media release: Madison’s Central Business Improvement District is proud to bring back the perennial summer favorite: Lunch Time LIVE On Tuesdays - June through August—a FREE outdoor concert series will take place from noon-1pm on the King Street walkway of the Wisconsin Capitol and blankets and lawn chairs are welcome on the lawn nearby And don't forget to grab 'to-go' lunch at dozens of downtown restaurants based on radar and a cancellation notice posted to Downtown Madison social channels and website please send an email with the following information to calendar@isthmus.com Here's the information we need to include your event in our calendar: * event date; RSVP/ticket deadline if there is one email or website we can publish (REQUIRED) Optional info:* bios/press releases for posting with the online listing Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application The celebration of life for Merl Davis Dickson will be held Monday and went home peacefully to be with his Lord and Savior February 14 Also to cherish his memory are his grandchildren Avery and Gabriel; as well as numerous nieces and nephews Merl was a true man of God who loved his church He retired from Ryan Chevrolet after 34 years He lived his last two years to the fullest and watching grandsons’ baseball games and supporting River Oaks sports He was always the life of the party and always full of witty jokes you may make a donation to the First Christian Church Agape Fund Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the last surviving member of the Elmer and Lavina (Weakland) Pierce family.  Preceded in death by parents; beloved wife Edward Pierce and Clair Pierce.  Merl was blessed to have shared nearly 70 years of marriage with Margaret before her passing in 2014.  He is survived by sons and Barb (Stanley) Kukla.  Also 23 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.  He was a proud WWII Army Veteran and retired coal miner with 35 years of service.  A lifelong farmer he enjoyed working on his land and appreciated being surrounded by nature.  He lived his life guided by his love for the Lord and devotion to his family.  Family and friends will be received from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m where a funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m East Ridge Cemetery.  Military honors by local veteran’s organizations "(Required)" indicates required fields Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" his longtime collaborator Merl Saunders shared the difficult responsibility of keeping the late guitarist’s music alive the keyboardist continued to explore the music of the Grateful Dead with fantastic performances alongside his and Garcia’s latter-era group At one particular Rainforest show at Club Toast in Burlington as guitarist Trey Anastasio added some firepower to the band’s performance Anastasio joined the band just three songs into the first set and stuck around until the end of the show He lent his guitar mastery to some classic tunes including Grateful Dead numbers “Dark Star” and “Fire On The Mountain” in addition to some funky jams on “Let’s Go Get Stoned” and “Mystery Train” Soundboard-quality audio of the entire show recently made its way onto YouTube after many years in obscurity Setlist: Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band | Club Toast | Burlington Notes: Trey joined Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band on guitar from Howlin’ Wolf’s “Built for Comfort” through the end of the show “It’s in the Air (Konfusion)” included a “Dixie” tease from Trey “Dark Star” was performed instrumental and included a “China Cat Sunflower” tease from Trey “I Feel Like Dynamite” included a full-band “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” tease The rendition of “We All Wanna Boogie” from this gig appears on the CD Merl Saunders With His Funky Friends: Live Copyright © 2025 L4LM | Website by Computer Courage The police confirmed that the fire started on the balcony before it spread to the actual apartment The fire brigade was quickly able to extinguish the fire Secretary of Education and two-term Governor of South Carolina Richard W Riley ’54 was recently honored by the state Supreme Court with the Chief Justice’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Legal Profession Riley was recognized by South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kittredge and Justice Gary Hill alongside his colleague and friend former Ambassador and Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives David Wilkins at the annual Riley-Wilkins OneSouthCarolina Awards Dinner held in Columbia on January 14 received the Riley-Wilkins OneSouthCarolina Civic Leadership Award The Lifetime Achievement Award reflects superior legal competence and excellence; an unwavering commitment to professionalism honor and civility; and exceptional service to not only the legal profession Hill reflected on Riley’s unwavering character throughout his time in public office “In both of these offices at the pinnacle of government power Although the force of his leadership was such that he fundamentally changed both those offices When he left the governor’s mansion and when he left Washington his sterling reputation and uncompromising integrity were untarnished,” said Hill The surprise award was bestowed upon Riley and Wilkins amid a leadership awards ceremony that bears their names The Riley-Wilkins OneSouthCarolina Leadership Awards which are given each year by Furman’s Riley Institute honor individuals who demonstrate principled leadership and exercise empathy perseverance and an overriding commitment to the wellbeing of the people of South Carolina Former Furman University Trustee Merl Code was the 2025 OneSC Civic Leadership Award honoree who is Greenville’s first African American municipal court judge was recognized for the courage his many “firsts” took as well as his willingness to speak out on behalf of underrepresented minority interests Winner of the 2010 OneSC Civic Leadership Award remarking on his lifetime of advocacy on behalf of underrepresented communities “Merl has worked throughout his life and career to improve the lives of all South Carolinians by raising his hand as a principled leader in countless boardrooms backrooms and places of leadership across his community and throughout our state Merl’s work has been fueled by unwavering commitment to address inequities and change the trajectory for communities of color and for other community members whose voices have historically not been heard Merl’s courageous leadership has broken down barriers and has opened doors to opportunity.” Code was celebrated alongside former South Carolina Senator Katrina Shealy she was the only woman in the South Carolina Senate The OneSouthCarolina Awards Celebration is held each year following the opening session of the South Carolina legislature roughly 500 leaders from across South Carolina attended the event including high-ranking members of state government from both sides of the aisle and nonprofit and business partners of The Riley Institute In his acceptance of the Lifetime Achievement Award The OneSouthCarolina