Inside the hiring crisis plaguing Texas’ child welfare agency.

Plus: Vertical farms are gamechanger for Houston produce. A late pastor's tear-jerking letters to his wife. Astros opening ALCS in primetime.

View in browser October Sale: 6 Months for 99¢! Access fall events, football and more local news. Subscribe Today. By Brady Stone Weekend Digital Producer Brady.Stone@chron.com Longest game in Astros history. Six. Hours. And. Twenty-two. Minutes. That's enough time to drive from Houston to San Antonio and back, to almost watch The Titanic twice from beginning to end, for an Olympian to run three marathons and — apparently — for the Astros to score one run. Thankfully one run was all it took for the Astros to survive Saturday's 18-inning battle against the Mariners in Seattle.  Next the 'Stros will play in the American League Championship Series against either the Cleveland Guardians or the New York Yankees. Here's hoping we can have a shorter game day this time around. Rain is expected today with highs in the upper 70s. Cooler weather is forecast for the next few days.   Today's top story   Photo: Billy Calzada/Staff Photographer Inside the hiring crisis plaguing Texas' child welfare agency. Monica Knighton was the 12th hiring specialist on her 14-member team to leave in a year. She didn't go quietly.    Five other stories to read today   How vertical farms are a gamechanger for produce in Houston. Kalera's north Houston farm is among a niche, but growing vertical farming industry in Texas that could one day transform how Texans access fresh leafy greens.   Watch China for clues of oil markets' direction. Recession fears have kept the lid of oil prices since OPEC's big production cut earlier this month, turning the market's attention toward China to seek clues about the trajectory to the world's section biggest economy.   Dan Crenshaw in the 2nd Congressional District. [Editorial] Willing to critique his own party's extremists, the representative is a consistent conservative voice who has delivered federal funding for projects that benefit the district.   Astros to play first two ALCS games in primetime. Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS at Minute Maid Park are each scheduled for a 6:37 p.m. first pitch.   A late pastor's tear-jerking letters to his wife, church. Pam Lundberg was still reeling in July when she was asked to take over for her late husband Carl as pastor of Homer United Methodist Church in Lufkin.   One last thing ...   A new list from the Chronicle's food team ranks the top 100 restaurants in Houston and I'm embarassed to admit I haven't been to a single one of them! Does the list include any of your favorites? Which should I try first? Email me! — Brady, who has a special place in his heart for Korean food       October Sale: 6 Months for 99¢! Unlimited Digital Access Act Now No Commitment | Cancel Anytime Unsubscribe  |  Manage Preferences  |  Privacy Notice Houston Chronicle 4747 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77027 © 2022 Hearst Communications