On Thursday's Houston Matters: We get an update on the fatal chemical leak at a LyondellBasell chemical plant in La Porte.

Also this hour: A new study shows Houstonians and Texans are struggling more during the pandemic than the rest of the nation. Why?

Then: Olympic track and field legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee reflects on her career – and on a particularly memorable race in Houston. She's Eddie Robinson's guest on I See U this weekend.

Plus: We visit the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts in Spring, which is displaying artwork from one of the nation’s premier contemporary art collections, that of The Chaney Family. The exhibit is on display through Aug. 21.

And tackle football isn’t just for the boys. We learn about the women’s tackle football team, the Houston Power. On Saturday night, they host the Sun City Stealth of El Paso in the Big Heart Bowl at Houston Baptist University.

On Wednesday's Houston Matters: Two people are confirmed dead and 30 were hospitalized in what La Porte officials called a "mass casualty" incident at a LyondellBasell chemical plant Tuesday night in unincorporated Harris County. We get the latest from News 88.7's Katie Watkins.

Also this hour: The CDC is now recommending vaccinated people wear masks in certain situations. We discuss what this change of course means and learn when exactly people who've been vaccinated should wear a mask.

And, with news that Simone Biles pulled out of the Olympic gymnastics finals due to mental health concerns, Olympic track and field competitor Bryce Deadmon of Texas A&M discusses the unique challenges athletes are facing at these games.

Plus: We discuss the latest news in our weekly political roundup.

Then, we continue our series on sports in the summer Olympics with a look at archery in Greater Houston.

And Houston-native country musician Rodney Crowell talks about his career ahead of a concert Thursday at The Heights Theater.

MORE: Rodney Crowell Performs on Skyline Sessions

On Monday's Houston Matters: Local hospitals are taking in more COVID-19 patients per day in what health leaders see as a “fourth wave” of the virus.

Also this hour: News 88.7's Elizabeth Trovall tells us about a Houston student who may be forced to self-deport after spending most of his life in the United States – even though his father is here lawfully.

Then, we begin a weeklong series exploring summer Olympic sports played in Greater Houston. We begin with a visit to the Houston International Table Tennis Academy in Katy where some of the sport’s best players train, including two-time Olympian and USA Table Tennis Hall of Famer Jimmy Butler.

And the NBA Draft is Thursday. Kelly Iko of The Athletic discusses who the Rockets might select with the second overall pick.

On Friday's Houston Matters: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is raising the county’s COVID threat level from yellow to orange in response to the recent rise of the Delta variant, driving up the positivity rate and increasing hospitalizations. Among the hospitals seeing more COVID patients is Memorial Hermann. We get a first-hand account from the hospital system's chief physician, Dr. James McCarthy.

Also this hour: We clear up some misconceptions about the life and legacy of pirate and privateer Jean Lafitte, who worked along the Gulf Coast in the early 1800s, by talking with Ashley Oliphant, co-author of Jean Laffite Revealed: Unraveling One of America’s Longest-Running Mysteries.

Then, from a chemical spill at Splashtown, to a suggestively-shaped rocket ship, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week's news.

And we visit Armand Bayou Nature Center in the Clear Lake area.

On Thursday's Houston Matters: We recap what took place Wednesday when a hazardous chemical leak in a tanker truck triggered an evacuation notice at the Dow Chemical Co. Bayport plant in La Porte.

MORE: What Are The Chemicals Involved In The La Porte Dow Plant Leak?

Also this hour: So, turns out, it’s over. The world has ended. We’re done. It happened sometime before February 2020 when we spoke with Timothy Morton of Rice University about his three-part BBC series, The End of the World Has Already Happened. We revisit our conversation with Morton about what that tongue-in-cheek title is really getting at when it comes to climate change.

Then, with the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy, we discuss how product endorsements and marketing deals have affected what's on the silver screen in our monthly film segment, The Bigger Picture.

And we revisit an in-studio performance by Austin-based singer-songwriter Bob Schneider for the series Skyline Sessions.

On Wednesday’s show: Officials at the Texas Medical Center held a discussion Tuesday on COVID-19 trends, breakthrough cases, the impact of the Delta variant, and other pandemic-related concerns. We find out what was discussed.

Then: Harris County Commissioners have voted unanimously to spend $2.5 million to address the county’s criminal court backlog.

Also this hour: We discuss the latest news in our weekly political roundup.

Plus: From the high-speed rail line from Dallas to Houston, to the latest on the I-45 expansion project, we get an update on some recent transportation stories.

And Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II shares his perspective on civil rights in the United States through a moral and faith-based lens. Barber is the president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival. He’s speaking at a live-streamed event with the Rothko Chapel Thursday at 6 p.m.

On Tuesday's Houston Matters: A new report from Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research shows that growth in Houston and Harris County has slowed--we'll look at why.

Also this hour: Houston City Council Member Dave Martin, who represents District E, joins us to field your questions.

Then, we learn about the history of Black rodeo in Texas from Demetrius Pearson of the University of Houston and author of Black Rodeo in the Texas Gulf Coast Region: Charcoal in the Ashes.

And the son of astronaut Bruce McCandless II joins us to tell his father's story.

On Monday's Houston Matters: Dr. Esmaeil Porsa of Harris Health System discusses the fight against COVID-19 and the case numbers at Ben Taub and LBJ Hospitals.

Also this hour: Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg discusses how the court backlog is affecting criminal justice in the county.

Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers your pet care questions.

And we get an update on Houston sports.

On Friday's Houston Matters: The new and highly-contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus may have sparked a recent COVID-19 outbreak earlier this month. Though infection rates are lower than they were last December, cases of this more contagious variant are on the rise. Harris County has even reported a few cases of breakthrough infections – people who caught COVID even after being fully vaccinated. We learn more from Dr. Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine.

Also this hour: With recent discussions about teaching Critical Race Theory in Texas public schools, Casey Fleming, a teacher who taught it at a conservative Houston school, shares her experience.

Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And actor Michael Rosenbaum talks about his career ahead of appearances this weekend at Comicpalooza.

NOTE/CORRECTION: Though we incorrectly identified the Kinkaid School as part of Spring Branch ISD in the show, they are actually an independent college preparatory school in the Spring Branch area.

On Thursday's Houston Matters: Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez testifies today in his confirmation hearing as Pres. Joe Biden's pick to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We preview what he's likely to be asked about his stance on key immigration issues and his track record in law enforcement in Greater Houston.

Also this hour: ERCOT has created a roadmap to making the state's electricity grid more reliable and submitted it to the governor and the legislature. We  learn what it entails. And we learn about a lawsuit filed against Chevron, alleging the energy company failed to deliver natural gas during February’s freeze, which has been linked to nearly 200 deaths statewide.

Then, a recent report says the number of craft breweries in Houston has grown 344 percent since 2013. We examine what's behind the trend and if it's sustainable.

And, beginning June 29, One Fifth Houston, Chef Chris Shepherd’s rotating concept restaurant in Montrose, will become One Fifth Red Sauce Italian. It will feature Italian-American fare, including a Midwestern childhood favorite of Shepherd’s – toasted ravioli. T-ravs are also a favorite of Houston Matters host Craig Cohen, having grown up in St. Louis. He visits the restaurant to learn about Shepherd’s version and discuss their preferred variations on the appetizer and consider why it’s so popular in some parts of the Midwest but has never really caught on in Houston or the rest of the country.