idea—the idea of everybody pulling together—is the thing we are about Next year’s celebration will take place on January 13, 2026. Learn more about OneSC here. We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Marilyn Regina Wright affectionately known as “Merl” or “Merl Jean” was born on October 18, 1958, in Chestertown, MD to Janet Rochester and the late John Rochester Sr. Marilyn passed away peacefully surrounded by family... View Obituary & Service Information Wright created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Marilyn Regina Wright affectionately known as “Merl.. Made with love by funeralOne All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled at the Braxton Healthcare Center in Sutton WV the daughter of the late Charles and Emily Shaver she was preceded in death by her first husband Charles and Alpha “ Bud” Shaver; one sister Left behind to cherish the memories are two sons Richard “Muddobber” and companion Cheryl and Dale “Gus” Shaffer all of Volga; two daughters Diana Shaffer Coleman and companion Rod of Volga and Donna Shaffer Champ and husband Ben of Belington and Rebecca Shaffer of WV; three great-granddaughters; one great-grandson; one step great-grandson; one brother Ann Mae Zirkle of Buckhannon; one sister-in-law Ava was employed as a cook at various restaurants convenience stores and schools and worked at sewing factories throughout the years until she retired; at which time Ava will be sadly missed by all family and friends Online condolences may be made to the family at www.polingstclair.com Clair Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements My Buckhannon publishes obituaries free of charge as a courtesy to the family. Readers can support our publication by becoming a premium member This website proudly designed and engineered in Buckhannon Contact us: info@mybuckhannon.com Privacy Policy * Terms & Conditions * Contest Rules media release: LIVE MUSIC!  All performances are 6pm-9pm! We are doing our best to provide a fun, and safe atmosphere for all of our customers, musicians, regulars, staff and everyone in between! Any schedule changes will be updated here Aside from the other various members of the Grateful Dead there is perhaps no musician more acclaimed for his work with Jerry Garcia than the late Saunders was one of the most soulful keyboardists/organists in the music world in the early ’70s commanding the Hammond B3 organ in ways that virtually nobody had before Saunders began a partnership with Garcia in 1971 while collaborating at at San Francisco nightclub The Matrix The two would go on to collaborate extensively over the years with Saunders sitting in with the Dead as well as serving as Garcia’s de facto solo career jump-off point when the two began performing as Garcia/Saunders which eventually became the Legion of Mary The group recorded a handful of albums and played a litany of memorable shows together (including several officially released as part of the GarciaLive series) before Saunder’s exited the fold and the outfit evolved into the Jerry Garcia Band Saunders and Garcia’s musical partnership would continue far past the dissolution of their early bands Saunders continued to work with Jerry through his death in 1995 even taking the lead in reintroducing him to his guitar after emerging from his diabetic coma in the summer of 1986 According to the 1999 Jerry biography Garcia by Blair Jackson “Garcia said that working with Merl also taught him a great deal about musical structure: ‘He filled me in on all those years of things I didn’t do I’d never played any standards; I’d never played in dance bands I never had any approach to the world of regular Between the combination of Howard [Wales] and Merl where do I plug in?’ I picked up the adult version of a music attitude from those guys.'” As we remember Merl Saunders today on the anniversary of his death in 2008 at the age of 74 revel in the magic of this Saunders/Garcia chestnut from 1972 in San Francisco (featuring a guest appearance from Tom Fogerty): Williamsburg-Merlyn Anton Huedepohl was born April 12 The son of Anton and Wanda (Schmidt) Huedepohl He graduated from Williamsburg High School in 1962 Merl served in the Iowa National Guard from 1965-1971 Merl was united in marriage to Diane Rae Martinson on August 26 He farmed and later worked at Kinze Manufacturing for 15 years retiring in 2010 He was a Farm Bureau member and Colony Point coffee club Paul Lutheran Church were he served on many church boards at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics downtown at the age of 80 years He is survived by his wife Diane of 57 years; two sons Michael (Jennifer) Huedepohl and Tim (Sherry) Huedepohl all of Williamsburg; two grandsons Anton Huedepohl and Thomas Huedepohl and a brother Willard Huedepohl of Williamsburg Celebration of Life Service will be 10:30 am on Wednesday at the Powell Funeral Home in Williamsburg Visitation will be Tuesday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Powell Funeral Home A memorial fund has been established for Iburg Poulson VFW Post #8797 park memorial Messages and tributes may be directed to www.powellfuneralhomes.com.  All text and images © Powell Funeral Homes A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m Paul's Lutheran Church in Lowry with Pastor Bryan Taffe officiating Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church Inurnment will be in Gordon Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Osakis Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood.  Merl Peter Farber was born to Erhart and Bernice (Pauls) Farber on January 13 He graduated from Osakis High School in 1969 before pursuing his agriculture degree at Alexandria Technical College and farming on the family farm for many years Cheryl was a young widow with four children The two dated for several years before marrying on August 3 drive truck and do mechanic work at Alexandria Power Equipment where he worked for nearly 25 years before his retirement helping others and spending time with family and friends He also had a special love for Allis-Chalmers tractors father and grandfather and he will be greatly missed and Melissa (Jeremy Arvidson) Schlosser; four grandchildren Logan Arvidson and Jase Adrian; four siblings and June (Steve) Rost; along with other family and many friends The Grateful Dead spent decades years taking audiences on daring adventures through the sonic unknown but in 1985 the counterculture figureheads took an unlikely detour off Shakedown Street and wound up at the controls of a new yet familiar astral realm—a realm called… The Twilight Zone It’s true—when CBS rebooted the popular science fiction series in 1985 more than two decades after its initial run, executive producer Philip DeGuere recruited Merl Saunders to help create the music for the show. Saunders, well known for his work with Jerry Garcia in the 1970s recruited Garcia and the rest of the Dead to help give the new Twilight Zone an appropriately trippy score Related: Did You Know: Jerry Garcia Tried To Make A Movie Of Kurt Vonnegut’s ‘The Sirens Of Titan’ Featuring Bill Murray “This was all done with major help from