Emerson passes on Bond's seat

On Thursday we learned that Kit Bond was seeking retirement after four terms in the U.S. Senate. Today U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson took herself out of consideration for the seat being vacated by Bond.

"Jo Ann is not going to run for senate in 2010," Emerson's spokesman, Jeffrey Connor, told Southeast Missourian political reporter Rudi Keller. "She has a full plate in the House and is truly excited about her new responsibilities as a ranking member."

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Thrift, consignment stores exempt

A new law requiring testing of all children's merchandise for lead caused quite a stir among thrift and consignment stores both locally and nationally. However, outcry was so great that government officials decided to make the shops exempt from that part of the law, which goes into effect early next month.

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Saturday on seMissourian.com

Visit seMissourian.com for a look at a new five-star rating system of area nursing homes, a story on a string of unsolved burglaries and the article about what retailers think about their exemption from the law that would have required them to test children's merchandise for lead.