Minnesotans trying to buy a vehicle before winter are finding bare dealer lots and long delays.

• Nick learned that first-hand, and fast, while shopping for a car to accommodate his third child on the way.

Why it matters: There's a national vehicle shortage tied to a scarcity of semiconductor chips, so people are having to wait for their preferred vehicle and pay more when they get it.

• "Everybody's paying sticker price or above sticker to get something they want," said Scott Lambert, president of the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association. "In my 30 years doing this, I've never seen anything like this."

Nick was interested in buying a used vehicle, but the prices were so high that it didn't make a lot of sense.

• Used car prices are up 34% compared to last year. Why spend a few thousand dollars less on a four-year-old vehicle with 50,000 miles and no warranty?

What they're saying: Reader Deb Halvorson wanted to buy a used Subaru Crosstrek, but her dealership didn't have any. She ended up buying a new one.

• Reader Brian Powers also opted for new over used for the same reason when buying a Volkswagen Altas. The good news: The dealership gave him $1,000 more for his Subaru Forester than what he would've gotten when he considered trading it in last year.

State of play: Auto makers are focusing on building trucks and SUVs, which are more profitable than cars, Lambert said.

• Before the chip shortage, 86% of new vehicle sales in Minnesota were trucks and SUVs, but now it’s 90%, he said.

What's ahead: It could be awhile before the market balances out, according to Lambert. Many of the vehicles rolling into dealerships this fall have already been spoken for and the chip shortage is now expected to last through 2022.

• "The Upper Midwest market gets slower in January and February," Lambert said. "That's usually when we catch up on inventory and get ready for spring sales. I don't know that we're going to be given the luxury of getting caught up this year."

Nick ended up buying a Honda Pilot after finding the right trim on Honda.com. He then called Inver Grove Heights Honda and put down a deposit. Now, he's waiting six weeks for the vehicle to be built and shipped from Alabama.

• He paid sticker price.

A majority of state employees subject to the Walz administration's COVID-19 vaccine-or-test mandate have gotten a shot.

By the numbers: As of Sept. 28, 18,614 of the 25,357 qualifying state agency workers submitted proof of vaccination, per Minnesota Department of Management and Budget data.

• That 73% vaccination rate tracks with statewide trends.
• Just 523 employees have not submitted proof of vaccination or consented to testing, MMB's head wrote in a recent letter to lawmakers. That figure could include seasonal employees who may no longer need to comply.

Still unclear is how many employees who declined to comply are facing unpaid leave and other disciplinary actions, as Fox9 notes.

Of note: Because the rule only applies to those who need to work in the office, the number of eligible workers can vary from week to week.

The bottom line: The numbers could preview adoption rates as vaccine mandates spread throughout the public and private sector.

The folks over at digital alt-weekly startup Racket have done some public service journalism, mapping places to get a drink near every station along the Green and Blue lines.

Our take: Cardinal Bar is the O.G. of LRT bar crawls.

• Any map that includes On's Kitchen is a winner.

📕 St. Paul Public Schools will roll out a reorganization plan next week, and it's likely to mean the city will lose some elementary schools. (Star Tribune)

👶 U.S. Rep. Angie Craig is now a grandmother! (Twitter)

📚 Teacher shortages have forced an Eagan elementary school to ask parents to fill in as subs. (WCCO Radio)

🏨 Tourism is booming in Duluth as travelers stay closer to home. Hotel revenue is not only up over 2020, it was beating 2019 numbers this summer. (Star Tribune)

🤷‍♂️ Lawmakers still can't agree on how to dole out $250 million in bonus pay for pandemic frontline workers. (MPR News)

🪧 St. Paul union workers, including snowplow drivers, rejected a two-year contract offer, setting the stage for a possible strike. (Pioneer Press)

🍎 The new super-crisp Triumph apple, created at the U of M, won't be available for sale this fall. But you should be able to begin buying them in 2022. (KARE 11)

The Twin Cities sure are getting in the holiday spirit. Minneapolis resident Molly Priesmeyer recently shared on Twitter this over-the-top Halloween house in Minneapolis' Powderhorn neighborhood.

• "The owner told me it's not done yet!" she said.

💡 What do you think their October electric bill will be?

Tell us: Have you spotted Halloween-decorated homes around town? Send them our way! Just reply to this email with your pics.