AP News in Brief at 6:04 p.m. EST

Congress rushes toward vote on $900B COVID relief bill

Former state employee sues Florida over search warrant

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A former Florida Department of Health employee sued the state on Monday over a search warrant executed on her house after investigators said they identified a message sent from a computer at the address to health department employees.

Shrunken bowl season makes it more important to watch'em all

Well, hope you're happy, Mr. (or Miss) There Are Too Many Bowls guy (or gal).

Nevada officials telling visitors to come, but wear masks

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada is open for visitors with precautions in place, tourism and coronavirus response leaders declared Monday, despite a weekend where the state passed the 200,000 mark in known COVID-19 infections and tallied 73 new deaths.

Evee lifts Rice past New Orleans 73-62

HOUSTON (AP) — Travis Evee had 18 points as Rice topped New Orleans 73-62 on Monday.

Minneapolis police officers cleared in shooting of armed man

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Eight Minneapolis police officers who fired their guns that killed an armed man outside a home during a domestic disturbance and one officer who fired a non-lethal round have been cleared of wrongdoing, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Monday.

New York education leader sentenced for child sex crime

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — A high-ranking New York City education official and former Wisconsin principal accused of swapping explicit sexual images with a 15-year-old boy has been to five years in prison.

Bills not content with first AFC East title in 25 years

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Defensive end Jerry Hughes was so caught up in the euphoria of the Bills clinching their first division title in 25 years, the team’s longest-tenured player missed what was printed on the front of the championship T-shirt.

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Giants' playoff hopes slimmer after two straight losses

With two weeks left in the regular season and their playoff hopes dimmed by a two-game losing streak, it's time to take the pressure off the New York Giants.

Congress takes aim at climate change in massive relief bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The huge pandemic relief and spending bill includes billions of dollars to promote clean energy such as wind and solar power while sharply reducing over time the use of potent coolants in air conditioners and refrigerators that are considered a major driver of global warming.

California could see 100,000 hospitalizations in January

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California has recorded a half-million coronavirus cases in the last two weeks and in a month could be facing a once-unthinkable caseload of nearly 100,000 hospitalizations, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state's top health official said Monday.

Judge blocks fees set by tainted Ohio nuclear bailout law

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A central Ohio judge on Monday blocked the subsidies from a $1 billion nuclear bailout law at the center of a $60 million bribery probe, as state lawmakers scrambled to decide the fate of a repeal effort and nominees were chosen to succeed a utility regulator who resigned amid the investigation.

K.T. Oslin, country singer of ‘80's Ladies,’ dies at 78

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Country singer K.T. Oslin, who hit it big with the 1987 hit “80′s Ladies” and won three Grammy awards, has died. She was 78.

Bears focused on avoiding letdown against Jaguars

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Forget about draft position and postseason chances. Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy is expecting a challenge when his team visits lowly Jacksonville.

No. 1 Stanford women overcome 10th-ranked UCLA 61-49

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Francesca Belibi saw the open court and no defenders in front of her. Teammate Anna Wilson told her she was good to go, so Belibi stormed the paint and dunked, delighting her Stanford teammates.

Heavily criticized veterans' home sued over COVID outbreak

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A state-run veterans' home in Pennsylvania heavily criticized for its handling of a coronavirus outbreak inside its walls drew a federal wrongful death lawsuit Monday, filed by family members of five residents who died of COVID-19.

HOF linebacker, pass rush great Kevin Greene dies at 58

Kevin Greene will be remembered for his long blond hair, his charisma, and the havoc he created for opposing quarterbacks.

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Virus rules not enforced. Grieving Texas family asks: Why?

ABILENE, Texas (AP) — In the weeks that Mark Riggs went from feeling worn down before Thanksgiving to dying of COVID-19 last Monday, only six calls about people not wearing face coverings rolled into the Abilene Police Department.