A Wisconsin border town without pandemic restrictions is inundated with Minnesota partiers; not [View all]

A Wisconsin border town without pandemic restrictions is inundated with Minnesota partiers; not everyone is thrilled


On the crowded streets of downtown Hudson, Wisconsin, after sunset on a Friday in December, a man could be overheard as he waited in a huddle to get into Agave Kitchen: “I believe in it, I just don’t think it’s that bad,” he said loudly, confident in his chances against COVID-19.

There were no parking spots to be had. Groups jumped out of vehicles quickly at red lights — mask-less and on a mission. By 7:30 p.m., almost 600 cars with Minnesota license plates lined the streets of this quaint bedroom community.

Hudson, located in St. Croix County, is only 18 miles from St. Paul — the perfect border town for Minnesotans who want to escape the tight coronavirus regulations imposed by Gov. Tim Walz, who only allowed restaurants to open again this week, but with a raft of regulations intended to prevent the spread of the virus.

Hudson currently does not have any capacity limits on indoor dining or restrictions such as social distancing or mask mandates. Other border towns separating Minnesota and Wisconsin have likewise become destinations for Minnesotans, but city leaders say the phenomenon has put more stress on Hudson because they have few citywide COVID-19 regulations, an under-staffed public health department and high infection rates. St. Croix County has had nearly 7,000 confirmed cases.

Read more: https://minnesotareformer.com/2021/01/13/a-wisconsin-border-town-without-pandemic-restrictions-is-inundated-with-minnesota-partiers-not-everyone-is-thrilled/