Bob Bralove Bob was a synthesizer guru working for some of the biggest acts at the time Everyone was really interested in the project but after a while it became increasingly difficult to get the whole band to contribute and eventually it was just Mickey making music for the show.” The Twilight Zone (1985) – Main Title – The Grateful Dead & Merl Saunders Selections from score of the ’80s Twilight Zone reboot, which ran from 1985–1989, were later released as a soundtrack album in 1998. Detailed musician information is not provided with the CD release of the music, though DeadDisc.com notes that the musicians primarily involved in the recordings were Merl Saunders and the six members of the Grateful Dead at that point when it was recorded: Jerry Garcia really?” factor to this fun piece of Grateful Dead trivia the album second track—the suite from “Nightcrawlers”—also features prominent contributions from Huey Lewis on harmonica The album’s liner notes included a dedication to both Jerry Garcia and original The Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling “two men who have gone beyond The Twilight Zone far too soon.” Click below to view the full track listing from The Twilight Zone (Volume 1) by Merl Saunders and the Grateful Dead Scroll down to listen to the “Nightcrawlers” theme featuring Huey Lewis Merl Saunders & The Grateful Dead – The Twilight Zone Grateful Dead & Merl Saunders w/ Huey Lewis – The Twilight Zone Vol A post shared by Mickey Hart (@mickeyhart) HomeTributes & FuneralsDeath NoticesCORNELL (nee Lacey) AnnouncementBe the first to access Bybit new listings, airdrops, and competitions. roadmapALLNew ListingsLatest ActivitiesDelistingsWeb3Latest Bybit NewsMaintenance UpdatesPartnership AnnouncementListing BillboardMoreBe the first to get critical insights and analysis of the crypto world Despite the fact that Phish‘s two-night stand at Madison Square Garden in 1996 was not a New Year’s run, Trey Anastasio, Mike Gordon, Jon Fishman, and Page McConnell were not content to let an MSG run pass by without the proper pomp and circumstance. That mindset led to the band’s truly memorable performance on 10/22/96 featuring a pair of music legends and some extra theatrics as part of a one-of-a-kind “Weekapaug Groove” The band kicked things off with “The Curtain” before opting for “Runaway Jim” instead of a “(With)” jam the band quickly ran through “Bouncing Around The Room” before delivering a well-played “It’s Ice” Phish offered a breather—the fourth-ever performance of Billy Breathes ballad the band served up an order of “Split Open and Melt” with some extra sauce (clocking in at nearly 12 minutes in length) and a high-energy “Sparkle” > “Free” segment before launching into a rocking “You Enjoy Myself” to cap the first set fans have come to expect the second set to be something special—and the second set on 10/22/16 most definitely fit that description After a short-but-sweet “2001” opener the band flowed into “Down With Disease” which featured dextrous riffing from Trey throughout the crowd sang along with “Taste” followed by fan-favorite “The Mango Song” which reached its typically ripping peak to great effect After laying down some serious piano mastery on “Mango” Page stepped out from behind the ‘boards to do his cocktail lounge singer schtick on “Lawn Boy” (with some alternate lyrics that may or may not have been intentional) If you’re not familiar with this show but we’re halfway through the second set and it seems pretty straightforward to me so far.” Fret not we’re about to get to the shenanigans… The show’s “fourth quarter” began to pick up steam with a raucous “Scent of a Mule” played at a faster-than-usual tempo and with unhinged abandon by all four musicians the typical “Mule Duel” was preceded by a jazzy synchronized (read: clearly rehearsed) surprise vocal jam with call-and-response crowd claps and more for one of the most interesting “Scent of a Mule”s you’ll hear signaling the start of what would go on to become a truly memorable “Mikes Groove” After a down-and-dirty “Mike’s” the band bled into a classic “Swept Away” > “Steep” pairing before Fishman’s driving drums and Mike’s bass slaps lit the fuse for the customary “Weekapaug Groove” Roughly two minutes into the “Weekapaug” audio recording you can hear an audible roar erupt from the crowd what elicited the cheer was the appearance of a slew of lavishly costumed circus performers (as well as Fishman’s mother The circus freaks lent an undeniably festive element to the set’s final number as the added energy from the dancers invigorated both the band and the audience for a truly memorable rendition of the classic song which Phish fans have taken to calling the “Freekapaug” You can enjoy crowd-shot video of the whole Phish “Mikes Song” -> “Swept Away” > “Steep” > “Weekapaug Groove” (Freekapaug) segment below, courtesy of YouTube user FieryBill: The appearance of these two musical heavyweights understandably sent the crowd into a frenzy once again Both Saunders (Hammond B-3 organ) and Miles (drums) had collaborated with a slew of highly influential musicians over the course of their respective careers (Saunders most notably leading the Saunders/Garcia Band with the Grateful Dead‘s Jerry Garcia and Miles serving as the drummer for Jimi Hendrix‘s Band of Gypsys) Miles and Saunders joined the band on their second-ever performance of classic rock n’ roll standard “All Along The Watchtower” and covered and interpreted by damn near every musician you listen to The off-the-walls collab was a smashing success with the circus freaks returning to add some extra flair to 1996’s last gasp of MSG Phish [Video: FieryBill] You can also watch some prime behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage with Miles and Saunders backstage at the Garden below courtesy of YouTube user Lawrence Blumenstein: [Video: Lawrence Blumenstein] From fantastic playing to theatrical “Freekapaug” antics to a pair of very special musical guests 10/22/96 stands among the most exciting performances Phish has ever delivered at the World’s Most Famous Arena Setlist: Phish | Madison Square Garden | New York Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Down with Disease > Taste Mike’s Song -> Swept Away > Steep > Weekapaug Groove You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience The Museum of English Rural Life (The MERL) is proud to announce that its café has been recognised by The Guardian as one of the top 50 museum cafes in the UK This accolade places The MERL alongside major national institutions including the V&A The recognition highlights the café's commitment to quality and connection to The MERL's mission of celebrating rural English heritage said: "I am delighted by this wonderful recognition for the Museum café and the hard work and dedication of our team We hope this recognition encourages more people to visit our café and enjoy our unique collections and displays beautiful outdoor spaces and lively programme designed to engage all ages." The café has become a beloved destination for both museum visitors and locals seeking a peaceful retreat in Reading Its inclusion in this national