http://www.marconews.com/staff/leslie_hale/<p>Leslie was not born a Tar Heel, but she spent most of her life in the great state of North Carolina, growing up in the mountains of Asheville where she developed a love for hiking, biking, kayaking and camping. After graduating from high school, she struck across the state for Chapel Hill, where she spent four years studying journalism and anthropology, as well as men's basketball between the months of November and March.</p> <p>Soon after her spring 2007 graduation, Leslie arrived in Naples to begin covering city government on Marco Island for the Marco Eagle, part of the Naples News Media Group. There, she covered city council elections amid a controversial project to replace the island's aging septic tanks with sewers, a political issue that pitted islander against islander.</p> <p>In 2008, Leslie moved to the Naples office to take over coverage of the transportation and growth beat. Major issues during her time covering transportation and growth include the state's efforts to lease Alligator Alley to a private entity, at the heart of one of her first assignments on the beat. At the start of 2009, Leslie began covering education in Lee County, entering the scene just as budget discussions struck up surrounding fears of a looming deficit that threatens to change the landscape of public education.</p> <p>While not working, Leslie enjoys reading, running, playing tennis with comical ineptitude and camping during the two months of the year when the weather allows it in Southwest Florida.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/ndnleslie">■ Become Leslie's Facebook friend</a></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/NDN_lhale/">■ Give Leslie a tweet</a></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/leslie-williams/14/263/34b ">■ Get LinkedIn with Leslie</a></strong></p> <p>Swing by some of Leslie's favorite Web sites:</p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.npr.org/">■ For your NPR fix when you don't have a radio handy</a></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/">■ For when you can't remember the name of that actor in that movie you saw ages ago</a></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.omnomnomnom.com/">■ For when you need a quick laugh to keep you moving through your day</a></strong></p>en-ushttp://www.marconews.com/photos/2011/jan/13/274509/Ray DeSilva, a SunTrust employee, and his wife, Vivian, discuss a painting entitled "Birth," by HaitThu, 13 Jan 2011 18:40:28 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2011/jan/13/274509/http://www.marconews.com/photos/2011/jan/13/274508/Artist Pascale Doxy, from right, talks with friends Alex Castro and Alex's mother, Jacqueline CastroThu, 13 Jan 2011 18:40:26 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2011/jan/13/274508/http://www.marconews.com/photos/2010/nov/24/264105/Travels on Wednesday morning arrived at Southwest Florida International Airport to find no lines at Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:30:00 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2010/nov/24/264105/http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/aug/19/74619/Bob Gibson and his son's dog, Mack, take shelter from the rain at his Goodland mobile home Tuesday aTue, 19 Aug 2008 19:51:00 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/aug/19/74619/http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/jun/29/70263/An 18-wheeler jackknifed going through the guardrail and over an embankment Sunday evening at northbSun, 29 Jun 2008 23:31:00 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/jun/29/70263/http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/jun/29/70262/An 18-wheeler jackknifed going through the guardrail and over an embankment Sunday evening at northbSun, 29 Jun 2008 23:30:00 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/jun/29/70262/http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/apr/24/64573/One of Deltona's ongoing infrastructure projects, meant to support the growing business sector in thThu, 24 Apr 2008 21:22:00 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/apr/24/64573/http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/apr/24/64572/Before there was Elkcam Circle on Marco Island there was Elkcam Boulevard in Deltona. It is just oneThu, 24 Apr 2008 21:22:00 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/apr/24/64572/http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/apr/22/64329/Interim Police Chief Thom Carr sat in on a Marco Island City Council meeting in his new capacity forTue, 22 Apr 2008 16:39:00 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/apr/22/64329/http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/apr/22/64328/Marco Island interim Chief of Police Thom CarrTue, 22 Apr 2008 16:38:00 -0000http://www.marconews.com/photos/2008/apr/22/64328/