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
Arson or accident? Investigators wonder about White Lake wildfires
PENTICTON - An unusual number of wildfires occurring in the rural neighbourhoods of Kaleden and Willowbrook has local and B.C. Wildfire Service officials concerned. Fire information officer Kayla Pepper says they are concerned about the fires which have occurred in the White Lake area. She says they are working with other agencies including the RCMP...
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...
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...
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...
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...
A&W claims first ever ‘float-thru’ on Penticton channel
PENTICTON - A&W sent an actor and crew to Penticton recently to film a commercial for its Facebook page. The series of ads feature a float-thru rather than a drive thru on the Okanagan river channel through the Peach City. There were no shortage of floaters ready for a free burger. Too bad no one...