UPROOTED: The Massive Destruction of The Salt Lake City Hurricane

Tuesday, September 8 will go down as one of the biggest natural disasters in Salt Lake City, when Hurricane-force winds blew up to 100 mph.

Richard Markosian

September 14, 2020

Tuesday, September 8 will go down as one of the biggest natural disasters in Salt Lake City, when Hurricane-force winds blew up to 100 mph.

Salt Lake City mayor Erin Mendenhall declared the city in a state of emergency. Later the governor Gary Herbert declared Utah in a state of emergency as well.

Hundreds of trees fell over onto powerlines causing power outages. Over 300,000 residents were without power by Tuesday afternoon. Even four days later 100,000 were still without power.

But the big and long-term effect was the uprooting of hundreds of trees. Many were some of Salt Lake’s tallest trees. Several of the largest Cottonwood trees in Liberty Park are left leaning, cracked, or completely uprooted.

WATCH the Utah Stories “Hidden Utah” Show to see the devastating images.

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Utah Stories

hurricane, natural disaster, Salt Lake City

Richard Markosian

I am a story teller and journalist. I have a passion for farmers, local craftspeople, and folks who aspire to create, build and grow their business in the local marketplace. Why local? By supporting locally-owned businesses we create more opportunity for entrepreneurs, and we claim our sovereignty to shape our communities how we want to see them. I aspire to build Utah Stories Magazine into a household Utah name, and assist Utah businesses and makers with marketing. On the journalism side of things my passion is investigative journalism that offers true insight into issues. I believe strongly in the forth estate: strong, meaningful, insightful journalism is essential to a free market Democracy.

Utah Stories

Better Solutions Than Spending $2 Billion on a Gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon

A challenge to the $2 billion taxpayer funded Little Cottonwood Canyon gondola is in the works. What else could that much money be used for?
Gondola Works was the successful PR and marketing campaign that dazzled UDOT and UTA board members and gained the support of enough Wasatch Front Regional Council members to approve the overall $26 billion plan.

The overriding questions are, Why should we be putting so much energy into a $26 billion plan that only focuses on transporting mostly elite skiers up to our mountains? How does this massive investment help average Utahns?
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Why the Salt Lake City Council Should Reject a New Salary Raise

In a letter to the Salt Lake City Council, Jan Hemming, urges the members to reconsider a pay raise for themselves. She claims the pay raise would put the council members greatly above the scale of comparable cities.
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Beloved Salt Lake Eatery Closing

SLC Eatery is set to close at the end of September with plans for private events and pop ups to continue. Fleming’s Social Hour hosts special pricing from 4 to 6pm. Arlo is featuring a Wine Dinner to September 26th.
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The End of an Era: Farewell to Salmon at the Millcreek Senior Center

For nearly a decade, Thursdays at Millcreek, Midvale, and Draper Senior Centers meant one thing: a legendary salmon entree. But now, that cherished dish has mysteriously disappeared from the menu, leaving many wondering why. What could have led to the sudden removal of such a beloved meal? Seniors who once eagerly anticipated the meal are left with questions—and disappointment. As rumors spread and new dishes appear, the fate of the Thursday salmon remains uncertain, hinting at deeper challenges lurking behind the scenes.

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