Hillsborough HIKING SPREE starts this weekend; The Time’s Festival of Reading this Saturday; And new allegations of Saudi Government involvement in 9/11

Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. Coming up—now that the weather is getting sunnier and cooler we’ll have some suggestions for getting outdoors and exploring Hillsborough County. We’ll also have a preview of this weekend’s Times Festival of Reading—featuring dozens of interesting authors.

And later—there are new developments connecting the Saudi Government to the 9/11 hijackers; we’ll talk with an investigative reporter about those developments.

This weekend the annual hiking spree kicks off in Hillsborough County- and we’re joined now by Dana McDonald, who is the person behind the Hiking Spree.

Dana, welcome to WMNF!

Here’s a little background info on the Hiking Spree. If I can find any more before Tuesday, I’ll send it as well. I told Dana McDonald to be at the studio no later than 10:45 a.m. If she should get there earlier, just let me know.

Hillsborough County’s Hiking Spree – Now with Dogs!

Hillsborough County, Fla. – Hillsborough County’s Hiking Spree has gone to the dogs.

The annual Hiking Spree encourages people to exercise, explore the outdoors, and experience nature through the County’s numerous parks and preserves. Last year’s Hiking Spree drew thousands of participants who hiked on their own, with a group or through one of the County’s guided park staff hikes.

This year, hiking organizers are encouraging the public to take their dog for a hike, including the Nov. 9 kick-off at Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park. Leashed dogs are welcome at all Hillsborough County parks, and organizers are expecting dozens of dogs for the Nov. 9 event.

The kick-off event will include games, nature arts and crafts, outdoor workshops, and classes on orienteering, knot tying, how to make your own hiking stick and more. A variety of hikes will be offered, including a plant ID hike, birding hike, bug walk, and kids hike.

This year’s Hiking Spree trail list features 24 trails at 21 locations throughout the county. Trails range from less than a mile to more than 4 miles, and from easy to strenuous. Complete at least eight between Nov. 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020 and earn a patch, a medallion for a walking stick or a dog tag. Participants are encouraged to post photos from their hikes using the hashtag #TakeAHikeHC.

The 2020 Hiking Spree also will feature Trail Magic – free prizes ranging from hiking supplies to massage gift certificates. Clues to the hidden Trail Magic spots will be given out each week through Hillsborough County’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

Registration for the Hiking Spree is available online. Cost is free, though there is a $2-per-vehicle fee to enter some parks.

Link: Hiking Spree photos

WHAT: Kickoff for the 2019 Hiking Spree

WHEN: Nov. 9 at 9 a.m.

WHERE: Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park, 8001 Double Branch Road, Tampa 33635

FMI:  https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/library/hillsborough/media-center/documents/parks-and-recreation/pr_hiking-spree-2020-brochure.pdf

This weekend the annual Tampa Bay Times Festival of reading will take place on the USF St. Petersburg Campus. The event brings together more than 50 nationally known and local authors for talks, readings and book signings. Colette Bancroft- the book editor at the Times is the person in charge of the annual event.

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FMI: https://www.tampabay.com/expos/festival-of-reading/

There’s new information connecting the Saudi Arabian government to the 9/11 hijackers. The possible Saudi connection includes a local angle—a Saudi couple who once lived in a gated community in Sarasota. A former Miami Herald reporter who runs an investigative web site – The Florida Bulldog been covering the story. He is Dan Christensen and I spoke with him earlier today.

11 Saudi government officials who they say assisted the al Qaeda hijackers who attacked the United States 18 years ago, killing nearly 3,000 people.

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11 Saudi officials, including one at kingdom’s U.S. embassy, identified as 9/11 ‘accomplices’