Organizers of the Border Battle Tug-of-War last year raised $4,000 for first responders by staging a massive tug-of-war on the Stillwater Lift Bridge prior to a Vikings-Packers game.

But when organizers approached the Minnesota Department of Transportation for permission to hold the event again this winter, MnDOT officials denied their request, stating they could “no longer support annual or recurring events on the structure.”

“Allowing individual events creates a precedent issue and makes it difficult to determine which events are allowable moving forward,” Matthew Schleusner, the agency’s east area principal engineer, wrote in an email to organizers. “We certainly recognize the community’s enthusiasm for this tradition and the bridge’s significance as a shared landmark, but due to the bridge’s historic status, we need to maintain consistency in how the space is managed.”

On Monday, organizers announced that the fundraiser for first-responder associations in the St. Croix River Valley will move to the causeway of the Old Hudson Toll Bridge, otherwise known as the Hudson Dike, in downtown Hudson, Wis. The event will be held at 10 a.m. Jan. 4, right before the two NFL teams face off at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

“We’re disappointed,” said Cory Buettner, who helps organize the event. “I find it hard to believe that our event could somehow negatively impact the integrity and historical significance of the bridge.”

A sign leads to the Old Toll Bridge in downtown Hudson, where this season’s Border Battle Tug of War will be held. (Courtesy of Cory Buettner)

MnDOT officials have previously accommodated a few events on the historic bridge, which no longer carries vehicular traffic, under a “special-occasion justification,” Buettner said. Among them: last year’s Border Battle and a pasta dinner to mark the opening of the Chestnut Street Plaza.

About 300 signed up to compete in last year’s Border Battle, and another 600 or so came out to watch, said Buettner, who owns Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop in downtown Stillwater.

The event is a fundraiser for the Stillwater Police Association, the Stillwater Fire Department Relief Association, Lakeview Health EMS, the North Hudson (Wis.) Police Department and the Town of St. Joseph (Wis.) Fire and Rescue Department.

How it works

Here’s how the Border Battle works: A series of tugs will take place throughout the morning with 25 team members on each side. All participants must register in advance and pay a $30 fee. The minimum age is 18.

Participants pulling for the Vikings will receive a beanie with a purple-and-gold Border Battle patch on it and Packers fans will receive a beanie with a green-and-gold Border Battle patch on it.

Football fans from Minnesota and Wisconsin met on the Stillwater Lift Bridge on Sunday morning, Dec. 29, 2024, to watch the first-ever “Border Battle” tug-of-war event preceding the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers. (Feven Gerezgiher / MPR News)

The winning state will get bragging rights — and raise more money, Buettner said. Sixty percent of the net proceeds will go to the first-responder associations on the winning side of the river; associations on the losing side will get the rest, he said.

“We feel the Lift Bridge is a public asset and that during this time, when the Loop Trail is not heavily used, that we should utilize this as a landmark where people from both sides of the river can come together and have a good time and do something good for the heroes in our communities,” he said.

Every other year?

Stillwater Mayor Ted Kozlowski said he hopes officials from MnDOT, which owns the Lift Bridge, might be more accommodating next year.

“I like the idea of swapping between Stillwater and Hudson every other year to build ties,” he said. “The main issue is the city doesn’t own the Lift Bridge. I think it’s worth a discussion with MnDOT for future years.”

Buettner said he also likes the idea of going back and forth.

“It truly is a border battle,” Buettner said. “We’re looking for a little wedge of possible compromise because our event is in the dead of winter on a Sunday morning when the trail is not very busy.”

Kent Barnard, a spokesman for MnDOT, said Monday that he did not think agency officials will change their minds. The bridge, built in 1931, is a designated historic property and must be “managed in accordance with those preservation requirements,” he said.

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“We are opposed to commercial or recurring activities on it,” he said. “We have done one-off events, including we had the dinner on there, and then last year we did allow that Border Battle to go on, but we do not support annual or recurring events on the Lift Bridge.”

MnDOT officials, Barnard said, do not want to be put in the position of having to decide who gets to do an event and who doesn’t.

“The bottom line is: It is not an event space. It is used for transportation. It’s not for special events. If we continue to do this, we’re going to continue to get more requests and more requests, and it puts us in an awkward position of having to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to things.”

Who won last year? Packers fans prevailed by a score of three tugs to two, Buettner said. “But the Vikings won the football game. Most importantly, everyone had a good time.”

Border Battle Tug-of-War

What: A tug-of-war pitting Minnesota Vikings fans against Green Bay Packers fans in a fundraiser for the Minnesota and Wisconsin first responder organizations.

When: 10 a.m. Jan. 4, which is the day the teams face off at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Where: Old Hudson Toll Bridge, Hudson, Wis.

Cost: $30 per participant

Information: borderbattle.org.

