the...
KOOPMANS TRIAL: More oddities as key witness wraps up testimony
PENTICTON - The key witness in the John Ike Koopmans murder trial continued to grapple with defence lawyers under cross-examination today. Bradley Martin took the witness stand for the third day in Penticton Supreme Court on Friday, March 6. He already told the jury he overheard Koopmans arguing with two other friends, Rose Fox and...