Northam speech meets criticism from new House speaker and more Virginia headlines

• Gov. Ralph Northam’s final State of the Commonwealth speech featured calls for unity and a harshly critical tweet from the new Republican House speaker.—Washington Post, Richmond Times-Dispatch

• Former Virginia lawmaker Joseph Yost was charged with embezzlement in connection to his work with the Giles County Historical Society.—Roanoke Times

• Incoming Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, the first Black woman to hold statewide office, says her success is proof of racial progress and suggested moving on from Virginia’s racist past.—NPR

• In-person visits at Virginia prisons have been suspended until Jan. 28 due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.—WRIC

• A teenager found guilty of two high-profile sexual assaults in Loudoun County schools was ordered to go to a locked treatment facility until he turns 18 and will be put on the sex offender registry for life.—Associated Press, Washington Post

• A state lawmaker suggested requiring all FOIA requests to be sent via certified mail to avoid emails going to spam folders, drawing pushback from transparency advocates.—Richmond Times-Dispatch

• A $267 million paper recycling facility is expected to bring more than 200 jobs to Chesapeake.—Virginian-Pilot

• New York City Mayor Eric Adams is facing scrutiny for giving a top police job to his brother, who most recently worked as a parking administrator at Virginia Commonwealth University.—New York Times

• A Navy helicopter had to make a hard landing in Isle of Wight County. One passenger was injured.—ABC News