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The West Texas measles outbreak continues to spread, and more children are being diagnosed with measles. Each case represents a system failure that a safe vaccine could have prevented. Why do parents turn away from vaccination and potentially endanger their own children and the health of the wider population? Dr. Adam Ratner, author of “Booster Shots,” joins the conversation.

Adam Salmon, PhD, studies aging in marmosets. He and his team recently concluded that an immunosuppressant called rapamycin extends the lifespan of marmosets. This has significant implications for the study of aging in humans.

It’s the 1980s. Carolyn Stone and Greg Moss have settled into quiet lives in Channelview — an unincorporated community outside Houston, in the heart of the nation’s petrochemical industry. But within a few years, petrochemical plants and chemical barges move in, and air pollution and industrial accidents become routine. When they realize that state lawmakers and regulators aren’t going to protect them, Carolyn and Greg start fighting back themselves.

Greg’s house is burned down and his video camera shows the face of the suspected arsonist — a man he doesn’t know. Greg thinks the barge company he’s been monitoring is behind the fire, but he has no proof. Greg carries a gun wherever he goes, and Carolyn and her husband make sure their guns are always nearby. Neither she nor Greg can afford to move away from the dangers that surround them — so for now, they’ll keep fighting to preserve what remains of the community they love.

Acclaimed writer ZZ Packer joins Peter Orner and Yvette Benavides to discuss “Gold Coast” by James Alan McPherson.

The novel is about race and class and about parents trying to raise their sons in our fraught times.

The West Texas measles outbreak continues to spread. As of Tuesday, 223 cases have been identified since late January. Most of the cases— including one fatality—are located in Gaines County. Reporter Tom Bartlett explains why this isolated part of Texas is the center of the measles outbreak.

This week on Texas Matters— The conclusion of the special podcast series "Fumed." Produced in partnership with Public Health Watch, it’s a cautionary tale of what happens when the powerful petrochemical industry takes over an unincorporated community in Harris County and how the residents try to fight back.

Did Donald Trump win the White House in 2024? Or did Kamala Harris lose it? It was one of the most unusual contests for the presidency in recent history. And it left many in the nation wondering what happened? And what were some of the decisions that could have changed the outcome? We hear about the new book, "Fight – Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House."

Texas is seeing a direct challenge on the separation of church and state. It’s happening with school vouchers, a Bible-based curriculum for public schools, and a bill in the legislature requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms. We discuss the ways this agenda threatens religious freedom and more.