While the Timberwolves performance against likely playoff teams has frustrated the fan base this season, Minnesota’s ability to dispose of cellar dwellers has been impressive.

Two days after a disappointing loss to Denver, the Wolves blew out a short-handed Dallas team, 120-96 at Target Center.

The Mavericks, who were on the second half of a back to back, were down five rotation players. The Wolves showed them no mercy.

Not only has Minnesota taken advantage of its soft opening schedule by devouring every cupcake that’s come it’s way, it’s done so in convincing fashion.

That frequently wasn’t the case for these Wolves in past seasons. But their ability to beat teams they have a clear talent advantage over has propped up their position in the Western Conference standings through 14 games. Minnesota is now 9-0 this season against teams with losing records.

Here are takeaways from Minnesota’s blowout victory:

Reid rolls

After a slow start to the season, Naz Reid is finding his rhythm for Minnesota — and it’s largely stemmed from his energy on the glass.

Reid scored 22 points on Monday on a strong shooting performance, but he also grabbed 12 rebounds to pace the Wolves on the glass.

It’s the second time hitting 12 boards in three games for Reid, who’s averaging 18 points a game in that span.

Clark the spark

Minnesota (9-5) took a minute to establish itself Monday, but that shifted quickly the second Jaylen Clark checked into the game.

Clark instilled a defensive tenacity his teammates picked up on. Dallas (4-11), who’s short on ball handlers, didn’t handle the pressure well. The Mavericks turned the ball over 19 times Monday, which directly resulted in 24 Wolves points.

Dallas shot just 40% from the field and 30% from distance.

McDaniels can’t miss

Anthony Edwards is struggling with his outside shot at the moment. The star guard is 2 for 21 from 3-point range over the last three games. But Minnesota has hardly missed his outside production, thanks to the sharpshooting of Jaden McDaniels.

The defensive stopper went 3 for 4 from deep against Dallas, putting his season-long number at north of 50%. That’s been a bugaboo at times throughout McDaniels’ career, but his confidence and results appear to be an aberration.

Most important, McDaniels is hitting shots from the wing and the top of the floor, with the former being an area where he struggled mightily as recently as last season.

His ability to hit the long ball solves plenty of potential spacing issues for Minnesota.

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Health insurer Medica on Monday announced the acquisition of all of rival UCare’s 2026 Medicaid and individual and family plans.

UCare, based in Minneapolis, currently covers about 300,000 members in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Minnetonka-based Medica covers 1.4 million members across nine states, according to a press release.

The announcement follows UCare’s decision earlier this year to terminate its Medicare Advantage contracts as the company’s board began exploring opportunities for an acquisition, according to the release. Private Medicare Advantage plans augment U.S. government Medicare coverage for seniors.

“As a nonprofit, community-focused health plan, Medica has a long history of serving members in Minnesota, guided by our mission and trusted relationships with providers, customers and members,” said Lisa Erickson, CEO of Medica, in the release. “Now we have the opportunity to build upon both Medica’s strengths and UCare’s legacy, allowing Minnesotans to continue to have a health care experience that ensures they feel cared for.”

Erickson will continue as Medica’s president and CEO.

“Combined, UCare and Medica have nearly a century of industry expertise and a shared commitment to community-driven coverage for those who need it most,” said Hilary Marden-Resnik, president and CEO of UCare. “This is a significant agreement that will enable us to preserve access to coverage for Minnesota’s most vulnerable members.”

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to closing conditions including required regulatory approvals. Terms of the agreement were not announced.

The release says individuals enrolled in UCare’s plans will continue to receive services without interruption.

In a separate news release, state Sen. Matt Klein. DFL–Mendota Heights, promised to “monitor developments, assess legislative oversight needs, and seek input from consumers, providers, and agencies across the state to fight for consumer choice, patient access, and quality of care in our healthcare system.”

Klein is chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.

“I am deeply concerned about the long-term implications of shrinking consumer choice, particularly as Minnesota braces for unprecedented instability within both the provider and payer landscape,” Klein’s release says.

MNsure, the state’s health insurance marketplace, said in its own release that UCare members’ plans through the exchange will not change in coverage or cost for plan year 2026.

“MNsure is working closely with both UCare and Medica to ensure a smooth transition and uninterrupted coverage for Minnesotans,” the state agency said.

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As the chief executive officer of Catholic Charities Twin Cities, Jamie Verbrugge helps oversee 1,000 small apartments tied to voluntary services aimed at helping previously-homeless residents stay housed, such as “wrap-around” counseling support for those with addiction and mental health issues. Verbrugge said 90% of his tenants stick around, or seek new apartments on their own, rather than backsliding into the streets.

Of those units, 120 residences are largely funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which issued new conditions last week fundamentally altering access for permanent supportive housing dollars, if not cutting them in half.

