Author: Joe Viechnicki, KFSK

A regional health care provider will be taking over mental health counseling in Petersburg next month. The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium has offered to hire employees from Petersburg Mental Health Services and will offer psychiatric emergency care and other services under a new name, Mountainside Behavioral Health. It doesn’t mean an end to the local organization that’s been helping clients since 1993.

Petersburg will bring back some form of the Little Norway Festival this year although it’s expected to look a little different in a COVID-19 world. Petersburg’s Chamber of Commerce board made the announcement online last week.

Petersburg’s borough assembly Monday night approved a shorter list of top priorities for possible federal funding. The community’s lobbyist suggested that move with the potential for a national infrastructure funding bill.

Petersburg’s community risk level was lowered again Monday, March 22 and the local emergency operations center says the COVID-19 outbreak appears to be over.

State health officials say Petersburg’s recent outbreak of COVID-19 looked similar to the rapid spread seen in other parts of rural Alaska that hadn’t already seen widespread infection.