ranking reflects The MERL's growing reputation as a cultural destination that offers a complete experience extending beyond its exhibitions commented: "Creating welcoming spaces is at the heart of what we do - not just in our café but also our garden and galleries It's a joy to see visitors enjoying these spaces This recognition by The Guardian reflects the passion and care that our small team puts into making every visit memorable." The café at The Museum of English Rural Life is a charming family-friendly space where everyone is welcome The café offers indoor seating and picnic tables in the Museum garden a beautiful space and one of Reading's hidden gems The café accommodates many dietary requirements with gluten free and plant-based choices across its sandwiches The Museum of English Rural Life (The MERL) explores the history of the English countryside and its people The Museum is part of the University of Reading and based on the University's London Road campus As one of Reading's best-reviewed days out The MERL offers plenty of things to see and do for visitors of all ages The Museum is free to visit but a £5 donation is encouraged News from 2025 Contact the press team Expert spokespeople Media, demonstrations, and petitions on campus Connecting Research Blog Events Journalists can contact the press office at any time pressoffice@reading.ac.uk News from 2024 News from 2023 News from 2022 News from 2021 News archive 1998-2020 We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry Reading’s Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) and Reading Museum (Museums Partnership Reading) are proud to announce they have both received Museum of Sanctuary status Museum of Sanctuary is a national award celebrating museums that go above and beyond to welcome people seeking sanctuary and contribute to building a more compassionate society Museums Partnership Reading produced a joint four-year plan to celebrate Reading’s cultural diversity presented to someone with lived experience of seeking sanctuary The Museum of Sanctuary awards build on the museums’ previous work with sanctuary seekers and local charities in Reading The museums worked with Care 4 Calais to run craft sessions for sanctuary seeker families and partnered with Reading’s Rank and File Theatre to share the stories of refugees asylum seekers and survivors of domestic abuse through theatre The award also extends the commitment to sanctuary found throughout our town. It builds on the work of the University of Reading as a University of Sanctuary and of Reading Borough Council as a City of Sanctuary This announcement follows the 25th United Nations’ International Day of Peace This global event aims to celebrate peace in the minds of children and communities through formal and informal education Reading’s museums are important spaces for celebrating cultural diversity provide space for shared learning and understanding and can help to engender a sense of belonging and affirmation for groups that may be marginalised internationally and here in the UK with the recent civil disturbances Thankfully Reading has always been a fantastically diverse place and proud of its support of refugees going back to the Second World War So it amazing that as the United Nations marks International Day of Peace the museums share news of contributing to a more peaceful and welcoming town." Reading Borough Council said: “Reading is a City of Sanctuary not only in name and the Museums of Sanctuary Award for Reading Museum and Museum of English Rural Life is recognition of our actions - Reading is a welcoming place of safety for all and we are proud to provide sanctuary seekers a voice “Reading Museum is in the heart of our town and well placed to celebrate the achievements and contributions of everyone in our communities The Museum has developed a culture of welcomeness and inclusion over a number of years and we'll continue to use Museums of Sanctuary status to promote a society that is fairer Thank you to the staff and volunteers for all the hard work that has gone into this achievement.” said: "The University of Reading is proud to be a University of Sanctuary The MERL becoming a Museum of Sanctuary extends our institutional commitment to being a safe welcoming and compassionate place for refugees and asylum seekers wishing to participate in higher education "As a university with a diverse student and staff population we welcome people from all backgrounds to our campus and spaces The opportunity to understand new cultures and perspectives strengthens our understanding of the world which helps us find new approaches to tackle the global issues that affect us all." MERL GROVE High School nearly pulled off the unthinkable on Tuesday but that is just the start of head coach Neo Oxford’s drive to change the football culture at the girls’ institution Merl Grove were thumped 24-0 by eight-time ISSA Tip Friendly Society School Girls Football competition champions Excelsior High School have largely bullied their opposition into submission they were minutes away from losing their opening game eventually getting by Oxford’s Merl Grove the closely contested match was a message to all their opponents that Merl Grove will no longer be minnows Where most would have shied away from taking on the defending champions Oxford had welcomed the challenge with open arms “It is always good to start the season playing the defending champions as you set your standards high,” he said and you’ll see that we actually challenged the defending champions Merl Grove’s first target is to improve on their poor performance from last year’s campaign by qualifying for the second round Merl Grove ended their 2024 season rooted to the bottom of Zone G with the worst record in the competition the team had ended the first round without a win while conceding a mammoth 84 goals along the way 46 of which came in their two games against Excelsior “Anything different from that performance is a victory but my personal aim is to get this team to the second round,” Oxford told The Gleaner before the start of the season “The girls have been training very well and that is a very important part of it.” Oxford is confident that his players can achieve their season’s target as he has seen a new culture of winning being built His expectations were buoyed after their success in the preseason where they won the inaugural Merl Grove Classics tournament Oxford has encouraged all Merl Grove fans to turn out in support of the team “It is all about changing the culture I’ve realised that the football team has not been garnering that support and we have some good talents at Merl Grove now.” “They call themselves ‘Gems’ it will be something different from the team this year where you can be proud to wear the crest.” Two key players to look out for in Oxford’s ensemble will be the pair of national youth representatives: Olivia Ashbourne and Shanae Ashley With Ashbourne leading their attacking lines and Ashley’s presence in the backline Merl Grove will look to be a formidable opponent this season she has been the national captain since she was 13 years old and I’ve been working with her