The new requirements heavily cap what percentage of each federal housing grant can fund such services, which is poised to upend how some $48 million in housing dollars are distributed statewide.

For Catholic Charities, “it’s more than $1 million that is in jeopardy right now,” said Verbrugge, who fears the federal government’s new emphasis on temporary, transitional housing mandating work requirements and addiction treatment could leave families out on the street. “There’s the dollars impact, but we’re also concerned about the human impact.”

In a news release on the changes, HUD officials said, “Roughly 90% of the last four year’s (grants) funneled funding to support the failed ‘Housing First’ ideology, which encourages dependence on endless government handouts while neglecting to address the root causes of homelessness, including illicit drugs and mental illness.”

The changes also increase competition for grants, according to the HUD officials, while focusing on “self-sufficiency” and “personal accountability.”

Many housing providers say they’re incredulous chronically homeless residents will be able to make a lasting transition to stable housing that starts out heavy on expectations around work and treatment.

“You’re going to put people in encampments into housing with mandatory service requirements?” said Chris LaTondresse, president and chief executive officer of the Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, one of the largest providers of permanent supportive housing statewide.

Housing groups, members of Congress, weigh in

More than 185 housing organizations from across Minnesota have come together in a letter to Congress asking federal lawmakers to walk back deep changes to $48 million in statewide housing assistance they say could double chronic homelessness, even as much of that funding is redirected toward two-year transitional housing.

Their alarm was echoed by 42 U.S. Senate Democrats — including both senators from Minnesota — as well as 22 Republican House members who recently circulated their own letter urging HUD to extend “Continuum of Care” funding expiring in 2026 by at least an additional year. The Republicans include U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber of Minnesota’s Duluth-based 8th District.

Politico last week reported that HUD expects to award roughly 7,000 housing grants totaling about $3.9 billion, a slight increase from the previous year’s funding and a reflection of rising rent prices. HUD’s “notice of funding opportunity” recommends that organizations prioritize projects that provide “treatment and services people need to recover and regain self-sufficiency.”

Nonprofit housing providers in Minnesota say the new HUD grant rules turn their “Housing First” strategy on its head.

$48 million in funding

For years, leaders of charitable housing organizations such as Catholic Charities and the Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative have embraced a “Housing First” and “Continuum of Care” model that seeks to set up deeply affordable housing at all stages of need, from emergency shelter and transitional housing to permanent supportive housing tied to voluntary services. They’ve prioritized getting the homeless housed even before steering them toward addiction and mental health treatment, on the premise that residents are unlikely to succeed at treatment without a roof over their head.

Minnesota’s 10 Continuums of Care received $48 million in HUD funding last year, with most of that money going toward deeply affordable housing and support services for more than 3,600 people, including seniors, veterans, youth, families and survivors of domestic violence. The new rules announced by HUD last week impose a 30% cap on funding for permanent supportive housing, which could cut existing dollars in half by redirecting housing dollars toward other uses.

“The Continuum of Care program is the largest source of federal grant funds for providing a wide range of housing and services for individuals … at risk of homelessness,” reads a letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner, signed by U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar as well as 40 other Senate Democrats.

“HUD’s current path risks causing a dangerous spike in street homelessness … by forcing nearly 200,000 chronically homeless Americans with disabilities and families back onto the streets,” reads the letter, which was issued last Thursday.

Reducing permanent supportive housing investment

The cap is expected to reduce permanent supportive housing investment nationally from $2.3 billion to $1.2 billion.

Expressing fear that could leave 170,000 people who were previously homeless back on the streets, Beacon Interfaith’s LaTondresse called the changes “the most devastating housing cuts in modern U.S. history.”

“The scale and speed of HUD’s cuts and rule changes place Minnesotans who have overcome homelessness at immediate risk, leave communities with zero time to plan, and reverse decades of bipartisan progress on proven solutions to homelessness,” said LaTondresse, in a written statement last week. His organization in recent weeks had already lost access to two major federal grants totaling $5 million for permanent supportive housing in Richfield and Maplewood.

“Supportive housing works,” LaTondresse said. “It saves lives, saves taxpayer dollars, and reflects the best of who we are … Protect what works.”

Other changes to HUD funding, also announced last week, could pose additional barriers to homelessness prevention, according to housing providers. Base funding for housing interventions known as “Tier 1” support is dropping from 90% to 30% of each community’s annual allocation, freeing up more discretionary funds for the Trump administration’s pilot programs around housing while forcing providers to apply for dollars that comply with executive orders on immigration, public camping bans and gender-related policy compliance.

Calling on Congress and HUD to rethink its strategy, faith leaders plan to join residents and housing providers on Nov. 25 in a 12-hour overnight vigil dubbed “Losing Sleep, Losing Home” at a congregation in Minneapolis. Details are still being sorted, LaTondresse said.

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