This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

🌱 Hill AFB Deploys Fighter Jets + High-Speed UHP Crash On I-15

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Salt Lake City.

Joseph Peterson's profile picture
Joseph Peterson, NeighborVerified User Badge
|

Morning, Salt Lake City! Let's get you all caught up to start this Friday, February 25 off on an informed note. These are the most important things happening in Salt Lake City today.

First, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy and cold. High: 33 Low: 16.

Here are the top five stories today in Salt Lake City:

  1. Hours after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, Utah's Hill Air Force Base, 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City, deployed its fighter jets to NATO's eastern flank in the Black and Baltic seas. But it didn't deploy them from their home base. Hill's F-35A Lightning II fighter jets along with their airmen were deployed to Germany last week and will be assigned to air bases in Estonia, Lithuania, and Romania to take part in "NATO enhanced air policing missions" according to Air Force Magazine. (Fox13Now.com)
  2. The top Veterans Affairs official in the United States, Denis McDonough, visited the Salt Lake VA Health Care System and gave an address wherein he acknowledged that Salt Lake City struggles to help vets who are experiencing homelessness. "There are certain [...] phrases that should not exist in the English language. 'Veteran homelessness' is one [of them]," he said. He also cited the rising cost of housing in Salt Lake as an added challenge in addressing the needs of veteran homelessness. (KSL.com)
  3. A dramatic dashcam video captures a high-intensity moment when a Utah Highway Patrol trooper intentionally crashed into a wrong-way driver on Interstate-15. A red SUV was heading the wrong way on the northbound lanes early Saturday morning near 2600 South. Trooper Devin Henson caught up to the vehicle at 45oo South and deliberately crashed into it at high speed in order to stop it. The officer suffered minor injuries. The driver was treated at the scene, then arrested and booked into jail for DUI. (Salt Lake City Patch)

From our sponsor:

Tackling a big to-do list around the house to start the new year? Our partners at Thumbtack, the home services app, have made hiring trusted local pros for pretty much any job extremely easy and intuitive. In minutes, you can find a painter, plumber, roofer or someone to help with small jobs such as trash hauling or appliance repair. And Thumbtack's rating system can give you confidence that you're hiring a quality pro you can count on. Click here to get started.

Today in Salt Lake City:

  • Enjoy a family-friendly guided stroll around Wheeler Historic Farm followed by stargazing and activities. It's The Farm And Sky, presented by Clark Planetarium. Free. (6:00 PM)
  • Tipping Point Dance Company presents An Interrupted Tide, an evening-length work that explores how we deal with unexpected change with an original musical score. At Tanner Dance's Mary Ann Lee Black Box Theatre. (7:00 PM)
  • Salt Lake Choral Artists present the Utah premiere of Consider the Lilies: An Appalachian Requiem by Timothy Michael Powell, tonight, at St. Ambrose Catholic Church. (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

  • Bring seeds from your garden or personal collection to share with your neighbors, or pick up free seeds provided by the Library! The City Library will host a seed exchange at six Library locations. You can bring seeds from your garden or personal collection to share with your neighbors, and pick up free seeds provided by the Library! If you don't have seeds to share, don't sweat it— you can still pick up seeds for spring planting, learn about local gardening resources, and enter to win unique gardening prizes. The Spring Seed Swap will take place at the Main Library, and the Chapman, Day-Riverside, Glendale, Marmalade, and Sprague branches. Saturday, March 5 at 11 am - 4 pm. (The City Library)
  • Keeping things in scale — that's our stormwater maintenance team! They recently removed this monster tree root tangle from the storm drain at Fairmont Park Golf Course. You can't blame them for feeling a bit...uprooted today. Ha. (Department of Public Utilities)
  • Polar Bear White Out is Saturday! Join us as we celebrate our two new polar bears at Polar Bear White Out! Help #savetheseaice and learn all about Polar Bears International, a conservation partner of the zoo, and their efforts to save these exquisite animals and the Arctic sea ice. This event will help you learn fun and creative ways to be a part of conservation through thermostat challenges, powering down unused electronics, and pedaling for polar bears. Saturday, February 26 |10AM-1PM Included with general admission: Activates, keeper chats, training sessions, and more! Hope to see you there! (Utah's Hogle Zoo)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

Loving the Salt Lake City Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

Finally, see the Salt Lake City weather forecast for this weekend. Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Joseph Peterson

About me: Joseph is a writer and marketing communications strategist with a degree in Mass Communication and Public Relations from the University of Utah. He's keen on city life, public libraries, national parks, and promoting events that build community.

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Salt Lake City