since she was 11 and you can see her quality when she is there She always represents well,” said Oxford Anyone who has ever seen her play anywhere can tell you that but she came out here and she proved her quality.” Merl Grove next go to Tivoli Gardens High School today at 3 p.m gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com View the discussion thread. all three defendants in the college basketball fraud and corruption trial were found guilty on all counts former Adidas consultant Merl Code and former runner Christian Dawkins were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud in connection with the University of Louisville was also charged with a single count of wire fraud in connection with the University of Kansas A jury foreman answered “guilty” seven times after each defendant’s name was read aloud for each of the felony charges Adidas consultant testifies he paid families of Ayton, other recruits Brian Bowen Sr. testifies that then-La Lumiere coach paid to lure son to school “Today’s convictions expose an underground culture of illicit payments deception and corruption in (the) world of college basketball,” Robert Khuzami Attorney in the Southern District of New York “These defendants now stand convicted of not simply flouting the rules but breaking the law for their own personal gain the defendants not only deceived universities into issuing scholarships under false pretenses they deprived the universities of their economic rights and tarnished an ideal which makes college sports a beloved tradition by so many fans all over the world.” former assistant coach Kenny Johnson and former assistant coach Jordan Fair were all fired by Louisville in the wake of the arrests connected to the pay-for-play scheme attempting to pay the father of recruit Brian "Tugs" Bowen in return for his son attending Louisville Mukasey could not be reached for comment after the verdict One of the most compelling parts of the trial was the testimony of T.J Gassnola testified that he helped with payments to the families of five basketball prospects: Bowen 1 NBA draft pick Deandre Ayton (who attended Arizona) Gatto’s defense attorney Michael Schachter said outside the courthouse that “of course” they would appeal the decision who wheeled his newborn son out of the courthouse “Don’t talk to me,” when approached by a reporter followed close behind but declined comment delivered an impassioned closing argument in the trial an assistant basketball coach at Cleveland State “You don’t want me to talk.” The elder Dawkins broke down in tears when the verdict was read in courtroom 26b One of Dawkins’ other family members said none of their comments were printable “You can read between the lines,” she said The jury of eight women and four men deliberated over three days and had to consider a mountain of evidence testimony by university compliance officers Read the full article at the Courier-Journal. Merl got married to Beth Bickford and joined the United States Navy the same year he served aboard the USS Cadmus in Newport the couple settled in Lincoln and raised four children Merl received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Doane College and worked as the Chief Mechanical Inspector for the City of Lincoln for 20 years until his retirement in 2014 Merl enjoyed traveling all over the world with his wife he started a tradition of getting a tattoo in every country he visited especially any Corvair he could get a good deal on He was an active member of various car clubs and enjoyed working on different cars in his garage and was a big fan of the University of Nebraska women’s soccer team especially his grandchildren and supported them in all their endeavors Merl is preceded in death by his siblings Earl Scott Jr. Gayle Scott and nephew Jeff Hoffart; as well as his in-laws Melvin and Lila Bickford Beth Scott; his sons Todd (Julie) Scott of Wahoo and children Logan and Riley; Brian Scott of Chestertown and son Max Gaspers-Scott; Adam (Paula) Scott of Commerce City CO and children Aiden and Ruby Scott; and his daughter Ashly Scott of Lincoln He is also survived by his brother Larry (Connie) Scott He was a hardworking individual who was respected by everyone and always willing to help his friends and family He will be missed dearly by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him Please join us for a Celebration of Life gathering to honor Merl Memorials to the family for future designation The world was a better place because of Merl we loved to be with him and Beth during our COVID driveway evening cocktails with the neighbors enjoy just chatting and hearing about his time in the Navy and then seeing the pride he had when talking about his kids and grandkids And then hearing about the special trips with Beth exploring the world We will always cherish our special Z4 bond but most of all we will remember your positive and friendly spirit Ashley so sorry to hear of your father’s passing sign up for email or text message notifications We respect your privacy. The data gathered will only be used for official Roper & Sons correspondence. For more information see our privacy policy We understand that grieving doesn’t end after the service We offer Aftercare for grief support as you process and heal from your loss 2024 Merlin Chain emerges as Bitcoin's largest layer 2 surpassing $1.2B TVL in just six months Press Release COINTELEGRAPH IN YOUR SOCIAL FEED Singapore, Singapore, Sept. 9, Chainwire – Merlin Chain has achieved unprecedented milestones in just six months solidifying its position as the largest Layer 2 in the Bitcoin ecosystem With a Total Value Locked (TVL) surpassing $1.2 billion and bridge transactions exceeding $16 billion Merlin Chain has redefined how users interact with Bitcoin and driving innovative ecosystem developments Merlin Chain has grown into the largest Bitcoin-native network with 1.9 million on-chain addresses and over 12.7 million transactions processed The platform has also become the leading hub for Bitcoin-native assets hosting over 80% of all Bitcoin-native asset holders Merlin Chain's remarkable achievements in the first half of 2024 include: Merlin Chain launched its 210M MERL Ecosystem Grant Program in June The grant is aimed at expanding the platform's ecosystem by empowering builders and innovators to contribute to the future of Bitcoin Layer 2 Merlin Chain’s commitment to innovation is supported by its advanced technical architecture The platform has implemented ZK-Rollup technology and multi-token staking Oracle nodes to enhance security By integrating solutions like Babylon and BTC Staking/Restaking Merlin Chain is pioneering new ways to optimize Bitcoin-native asset yields Merlin Chain has also partnered with leading security firms such as Celestia for data integrity and Cobo for advanced MPC wallets ensuring that users have access to cutting-edge technology to safeguard their assets Merlin Chain established the Merlin Security Council which includes renowned partners like Slowmist and BlockSec further fortifying its security infrastructure As Merlin Chain continues to lead in Bitcoin Layer 2 innovation it is preparing for