The Eugene Weekly, a weekly newspaper in Oregon, has ceased publication and laid off its entire 10-person staff just days before Christmas. The reason behind this sudden halt in operations was the discovery of embezzlement by an employee, who had allegedly stolen tens of thousands of dollars from the financially struggling paper. The owners of the newspaper, Anita Johnson and Georgia Taylor, both in their 90s, shared on the paper's website that they had been victims of this embezzlement by someone they once trusted.

According to Camilla Mortensen, the editor of The Eugene Weekly, the unidentified employee had been involved in a years-long scheme that left the paper with unpaid bills amounting to $70,000 and retirement accounts without any funds. Mortensen, along with a few other workers, are still volunteering to publish articles online to keep the paper alive. However, for the first time in over 20 years, there will be no print edition of The Eugene Weekly. The paper's printer has stated that they will only print again if paid upfront, further adding to the financial troubles of the paper.

In an effort to stay afloat, The Eugene Weekly announced an online fundraiser to raise funds for the paper's survival. As of now, the fundraiser has collected over $35,000. The employee responsible for the embezzlement has been charged, but further details about the investigation have not been disclosed.

The embezzlement was discovered when the employee was absent from the office during the closing of the financial records for the year. This revelation left Mortensen sickened, as the employee had been a trusted colleague who came to the office every day.

Prior to the pandemic, The Eugene Weekly had been doing well financially. However, the paper was already struggling due to the impact of the pandemic, which resulted in reduced pages and the removal of the horoscope section. Johnson and Taylor, the owners of the paper, had never taken a profit from it and had always reinvested the money back into the business to cover expenses such as worker bonuses and new equipment. They even covered the costs for the final print edition of the paper.

The closure of The Eugene Weekly comes at a time when local newspapers are facing significant challenges, with many shutting down or drastically reducing staff. The Eugene Weekly had tried to cut costs by reducing the number of pages printed. According to a report by Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, nearly 2,900 newspapers, mostly weeklies, have shut down since 2005.

Despite the financial difficulties, the owners and staff of The Eugene Weekly remain determined to keep the publication alive. They believe in the newspaper's mission and have been overwhelmed by the support they have received from the community. Donations have been pouring in through the online fundraiser, and people have even visited the office to make donations in person. Retired journalists from The Register-Guard, the city's daily newspaper, have volunteered to provide editing help.

Mortensen expressed hope that with enough financial support, The Eugene Weekly can resume printing and become a viable paper again. However, she acknowledges the significant amount of money needed, around $150,000, and the uncertainty of whether they can achieve it. Despite the challenges, the support from the community has given them a glimmer of hope for the future of the paper.