WINK News Photos of the Week: Jan. 19 – Jan 25.

Writer: Tim Belizaire
Published: Updated:
photos matt
Credit: Matt Devitt

Welcome to WINK News Photos of the Week where we highlight memorable moments from Southwest Florida throughout the week.

This week’s edition features photos from a commemorative march, a WINK News reporter receiving a special award and snow in Florida.

Reporters in Action

WINK News Reporter Oliva Jean received an award from the African Network of Southwest Florida. She won the African Diaspora Legacy Award for her reporting on a hate crime in the Cape Coral home of Florida Gulf Coast University Professor Dr. Peter Ndiangui.

After Jean reported on the hate crime, dozens of people met up at Ndiangui’s home and helped clean up the vandalism.

She went to FGCU on Wednesday to report on staff members receiving awards for their efforts, only to be recognized herself. Jean said she was glad to be a part of helping Ndiangui in any way she could.

“I felt grateful to just be there and witness it,” said Jean. “I would have gone to the cleanup even if I weren’t doing a story on it.”

Martin Luther King Jr. march

On Monday, hundreds of people gathered for a parade for civil rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Dunbar High School Marching Tigers Band (pictured 2nd) performed at the march.

The parade route started at the Dunbar-Jupiter Hammon Public Center and ended at Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers.

The federal holiday, which falls on the third Monday of January, fell on King’s birthday in 2025.

Around the Community

Blinking Owl Books held an open mic event on Saturday. Local author and poet Forest Moria (pictured 1st) signed books and read excerpts from their novel “Starlings in the Dark” and their poetry book, “Invisible Forests.”

Moira said they were pleased to see diversity at the event.

“It’s really cool, exciting, and reassuring to see because when you’re not at an event like this, it kind of feels like that’s not happening,” said Moira.

Moira is working on their next book, which they plan to release within the next two months. They are scheduled for a book signing in Destin.

Madhouse in Fort Myers held a concert on Friday that featured multiple local bands.

On Thursday, Gateway High School senior guard Quran Pettyjohn Jr. faced off against his father, Quran Pettyjohn Sr., who coaches the East Lee County High Jaguars.

Pettyjohn Jr. and the Gateway Eagles bested the Jaguars 81-66.

Snow in Florida

WINK News chief meteorologist Matt Devitt drove 12 hours to Pensacola to witness the record 10-inch snowfall. Southwest Florida may have been spared by not having snow, but the region did face its coldest morning in three years on Saturday. One of the many frozen iguanas found in the area can be seen in photo three.

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