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...
Supplement manufacturer coming to Penticton
PENTICTON - The City of Penticton’s economic development officer is excited and pleased at the prospect of a new owner and operator for the former Trophic Nutritional Supplements building in the city’s industrial area. Sangster’s is a vertically integrated company that produces and sells its own product line of vitamins, supplements, snacks and weight loss...
Economic development high on council’s budget priorities
PENTICTON - Penticton’s council faced another marathon budget session Wednesday, tackling the 2015 operating budget. Council approved in principle some hefty increases to the economic development and tourism budgets, as they focus on building the local economy. Aiming at the sport tourism market, council ok'd a $112,000 increase in staffing costs over 2014 to support...
Winter weather affects local air service
PENTICTON - Low clouds and poor visibility contributed to disruptions in air service at Penticton Regional Airport last week. Debra Williams, manager of corporate communications for Jazz Aviation, said some flights to and from Penticton “were impacted” by weather over the weekend. "Weather in the area resulted in the cancellation of the last flights of...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...