[notifications]
alert_emails = ['richardjs@gmail.com', 'richard@garden-pi.com']



def read_config_data(file, section, item):
    pathname = '/root/plot_manager/' + file
    config.read(pathname)
    return config.get(section, item)

email_address = read_config_data('plot_manager_config', 'notifications', 'alert_emails')
print (email_address)

RETURNS:
['richardjs@gmail.com', 'richard@garden-pi.com']



But then I try this:
email_address = read_config_data('plot_manager_config', 'notifications', 'alert_emails')
    for email in email_address:
        print (email)

IT RETURNS
[
'
r
i
c
h
a
r
d
j
s
@
g
m
a
i
l
.
c
o
m
'
,

'
r
i
c
h
a
r
d
@
g
a
r
d
e
n
-
p
i
.
c
o
m
'
]