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
Oliver continues to remember a beloved educator
PENTICTON - It’s been two months to the day since Oliver lost one of the town’s - and School District 53’s - most respected educators, but residents aren’t about to forget the man anytime soon. The community and school district were shocked to hear of the sudden death of David Barton Tumlinson on January 23, 2015....
Summerland man enters guilty plea
PENTICTON - A Summerland man has pleaded guilty to a criminal charge stemming from an inappropriate relationship with a minor. Joshua J. Roberts entered the plea to sexual exploitation from a relationship with a 17-year-old girl that lasted for almost a year. Roberts originally faced five counts from what was described as a consensual relationship...
Brit Floyd brings Pink Floyd experience to Penticton
PENTICTON - The act billed as the world’s greatest Pink Floyd show is making its way to Penticton. Brit Floyd has launched its Space & Time world tour with over 100 concerts planned through the U.S. and Canada between March and August of 2015. The tour will stop at the South Okanagan Events Centre on...
No solutions on the horizon to urban deer management issues
PENTICTON - Municipalities looking for a solution to excessive deer in their neighbourhoods shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for workable legislation from the B.C. government. The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen met with the province and a handful of other municipalities for a two day workshop to discuss urban deer issues. Regional district Chief Administrative...
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...
Barney Bentall reuniting with Legendary Hearts at Peachfest
PENTICTON - This year’s Penticton Peach Festival will host a reunion for a well known Canadian band. Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts are reuniting for the first time in two years to take to the stage at the 68th annual Peach Festival on Wednesday, August 5. Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts haven’t performed...
City electrical consumption up in spite of warmer winter
PENTICTON - A warmer winter doesn’t seem to have reduced the need for electricity in the city. One might expect electrical consumption to drop in the wake of a milder winter with a presumed reduced need for electrical power for heating purposes, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, according to city and Ministry...
Regional water conservation projects receive water board funding
PENTICTON - The Regional District Okanagan Similkameen has received some welcome grant funding from the Okanagan Basin Water Board. The RDOS recently received grant funding for two water conservation projects, in the form of $28,840 from the OBWB to support Phase two of the Regional Water Use Regulation and Conservation Bylaw and Phase one of...
Regional district directors say more policing needed for Oliver area
PENTICTON - The South Okanagan’s new correctional facility is barely under construction, but already causing policing issues in the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen. The regional district board is concerned about an increased need for police officers in the South Okanagan as construction on the corrections facility in Oliver ramps up. Chief Administrative Officer Bill Newell...
Former Crossing residents won’t let it die
PENTICTON - A former Portage B.C. resident of The Crossing treatment centre is petitioning for its return. A number of former residents at the company’s youth residential addiction treatment facility located near Keremeos, which suddenly closed earlier this month, want to see the program continue in B.C. “We need more places like that. Portage made...
What a former U.S. deputy district attorney does for RCMP
PENTICTON - The man responsible for civilian oversight into critical police incidents discussed his mandate with members of the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen board on March 19. Chief Civilian Director of the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. Richard Rosenthal was on a tour of regional police facilities and local governments to talk about the IIO’s...
Failure to resolve drainage issues lead to injunctive action
PENTICTON - The problem with drainage issues between three businesses in Penticton’s industrial park started in 2013 and now injunctive action has been taken by the city on two of the properties, as announced at the Monday, March 16 council meeting. City staff began a file on the issue in October of 2013 after problems...
City moves ahead with graffiti management strategy
PENTICTON - The city’s desire to take action against graffiti was firmed up at the March 16 meeting of council with approval of a graffiti management policy. A Graffiti Management Strategy was introduced at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Feb. 2., with key elements in the strategy involving enforcement and education, reporting and...
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...