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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
Highway 3 reopens after rock slide
PENTICTON - Highway 3 west of Keremeos has reopened to traffic. Another rock slide occurred Tuesday afternoon in the same location where at least three previous slides have occurred in the past year. The highway re-opened this afternoon after a helicopter assessment of the mountain slope took place this morning. It's not the first time...
UPDATE: Highway 3 remains closed due to rockslide
PENTICTON - Highway 3 continues to be closed in both directions this morning after a rockslide occurred nine kilometres west of Keremeos yesterday afternoon. Estimated time of opening is presently unknown as an assessment is being carried out. Detours via 5A and Highway 97 C. We’ll have more details as they become available. Check Drive...
City begins budget discussions
PENTICTON - Penticton’s new council got down to business in a big way Monday with the first of four scheduled meetings discussing the 2015 budget. Monday’s budget talks outlined capital budget expenditures. Two citizens voiced their wishes to council prior to the 8:30 a.m. start of the meeting, one requesting more fire suppression infrastructure on...
City program recognizes wintertime good Samaritans
PENTICTON -The City of Penticton has a program to encourage neighbours to help neighbours during winter months when precipitation piles up on city sidewalks. Snow Angels was introduced to help raise the profile of “unsung heroes” in city neighbourhoods - people who unselfishly help their neighbours to keep sidewalks clean and safe. The program was...
Man accused in physician beating to undergo psych evaluation
PENTICTON - Gregory Stanley Nield appeared in Penticton court Tuesday after being charged with assault causing bodily harm and aggravated assault. The charges stem from an incident at Penticton Regional Hospital on Dec. 5 after a doctor on duty in the hospital’s psychiatric ward was attacked. The doctor suffered a broken jaw and other facial...
Def Leppard coming to SOEC
PENTICTON - Def Leppard is coming to Penticton’s South Okanagan Events Centre. The British heavy metal rock band will play the SOEC on April 15, 2015. The group is one of the world’s best selling music artists having more than 100 million records worldwide between 1977 -2014, on the solid performances of such hits as...
Suspect in assault released, arrested again
PENTICTON - A Penticton man arrested last week for roughing up a resident in his own home was arrested just a few days later for breaching his probation and allegedly harrassing another resident. Kyle Bachman says he was entering the London Drugs corner of Cherry Lane Shopping Centre on Wednesday, Dec. 3 when he was...
UPDATE: Doctor attacked by patient at Penticton Regional Hospital
PENTICTON - A Penticton doctor is recovering from a broken jaw and other facial injuries suffered during an alleged attack by a psychiatric patient at Penticton Regional Hospital Friday. Police responded to a call at the psychiatric unit at 4:22 p.m. and RCMP arrested 30-year-old Gregory Stanley Nield at the hospital and charged him with...
Coming to grips with the Christmas season
PENTICTON - Several residents braved a sudden snow squall Friday to discuss how to survive and thrive in the holiday season. The title of the Penticton library’s “Learning Lunch” meeting was Preparing for the Holiday Season Without Losing Your Mind or Your Heart. Librarian Karen Kellerman facilitated the discussion, which involved half a dozen Penticton...
City of Penticton welcomes taxpayer input into 2015 budget
PENTICTON - The City of Penticton is inviting residents, businesses and stakeholders in the city to take part in assembling the 2015 budget. The initial budget schedule begins with capital budget discussions on Monday, December 8 at 8:30 a.m. Budget talks continue Wednesday, December 10 at 8:30 a.m., and again on Tuesday, December 16 at...
Low cloud inconveniences air travellers
PENTICTON - This week’s low valley cloud caused some inconvenience for air travellers out of Penticton airport. WestJet reported one flight cancelled, flight 3281, on Wednesday afternoon due to low ceilings. “We instituted a shuttle service on Wednesday and passengers were taken to Kelowna, where they caught their flight,” WestJet Customer Service Agent Amber Panchyshyn...
SPCA offers pet advice for cold weather and Christmas
PENTICTON - As Penticton experiences its second cold snap of the season, the Penticton SPCA offers some words of advice for animal lovers. “Bring animals in from the cold,” is some simple advice Corinne Ross, Branch Manager for the Penticton SPCA, offers. “It depends on the dog, as to how much cold they can experience,...