even greater expansion in the second half of 2024 With plans to integrate Bitcoin’s latest protocol updates and drive further growth in its ecosystem Merlin Chain aims to become the dominant force in Bitcoin-native assets and interoperability across multiple chains “We are incredibly proud of the strides we’ve made in such a short time Our success wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community and our innovative partners we’re excited to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for Bitcoin and its Layer 2 ecosystem.” Users can read Merlin Chain's full report here Merlin Chain is a Bitcoin Layer 2 that integrates the ZK-Rollup network Merlin Chain is committed to empowering Bitcoin’s native assets and products on Layer1 through its Layer 2 network to Make Bitcoin Fun Again Merlin Chain is a subsidiary product line of Bitmap Tech a premier OG team boasting an overall market cap exceeding $500 million The BRC-420 “Blue Box” collection under Bitmap Tech has become one of the hottest assets on Ordinals For more information, users can visit Merlin Chain’s Website | Twitter | Discord contact@merlinchain.com This publication is provided by the client Cointelegraph does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content or services mentioned in the press release United Way’s African American Leadership has opened its application window its Judge Merl F Code Scholarship for the 2024-25 academic year who was the first African American chair of United Way’s board of directors United Way’s AAL plans to $5,000 scholarships to eight applicants who meet the following criteria: “We are proud to be able to honor the legacy of Judge Code with this important investment in education and our children,” said Meghan Barp president and CEO of United Way of Greenville County “We know the power education has to change lives and impact generations of families in our community We hope these scholarships will help students take the next step to economic mobility for themselves and a stronger Greenville County for all.” Judge Merl F. Code Scholarship applications will be accepted until June 21. For more information, visit unitedwaygc.org/aal-scholarship Input your search keywords and press Enter the redevelopment of County Square is one of the biggest — and the most important — developments in Greenville’s recent history when you have a small piece of land and it doesn’t work out as intended there’s a lot more at stake,” said Nancy Whitworth the City of Greenville’s deputy city manager “With this site and its sensitivity to the park and downtown The county-owned property is more than 37 acres equivalent in size to downtown Greenville’s core and located within walking distance of Falls Park and the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail Its redevelopment is expected to be a billion-dollar the redevelopment of a block of South Main Street across from the Peace Center the mixed-use development at the corner of North Main and Washington streets the master planned urban community on Verdae Boulevard and Laurens Road on land once owned by the late reclusive textile magnate John D at 1,100 acres and $1.5 billion when completed and we’ve got to make sure to get it right,” said Greenville County Council Chairman Butch Kirven County Square was not thought of as a part of Greenville’s downtown But Falls Park opened in 2004 and Fluor Field two years later planning started for the Swamp Rabbit Trail a 22-mile multiuse trail that opened in 2009 Because the former mall that now houses county operations will be torn down the developer and the county have a wonderful opportunity to design from the ground up professor emeritus of city and regional planning at Clemson University and former member of the city’s planning commission and Design Review Board “They have the opportunity to be creative and efficient and make it an important part of Greenville “Any time you double or triple the density of activities it’s going to strain existing capacities,” he said “They’ll have to have other ways to get there so you don’t have to get in a car They’ll need to think carefully about the back streets They need to make it attractive and feasible to walk with site lines and well-defined walking routes.” who said the city hasn’t had discussions with the developer said the city will be interested in how the development’s design will minimize impacts on traffic The city will also look at other elements like parking The development will likely require a zoning change “There’s no opportunity to back-door anything.” Kirven said County Square is more than an extension of downtown “It’s a test bed to demonstrate how the future looks in an urban environment,” he said “It’s a clean slate where we can design and create a smart urban environment for the future Acceptable Copy Guidelines for the CJ Guaranteed Service Before issuing a press release over the CJ Guaranteed service you will have to confirm that you have the right to do so and that you have read and understood the CJ Guaranteed terms and conditions If you have any doubt on either of these points Press releases 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You grant to Community Journals a royalty-free perpetual license and right to reproduce archive and create derivative works of the processed Content Community Journals does not warrant or ensure that the Service will be free from errors Any errors by Community Journals will be corrected promptly upon discovery and such obligation to correct shall constitute the sole liability of Community Journals in this regard including but not limited to any warranties of merchantability or suitability for print or broadcast The liability of Community Journals and its affiliates and agents to You shall be limited to the refund of the fees paid by You in connection with the item of Content at issue and in no event will Community Journals or its affiliates or agents be liable for any indirect exemplary or incidental damages regardless of the form of action Community Journals shall not be liable for any delay or non-performance arising from any cause beyond its reasonable control All news releases and other information transmitted by Community Journals must contain a clearly identifiable source The source indicates the entity or individual that is responsible for the Content and cannot be the name of an agency issuing news on Your behalf This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York If any provision of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid the remaining provisions shall nevertheless continue in full force without being impaired or invalidated in any way Any dispute arising under or related in any way to this Agreement shall be adjudicated in a court of competent jurisdiction in the County of New York Nearly two decades after the idea for a Cancer Survivors Park grew from a high school senior project to beautify an area outside a local cancer treatment center Greenville Cancer Survivors Park will hold its grand opening this weekend A public ribbon cutting will be held at 11 a.m “The Dedication to a Vision of Hope and Healing” will feature community