About LAURA LAYDEN

Information

Biography

My love for journalism sparked in high school.

Recognizing my love for writing and telling stories, my business teacher for a co-op program that allowed students to spend half the day at work, encouraged me to apply for a job at a local newspaper, The South Dade News Leader in Homestead, on Florida’s east coast. I got a job there as a clerk/typist. I had the opportunity to write stories, here and there, and saw reporters there in action. I was hooked.

I went on to major in journalism at the University of Florida in Gainesville. “Go Gators.”

After graduation, I worked for the Hollywood Sun in Broward County as an education reporter. A few months later, I became an assistant editor at South Florida magazine in Miami, where I interned during college.

I was driven back to newspapers when given an opportunity to become a business reporter at Miami Today, covering Miami-Dade County government.

Five years later, I needed a change _ professionally and personally. Newly married, my husband, Roy, and I moved to Southwest Florida, where I became a business editor at the Bonita Banner. About a year later, I moved to the downtown Naples office to become a business reporter for the Naples Daily, covering everything from agriculture to the economy.

When I’m not working, I love spending time with my family.

I have two children, Luke, a soon-to-be third grader with a big heart, and Alexis, a toddler with a big, bright smile. They keep me busy playing basketball, singing on Rock Band Wii, swimming and twirling.

I love movies, dancing, riding my bike, gardening, taking photos and laughing with my husband, whose sense of humor keeps me going.

Covering business keeps me busy, especially these days as Southwest Florida grapples with high unemployment, foreclosures and a slowing economy. There are the good stories too about new inventions, companies that are surviving and even thriving in tough times and efforts to diversify the local economy.

Position History

Staff Writer - Business
11/20/2007 - current

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This miniature golf course will be right out of Africa Published 11/06/2009 at 7:32 p.m.
Get your game on. A new 18-hole golf course is coming to Bonita Springs, but you won’t need to bring your clubs. This one is of the miniature kind. The new African-themed attraction is emerging from ground on U.S. 41 ...
Another Naples bank hit with a federal action Published 11/06/2009 at 6:51 p.m.
Another Naples bank has been hit with an order to “cease and desist.” Liberty Bank is the latest to face an enforcement action by the federal Office of Thrift Supervision. In the order — signed Oct. 14 — the bank ...
Southwest Florida homebuyers benefiting from federal tax credit Published 11/05/2009 at 7:12 p.m.
Over the past few weeks, Michael Groendyk has raced against the clock. He’s scrambled to close on a home in Laurel Lakes, hoping to take advantage of an $8,000 federal tax credit. Now, it looks like the credit will be ...
T. Boone Pickens: Weening U.S. off foreign oil a security issue Published 11/03/2009 at 6:28 p.m.
T. Boone Pickens has put his energy – and a stack of his own money – behind a plan he says will help ween Americans off foreign oil. He calls it the Pickens Plan and it finally appears to be ...
Florida Attorney General sues Expedia, Orbitz over lost taxes on hotel rooms Updated 11/03/2009 at 7:05 p.m.
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has sued Expedia and Orbitz, two of the leading Internet travel companies, saying they failed to pay the right amount of state tax on hotel room rentals. Meanwhile, six Florida counties — including Lee — ...
With Collier looking to cut budget, some question $400,000 to county EDC Published 11/02/2009 at 5:56 p.m.
As they look for ways to keep county jobs and slash costs, Collier commissioners are questioning their investment in a public-private partnership designed to bring in more high-wage jobs. County commissioners in September agreed to continue giving Collier’s Economic Development ...
Shadow Wood, Brooks members to buy clubs from Bonita Bay Group Published 11/02/2009 at 3:10 p.m.
On Monday, Bonita Bay Group announced an agreement in principle for members to purchase the two clubs — and their assets — for $8.25 million in cash. In the original agreement, members would have paid $8.3 million.
Bank of Florida Corp. reports wider losses for the third quarter Updated 11/02/2009 at 5:49 p.m.
Bank of Florida Corp. reported deeper losses in the third quarter, primarily due to one-time charges. The Naples-based bank holding company reported a loss of $78.1 million for the quarter, or $6.10 a share. Most of that loss was attributed ...
New foreclosure cases slow again in Lee County in October Published 11/02/2009 at 11:31 a.m.
New foreclosure actions fell again in October in Lee County.
Beasley Broadcast Group reports ad revenues down in third quarter Updated 10/30/2009 at 5:16 p.m.
Naples-based Beasley Broadcast Group reported advertising revenue losses for July through September, the company reported today. Net income of $1.4 million during the third quarter, which is below the $2.3 million during the same three months in 2008