Oliver man given opportunity for redemption
PENTICTON - An Oliver man will not have to spend any more time behind bars after pleading guilty to three counts in a Penticton courtroom on December 3. Steven Thomas Miller was charged with criminal harassment, uttering threats and possession of a prohibited weapon after a whirlwind relationship went sour in May of 2014. Crown...
Penticton high tech company a cut above
PENTICTON - A Penticton company is surviving and thriving on world markets because of its investment in high technology and local know-how. Cut Technologies is the most advanced saw manufacturer for the sawmill industry in North America, Cut Technologies Penticton plant manager Daryl Clarke says. “We’re also the largest producer of round saws for the...
Cold weather good news for Penticton’s homeless
PENTICTON - Marnie Verge, President of the Penticton Lighthouse Low Barrier Shelter Society said last week’s meeting seeking people interested in creating a low barrier shelter in Penticton went “extremely well.” “Even the new mayor showed up,” she said, pleased by the support shown by the new council. Verge said Mayor Jakubeit offered to help...
Penticton man attacked after answering his door
PENTICTON - A Penticton man is recovering from bruises and a concussion sustained after being attacked at his front door. Ken Paton answered a knock on the door of his Westminster Avenue residence around 1 a.m. Monday morning. “I had just gone to bed,” he said, “I didn’t think about it, I just answered the...
Building professionals invited to discuss code changes
PENTICTON - The city is reaching out to local building trades to warn them of imminent changes to the B.C. Building Code and exchange ideas on how they can work together in the future. The building code underwent major revision in 2012 and is set to be implemented Dec. 19, meaning all permits applied for...
Citizens survey helps provide direction for regional district
The Regional District Okanagan - Similkameen’s 2014 Citizen Survey results were revealed in November. The survey takes place every two years, and provides the regional district with feedback on the organization’s performance from taxpayers. The regional district board uses the information to help guide budget and resource allocations. Examples of this year’s data indicated an...
New era in Penticton politics with council inauguration
PENTICTON - The City’s new mayor and council were officially sworn by Judge Gregory Koturbash Monday night prior to getting down to business in their first regular council meeting since the November 15 municipal elections. Penticton will be served for the next four years by Mayor Andrew Jakubeit and councillors Judy Sentes, Helena Konanz, Andre...
Cross border trip turns sour for American visitor
PENTICTON - An impulsive cross border visit by an American student last July proved costly after he failed to tell Canadian Border Services agents about a weapon he was carrying. Cole Reid Phillips pled guilty to a Canada Customs Act charge of smuggling firearms and possession of a restricted firearm, in a plea entered by...
O’Donaghey sentenced on two counts of indecent exposure
Roy O’Donaghey will serve nine months in prison for two acts of indecent exposure in 2011. O’Donaghey faced Penticton court judge Gregory Koturbash for his sentencing hearing Monday morning, following a lengthy trial. O’Donaghey was arrested in 2011 for two counts of exposing his genitals to persons under 16, first to one boy on June...
Politicians host meet and greet
PENTICTON - Penticton’s new mayor and council including local representatives from the provincial and federal governments made themselves available to the public at an informal gathering at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre on Saturday. A moderate turnout of citizens braved icy winds and below normal temperatures from 10 a.m. until noon to meet their...
Only five more sleeps ’til Apex ski resort opens
PENTICTON - Last week’s unexpected heavy snowfall was an unwelcome taste of winter for many of us here in the valley, but operators at Apex Mountain Resort aren’t complaining. “We currently have an 80 centimetre base, 72 centimetres of which has fallen in the last nine days,” said Guest Service and Events Manager Emily Childs....
Business Gives Back fundraising luncheon taking a year off
PENTICTON - Organizers of Penticton's Business Gives Back are taking a year off as Gitta Schoenne and the three other members of the board find themselves too busy for the undertaking this year. “I've been in charge of it for 18 years,” Schoenne says, confident of its return in years to come. “We’ve all just...