SUNSET HILLS > Tissue box covers could be radioactive • Health officials are trying to track down six metal tissue box covers sold at the Bed, Bath and Beyond store in Sunset Hills after reports they might be contaminated with a radioactive substance.

The tissue covers were sold in 200 of the company's 1,000 stores and through its website since July. The company pulled the boxes from shelves but is trying to recover an unknown amount that were sold to customers.

There were 12 of the tissue box covers (model DR9M Dual Ridge Metal Boutique, manufactured in India) delivered to the store at 10770 Sunset Hill Plaza. Six of the covers have been recovered, and the other six are believed to have been sold since July.

The Sunset Hills location was the only store in Missouri to receive the box covers, according to state health officials. It is unknown if any stores in Illinois sold the products.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that the products may contain cobalt-60, a radioactive substance.

On its website, Bed Bath and Beyond said it was advised that the boxes do not pose a health risk and that any radioactive material could not have been inhaled or transferred to tissues.

The boxes in question should be returned to the store for a refund. More information is available at www.bedbathandbeyond.com or by calling 800-462-3966. (Blythe Bernhard)

ST. LOUIS > Senator undergoes treatment for blockage • U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt is recuperating after being treated this week for a blockage in one of the blood vessels that supplies his heart.

The Missouri Republican's office said Friday that Blunt underwent a "routine and successful" outpatient procedure to place a stent in a coronary artery on Thursday, two days after his 62nd birthday.

Earlier in the week, Blunt canceled several public appearances around Missouri without explanation.

Blunt's office said the procedure was performed at George Washington University hospital in Washington after an exam this week.

In a statement, Blunt noted he is "a strong believer in the life-saving importance of early detection, and I encourage everyone to be proactive about their preventive screenings."

"I'm very grateful for the care that I received from the medical professionals at George Washington University Hospital," Blunt said. "I look forward to returning to my regular schedule very soon."

A coronary stent is a small mesh wire used to essentially hold open a blocked artery. (Jake Wagman)

RITENOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT > Board takes steps to find next superintendent • The Ritenour Board of Education is expected to announce next week its selection from among three search firms, as a successor to Superintendent Cheryl Compton is sought. The three firms were interviewed by the board Thursday.

Compton announced in November that she is retiring at the close of the current school year, after six years as Ritenour's superintendent and 36 years in education.

Also Thursday, the board approved an enhanced security camera system for Ritenour High School. A $155,690 bid from Wireless USA was approved; more than $300,000 had been budgeted for the cost, provided from the 2008 capital improvements bond issue.

The board also began adoption of a policy governing electronic communication between staff and students, as required of all Missouri districts by state law, following a Facebook controversy last year. The policy is based on Missouri School Board Association guidelines and is expected to be adopted by the board in February. (Special to the Post-Dispatch)