With two felonies and a year in jail behind him, he walked out with no plan except to never go back. In Salt Lake City, that resolve grew into a million-dollar salon and a place where people who don’t fit the mold finally feel at home.

A barefoot, emaciated boy with tape around his legs exposed the hidden reality inside Ruby Franke’s home, shattering the illusion of safety in Utah County.

As Utah’s housing costs soar, a growing number of seniors are losing everything and ending up on Salt Lake City’s streets. Their stories reveal a crisis deeper than addiction or mental illness — one shaped by policy failures, impossible rules, and a system that strips people of dignity when they need it most.

Salted Roots began as simple kitchen experiments and quickly grew into one of Utah’s most talked-about small-batch food brands. Founder Ivy Watrous has been cooking since childhood, blending bold flavors with careful technique. Today, her handcrafted salts and sugars are showing up in farmers markets, home kitchens, and even cocktail menus — each one shaped by personal stories, long hours, and a commitment to doing things the hard way when it matters.