Ledger Looking Back 25 Years: 10/8/1997

October 8, 1997

Borden’s Hotel, a Whitehall landmark on the corner of Legion Avenue and Main Street since 1913, was sold. The property - an unused hotel upstairs, restaurant, and bar downstairs - had been on the market for three years. On Monday, October 6th, Vickie and Linda Dyar, two sisters who owned a gift shop in West Yellowstone, signed the papers and purchased Borden’s from Butch and Mary Jones. The Joneses had owned Borden’s for five years. They bought the property in partnership with two other couples, but through a series of events found their partnership had turned into a sole proprietorship. The Dyars planned to phase in the restoration of the upstairs hotel and transform the hotel into a bed and breakfast. They had no plans to change the operations of the bar and planned to continue the four-decade tradition of dancing at Borden’s on Sunday afternoons.

Claims of sexual discrimination filed by a former Whitehall student against the Whitehall School District were settled out of court, which finally ended a bitter legal fight involving the student, the school, and former Whitehall teacher, Brian Yelenich. The settlement was made by the school district’s former insurance carrier and the terms of the settlement were sealed by court order. The Whitehall Board of Trustees authorized the settlement. Yelenich, a teacher at Whitehall High School, was charged in April 1996 with three counts of sexual intercourse with a then 15-year-old high school student. The student who had since graduated from Whitehall High School was still a minor, and her name was not released. Yelenich was acquitted of all charges in a dramatic and emotional five-day trial held in Townsend in July 1996. While Yelenich was acquitted of criminal charges, claims of sexual discrimination were brought against the school and filed with the Montana Human Rights Commission. These charges had been unresolved until the Whitehall Board of Trustees action on October 1st.

Five Whitehall men were among the approximately one million American males who traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the October 4th Promise Keepers Stand in the Gap rally. John Webster, Mark Reinschmidt, Joe Schlemmer, Joe Gnerer, and Scott Mendenhall attended the six-hour evangelical event on the Mall in Washington D.C. Over a million men participated in the rally, meant to strengthen male relationships with wives, families, churches, and God.

Whitehall Student of the Week was Chris Alley. Chris, a junior at WHS, was selected because of his excellent work habits in Vo-Tech woodworking class. Chris, the son of Jeff and Leslie Alley, plans to attend MSU after graduation. Chris enjoys hunting, fishing, basketball, and golf.

Whitehall Athlete of the Week was Brian Sears, cross country team member. Coach Dolan said Brian had a great attitude and was encouraging and supportive of his teammates. Brian, a senior at WHS, is the son of Ron and Janet Sears. He plans to attend BYU after graduation and enjoys drama, volleyball, running, tennis, and other sports.