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Our recent report on a Marco snowbird photographing a large python got the attention of WINK-TV News. The WINKers came down and interviewed Norm Dearth about this python picture, then aired a story, noting that many of these exotic snakes are released by people who thought they’d make great pets, until they got 12-feet long.

Courtesy of Norm Dearth

One of our beautiful bald eagles was about to have a snack when snowbird North Dearth snapped this photo. The Dearths, from Kenosha, Wis., say they'll be back to Marco for more great pictures next season.

Check out the photo of the eagle with this column. Norm’s eagle eye and first-rate camera caught the bird as it was about to consume a fish. He made the picture along the south end of Dogwood Drive.

Norm and his wife Alma are good examples of how our wildlife is great for our economic well being. This was their first visit to the Marco area. Did they like it?

“The birding, weather, beaches, restaurants, shopping and people have all been just great,” says Norm. “We’ll be back next year and I think we’ll stay three months instead of two.”

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Down with the Radisson, up with Marriott vacation club — Slowly work on transforming the site of the disappearing Radisson Hotel is progressing, but there’s no big bang of destruction, no scraping the site.

CHRIS CURLE / Eagle staff

Demolition continues for most of the former Radisson Suite Beach Hotel on the beach. The hotel is being taken down virtually one floor at a time.

The project is multi-level, of course, and multi-layered in the coming down. And it will take a long time. Marriott Ownership Resort Inc.’s officials estimate that the first phase of the new Vacation Club towers will open about January, 2009. The complete project is scheduled to be finished in 2012.

City officials have described the new complex as contemporary and modular.

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Because of Winn-Dixie — the stores, not the movie. More than a few Islanders have recently told me they have begun to shop, for the first time in a long time, at the Winn-Dixie store here.

These mostly loyal Publix shoppers left the Beef People long ago, but now some are going back. So I went back as well, after my wife told me to.

CHRIS CURLE / Eagle staff

Demolition continues for most of the former Radisson Suite Beach Hotel on the beach. The hotel is being taken down virtually one floor at a time.

I found that Winn-Dixie has better shopping carts than Publix. The W-D’s carts seem newer, quieter and lighter, easier to push around. The aisles at Winn-Dixie are wider, or seem that way. Produce, bakery and wine sections seem as good as the big Publix, better than the smaller Publix at Town Center. This is hardly a scientific study, but as a loyal Publix shopper, especially in season, when Costco can be 90 minutes away in traffic, our Winn-Dixie at least gets points for trying to compete, even with its severe financial troubles, store closings, etc.

The company Web site says the grocery chain has stores in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, as well as Florida. Here’s one theory of Winn-Dixie’s renaissance. It’s the movie. Remember the 2005 film “Because of Winn-Dixie,” the one about the little girl named Opal and the dog she met in a Winn-Dixie store in Florida? She loved the oversized mutt, named it Winn-Dixie and took it home. Girl and dog were achingly cute. So the grocery chain may be getting a delayed, perhaps even temporarily repressed, tangential aura of good feeling.

Rumor has it that the ever competitive Publix is looking for a kitty named Rin Tin Publix to give that store a warm and fuzzy image. On second thought, the words groceries and fuzzy don’t go together very well.

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Get your good deed on the radio — Orion Bank on Marco is offering to help Islanders promote their good causes on local radio station WVOI-AM 1480 at no cost.

This community service is the brainchild of the bank’s manager, Keith Dameron. Orion pays for time on the station’s “Steve Reynolds Show” every Friday morning. Keith prepares three separate reports on Marco events, issues, etc., and he broadcasts them at 7:30 a.m., 8:15 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

“We welcome any promotions from civic or religious organizations and all other non-commercial groups,” says Keith.

For example, the Marco Players plans for a production would be covered with pleasure by Keith, but not a commercial as such for a business or service. Keith does not do a commercial for his bank. It’s purely a public service from Orion bank to Marco and its people. If you have a project to promote, you can phone Keith at Orion bank, 239-393-2400.

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Three cheers for Chico’s and youth haven — a reminder if you’re a fan of Chico’s apparel and accessory stores, put this on your calender: April 5 from 1 to 4 p.m.

If you use that date and time for your next visit to Chico’s in Marco Walk on South Collier Blvd., you’ll be helping children in need with every dollar you spend there, as well as getting good Chico’s stuff.

The women’s store will generously donate 10 percent of all sales during that period to Youth Haven, the emergency shelter for abused and neglected children here in Collier County.

The fundraiser is in connection with the Dancing With the Starz – 2007.

One of the dancers is Maria Elena Pujol, a prominent hair salon owner here who is raising money for Youth Haven. Stopping by Chico’s will make your shopping experience that much more enjoyable, as in “Buy a blouse, help a kid,” that sort of thing. Chico’s is at 599 S. Collier Blvd. in Marco Walk.

For more information, call Chris Curle at 394-0011.

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You can e-mail Don Farmer at don@donfarmer.com.