leaders sharing the story about the creation of the park and plans for the Center for Hope & Healing a space for community celebrations and survivorship programs The ceremony will include recognition of the Greenville Health System and other contributors who made the park possible “The Garden Party,” will be held from 6 p.m The fundraising soiree will feature music by Trey Francis Guests at the party will be able to walk through the park and hear stories about the design and meaning Tickets are $125 and are available at cancersurvivorspark.org/the-garden-party.php Proceeds will benefit the Cancer Survivors Park Alliance’s education programs A free Cancer Survivors Day Celebration will be held at the park from 1 p.m Activities include walking tours of the park A survivors recognition ceremony and photo are set for 2:32 p.m Registration is requested but not required “We are excited to be celebrating a significant milestone — the transformation of a challenged piece of property into a beautiful park We still have much to do as we transition from bricks and mortar to a focus on incorporating the creative features and resources that are the essence of our vision — creating a space for hope and healing,” said Kay Roper executive director of the Cancer Survivors Park Alliance As the functions of parks grow more complex public-private partnerships have increased as a funding source Greenville’s Unity Park is an example of many of the current trends in building urban parks — a greater reliance on public-private partnerships the conversion of postindustrial sites into green space and construction of facilities that accommodate fluctuation in water levels to help water quality and flooding issues “Parks are no longer simply places for recreation That’s why public-private partnerships are so important,” said Catherine Nagel “Really where public-private partnerships shine is that they bring in more resources and skills.” While Greenville has been known for public-private partnerships for downtown development projects such as the Hyatt Mayor Knox White said Unity Park is the city’s first example of a true public-private partnership on a park The city has earmarked $20 million in hospitality tax revenue for the new park over 10 years and wants private partners to contribute another $20 million Separate from the city’s fundraising efforts is one led by Community Journals’ chairman and co-founder Doug Greenlaw to raise money for a veterans memorial in the park Greenlaw is a founder of the Upstate charter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart “Public-private partnerships have become a critical funding tool in the toolbox,” said Kevin O’Hara vice president of urban and government affairs for the National Recreation and Parks Association public-private partnerships are good for parks.” Chicago’s Millennium Park was a result of a public-private partnership Mayor Richard Daley originally proposed construction of a parking garage with a landscaped greenroof on land that had been parkland The original plan financing called for $120 million from parking revenue bonds and $30 million from private resources plans for the park had changed drastically A cycle center provides heated bicycle parking There are outdoor art galleries and a promenade and the Pritzker Pavilion that hosts the Grant Park Musical Festival Underneath the park is a 4,000 space parking garage the park was the Midwest’s most popular tourist attraction There’s a wide range of how park public-private partnerships are structured “There’s a real range of public-private partnership models to consider,” she said “The key is to fit the model to your community Some cities have a strong base of philanthropic organizations City Park would also mirror the trend in other cities where postindustrial sites are turned into parks and green space those sites are on waterfronts and riverfronts areas that some cities turned their backs on and became nasty places to which people didn’t want to go a waterfront cargo yard was turned into one of New York’s signature parks The city redirects real estate taxes from residential and commercial developments in the project zone creating a self-sustaining revenue stream that is far less dependent on concessions and permits for special events than signature parks in other major cities “Parks are helping to revitalize cities and put them on the map,” Nagel said “It’s exciting that those projects are not just happening in the largest cities but in medium and small cities as well.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints July 26, 2024Grateful Dead Channel (Ch. 23) celebrates the life and legacy of Jerry Garcia during “The Days Between” his birth and his passing Dead Heads will enjoy special programming on the channel with some content also available to stream on the SiriusXM app until August 15 Available on the SiriusXM app starting August 1 Jerry Garcia’s long-time roadie and manager hosts a special episode of “The Big Steve Hour” on Jerry’s birthday Available on the SiriusXM app starting August 9 and 10 “Tales From The Golden Road” hosts David Gans and Gary Lambert are live from The Dead Forever Experience at the Venetian Resort Hotel before the last two Dead & Company concerts of their 30-show residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas Check out exclusive mixes on the SiriusXM app featuring Jerry’s work outside of the Dead Take a track-by-track deep dive into Jerry Garcia’s “Compliments” album which was released in the summer of 1974 and comprised of Jerry covers in the studio News and moreAll in one place on the SiriusXM app of Plainfield passed away peacfully surrounded by loving family members on September 16 Indiana to the late Loy and Bessie Rentschler  Merl worked as an insurance agent for Shelter Insurance for many years  He was a member of the Gasburg Baptist Church Deer Creek Men's Club and the Kiwanis Club  Merl loved to golf and enjoyed taking care of his lawn Cleve Rentschler and Charlie Rentschler; sister Teresa (Rocky) Grismore and Jeannine Medvescek; 2 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren  Funeral Services will be held on Thursday 2023 at 1:00 pm in Gasburg Baptist Church (11564 N IN 46158) where friends may visit from 11:00 am until time of service  Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery in Plainfield donations can be made to the Gasburg Food Pantry (11564 N IN 46158) or click the link below for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Caceres and Merl Earn All-BIG EAST Second and Third Team Honors11/7/2023 1:30:00 PM | Men's Soccer Golden Eagles earn two selections on all-conference teams The roots between The Allman Brothers Band and Grateful Dead run particularly deep with the two groups crossing paths on numerous occasions throughout the ’70s One such performance took place at Robert F as the Allman Brothers started a full day of music that the Grateful Dead brought to a close With back-to-back jam groups going toe-to-toe it’s no surprise that there was some on-stage collaboration the Dead played three full sets spanning over five hours including a very special third set with Dickey