WEEK OF JANUARY 1, 2025 FLIER INSIDE
Battling the blaze Firefighters from M/PIFCD extinguish fire that destroys travel trailer on the island — INSIDE PINEISLAND-EAGLE.COM
VOLUME 48, NUMBER 35
Celebrating Pine Islanders: Nancy Cote By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Nancy Cote said she would describe herself as a “mangrove girl,” explaining that she traveled here, put down roots and will do whatever is necessary to keep the island together. “Mangroves tend to grow where they need to hold something together, so I think I identify with the mangrove because it holds the island together like the people who want to help,” Cote said. Although Cote’s husband, Tom, is originally from Pine Island, she said they came to live here after he finished his duty in the military in 2009. For Tom, the idea of coming back to Pine Island was an easy decision. For Nancy, she explained, the island grew to be home as she
Nancy Cote
began volunteering at the Beacon of HoPe. “When I started volunteering and saw the way the community really comes together, I knew that this was home. I also learned about the needs of the islanders — people empowering one another and learning the language of a new country — as I saw when I was in California. I saw that it wasn’t as established here, it was just
roots, but I really took to helping the Spanish-speaking community learn english. That’s when I said this is where I belong, there are people in this area who need to be empowered and need to know that they can create a change, and I want to help with that,” Cote said. When it comes to her best strategy to help the island, Cote said what has worked for her off the island is proving tried and true here as well. “I have worked in non-profits, and also I’ve worked in a lot of places that empower people to receive services, and I think bringing that knowledge home to Pine Island is what’s going to transform the Beacon and get it into the 21st century and really help islanders become competiSee NANCY COTE, page 10
School District issues survey on later starting times for high, middle schools Recently-passed state law calls for adjustments for secondary students By MEGHAN BRADBURY news@breezenewspapers.com
Beacon provides Christmas Eve meal By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
Last Tuesday, Dec. 24, Beacon of HoPe executive Director Nancy Cote continued a long held and beloved tradition by the Beacon to make sure that every Pine Islander gets a Christmas meal. “The community helped, like they always do. It was just an awesome event. Close to 80 meals went out and we had an outpouring of food and support,” Cote said of the event, which she described as a grass-roots movement. Cote also said the Beacon is currently looking for ideas for next year as well as more volunteers. The folks who volunteer to prepare these meals have been happily doing so since the inception of the event, as a community service she said. With the belief that many hands make light work,
Cote said she is quite impressed, although not surprised that so many islanders went out of their way to care for one another. “The Beacon of Hope is grateful to all our fellow islanders who took time out of their Christmas eve morning to prepare food for those islanders needing a meal this holiday season. From those who cooked portions of the meal, bought prepared items, and the whole street in Matlacha that cut up the 182 pounds of See CHRISTMAS EVE MEAL, page 11 Seth and Brittany Alper, center above, and other Beacon of HOPE volunteers prepare the meals to be given to islanders on Christmas Eve. PHOTO PROVIDED
The School District of Lee County sent out an email recently asking families to take the time to fill out a survey concerning later start times for middle and high school. The Florida Legislature, in 2023, passed HB 733, a law that requires later start times for secondary students. “Under this law, middle schools must start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. By changing start times for high schools, earlier elementary start times would be needed to accommodate scarce transportation resources,” the survey states. “To accommodate for these early start times, projected bus pick up times would be an hour to two hours before the start time.” The School District is seeking feedback to share with the Legislature. The School District is not implementing any time changes at this time. The survey will ask parents what grade their child is in, followed by a question that targets concerns about changing bus pick-up/start times, as well as an opportunity to write concerns about school start times. Parents also will be asked how the change will impact their child’s transportation needs, would a later start time improve, or worsen child’s overall well-being and how will the change in time will affect their daily routine. Parents and guardians can take the survey at https:// tejoin.com/scroll/484708768. Changes must be implemented by July 1, 2026.
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