Springfield Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Over $100K from Eugene Weekly

Elisha Joe Young, 38, of Springfield pleaded guilty March 24 in Lane County Circuit Court to five felony counts of theft, closing the chapter on an embezzlement case that nearly destroyed one of Eugene's longest-running alternative newspapers.

Young served as business manager at the Eugene Weekly before the paper discovered she had stolen at least $100,000. The damage ran deeper than the theft itself: the Weekly also uncovered a previously unknown stack of unpaid bills totaling more than $200,000, including more than $70,000 owed to its printer. Shortly after Christmas 2023, the paper laid off its entire staff and suspended print publication.

For six weeks, the Weekly survived online-only, kept running by former staff and student journalists from the University of Oregon. The paper returned to print in February 2024 after community members contributed more than $200,000, primarily through small individual donations. "We are so grateful for the incredible outpouring of support and encouragement. It shows how important the paper is to our community," said Rolnick, as quoted by the Eugene Weekly.

The case drew attention well beyond Lane County. Young fled to Ohio during the investigation, and Gov. Tina Kotek's office initially declined to extradite her. After public outcry, Kotek reversed the decision and Young was extradited to Oregon. Her trial had been scheduled for May but was canceled following the plea.

According to the Lane County District Attorney's Office, Young faces 36 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for May 27. The Eugene Weekly has also asked the court for restitution.

The case has coincided with significant institutional change at the paper. Its owners at the time of the theft, Anita Johnson and Georga Taylor, have since died. Ownership is now transitioning to Editor Camilla Mortensen, with a long-term plan to convert the Weekly to nonprofit ownership and keep it locally controlled.