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Sheri Grear never even considered voting by mail. She didn’t want her vote for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bill Hagerty getting lost. So she showed up in person on election day.

“They had sanitizer, gloves, masks, everything was offered. I got my own pen. I had a stylus,” said Grear. “Everything was very well sanitized, so no qualms.”

On today’s IRIS ORCHESTRA MUSIC MINUTE, I am remembering the great pianist Leon Fleisher, who passed away last weekend at the age of 92. 

 * Update: Late in the day August 5, the Tennessee Supreme Court overturned a lower court's ruling that would have allowed absentee voting for all residents afraid of contracting or spreading COVID-19 during the general election. 

Shelby County election officials won't be waiting until polls close at 7 p.m. tonight to start counting ballots. A record number of absentee ballots -- more than 19,000 -- were sent out this year after a judge ruled the pandemic was a valid reason to request one. In a typical election like this, officials say they receive only about 1,000 requests.

With some schools moving to virtual learning many families are looking to their family, friends, and faith communities for support.  How can you develop a safe virtual learning co-op? 

Dr. Melissa Collins has gathered a few of her second grade students for a different kind of summertime get together. The small group is gloved and masked—this being a pandemic and all—but the cool sets of shades aren't just to keep students from touching their eyes.

“So we want to spotlight, put a bright shining light on racism so all the kids here have on sunglasses,” says Collins, as she ensures that her online students can hear and see as well.