State briefs 5/21/04

Monsanto seeks to end cotton agreement

ST. LOUIS -- Monsanto Co. wants to end cotton seed licensing agreements with Delta and Pine Land Co., saying Thursday that efforts to resolve long-standing disputes have proven unsuccessful. Monsanto asked the American Arbitration Association to terminate the 8-year-old agreement with D&PL. The request comes after two years of failed attempts to resolve disputes over issues that include royalty payments and use of intellectual property rights.

Two lawsuits accuse St. Louis priest of abuse

ST. LOUIS -- Lawsuits filed Thursday accuse a St. Louis-area priest of sexually abusing two boys, one in the 1970s, the other in the 1980s. Both lawsuits allege abuse by the Rev. Donald Straub -- known as "Father Duck." David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said at least six other people have said they also were abused by Straub, 55.

Zoo's Raja the elephant to become a father

ST. LOUIS -- Seems like only yesterday he was the bouncing baby boy of the St. Louis Zoo. Now, Raja the elephant is about to become a daddy. Considered the zoo's top attraction since his much-celebrated birth 11 years ago, Raja and 23-year-old newcomer Sri are expecting a little one ... relatively little, anyway ... in October or November 2005, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Thursday. Raja's birth in 1993 was greeted with publicity and parties. About 10,000 visitors turned out for his first public appearance.

EEOC files suits against Bob Evans, Steak n Shake

ST. LOUIS -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed separate lawsuits Thursday against two restaurants, one for alleged job discrimination, the other for alleged sexual harassment of female employees. The lawsuits named Steak n Shake in Fenton for allegedly refusing to hire a deaf job applicant and Bob Evans Farms near St. Louis alleging a restaurant manager sexually harassed three female employees.

-- From staff, wire reports