Betts The group stuck mostly to blues-based covers opening with Bob Dylan‘s “It Takes A Lot To Laugh The song was a staple of Jerry Garcia Band they jammed into “That’s Alright Mama” a blues standard popularized by Elvis Presley They went into Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land” before finding Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away” and the traditional “Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad” The band then returned to “Not Fade Away” to close out the set Goode” was a potent way to close out a great set of music we can relive this performance in all of its glory below: RFK Stadium would prove to be an important locale for the Dead who would later welcome Bob Dylan himself to the stage some years later Happy Grateful anniversary of this awesome show Setlist: Grateful Dead | RFK Stadium |Washington « Back Merlin Chain partner BitcoinOS successfully executed the first ZK Bridge transaction on Bitcoin’s testnet This development helps advance Merlin Chain’s transition to a decentralized Bitcoin L2.Merlin Chain’s DeFi TVL grew 18.5% QoQ to $171.6 million Increased activity on Avalon Finance and MerlinSwap drove Merlin Chain’s economic growth in Q4 2024.Merlin Chain’s average daily DEX volume increased by 24.8% QoQ to $1.6 million MerlinSwap accounted for 99.5% of all trading volume on Merlin Chain.Merlin Chain’s average daily new addresses increased by 240.6% QoQ The Bitmap and Party token launches correlate with the creation of new addresses in Q4’24.Merlin Chain partnered with the memecoin launcher BTC.Fun to drive community-centric growth achieved a peak market capitalization of over $43.6 million.PrimerMerlin Chain is an EVM-compatible Bitcoin Layer-2 (L2) built to enhance the scalability and usability of Bitcoin-native assets The network addresses Bitcoin’s challenges including high transaction costs and limited functionality by offering a seamless and cost-efficient execution environment Merlin Chain’s current technical implementation is more accurately described as a Bitcoin sidechain but aims to develop into a Bitcoin Layer-2 solution leveraging innovative technologies like zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) Financial AnalysisMarket CapitalizationAccording to CoinGecko MERL’s market cap decreased by 6.6% from $146.7 million to $137.0 million in Q4’24 driven by a 6.6% decline in token price to $0.28 According to Merlin Chain’s vesting schedule the liquid supply of MERL rose to 30.7% of the maximum supply Merlin Chain’s market cap ranks 546th among all cryptocurrencies the quarter marked a significant shift in revenue dynamics supported by consistent network activity and a relatively high average transaction fee This period accounts for the majority of revenue generation in Q4 Despite stable transaction volumes during Q4 the reduced fees significantly impacted total revenue generation According to Merlin Chain’s vesting schedule, by the end of Q4’24, 30.7% of MERL's supply was liquid, marking a 14.2% QoQ increase. This liquid supply increase is due to the vesting of MERL initially allocated to Advisors Private Sale A participants extended the cliff associated with their vesting schedule until April 9 The key components of the Q1’25 unlock include: no unlocks are scheduled for Private Sale A or Private Sale B investors in Q2’25 The first unlock for Private Sale A and B participants is scheduled for April 19 Merlin’s Seal and public sale allocations completed their respective vesting schedules in Q3’24 Merlin Chain experienced mixed trends in network activity reflecting both stability in core usage metrics and growth in new participants Average daily transactions declined slightly by 5.9% QoQ when average daily transactions reached 89,300 per day The Q4’24 metrics indicate a stabilization of transaction volume at a high baseline suggesting consistent activity on Merlin Chain Daily active addresses (DAA) also saw a marginal decline of 3.1% QoQ which tracks only addresses initiating transactions This trend suggests a shift toward more engaged users actively interacting with the network One of Q4’s standout network usage metrics was the surge in average daily new addresses This growth indicates a noticeable influx of new participants to the ecosystem likely driven by onboarding initiatives and increased interest in Merlin Chain’s applications The rise in new addresses demonstrates Merlin Chain’s ability to attract new participants The decline in transaction activity toward the end of the quarter may reflect seasonality with decreased activity potentially linked to the holiday season improving accessibility and usability for Merlin Chain users This specialized zkSNARK verifier is tailored for Bitcoin enabling trustless proof validation directly on the blockchain with minimal computational demands Through this collaboration, Merlin Chain plans to integrate BitcoinOS’s infrastructure to transition from a sidechain to a secure and decentralized L2 rollup. Central to this effort is the integration of BitcoinOS’s Grail Bridge a trustless bridging mechanism driven by BitSNARK The Grail Bridge enables cross-chain asset transfers between Bitcoin and L2s without requiring centralized custodians aligning with Merlin Chain’s commitment to decentralization and security The successful execution of the first testnet Bitcoin to Merlin Chain represents the first phase of the development of the Grail Bridge The next phase will enable users to burn BTC-pegged tokens on Merlin Chain and settle BTC-pegged assets back on Bitcoin L1 this will establish Bitcoin’s first bi-directional ZK bridge enabling Merlin Chain to transition from centralized bridging models to a trustless framework that enhances scalability a memecoin launching platform that migrates liquidity to Merlin Swap when a token successfully mints Even with Merlin Chain’s QoQ DeFi TVL growth DeFi TVL remains far below the highs of early 2024 which reached $534 million in DeFi TVL in Q2’24 This reflects ongoing challenges due to a narrative shift away from the BTCfi sector unlocking the value trapped in Bitcoin with smart contract functionality remains a promising opportunity in 2025 and beyond On November 12, 2024, Avalon Finance announced plans to launch USDa USDa operates as a collateralized debt position (CDP) enabling users to mint stablecoins against Bitcoin collateral In Q4 2024, Merlin Chain’s average daily DEX volume increased 24.8% QoQ, rising from $1.3 million in Q3 to $1.6 million. MerlinSwap remained the dominant DEX on Merlin Chain, accounting for 99.5% of the total volume over Q4. Meanwhile, BitGenie a decrease of 81.5% QoQ from $44,634 in Q3 The rise in DEX volume aligns with the broader increase in TVL across Merlin Chain’s ecosystem highlighting its potential in the DeFi sector Looking ahead, the announcement of Surf V2 in early January 2025 signals further improvements aimed at enhancing the user experience and positioning Surf as a top-tier perpetual futures platform These developments reinforce Surf’s critical role in driving DeFi activity on Merlin Chain enhancing its utility and accessibility for users These integrations highlight M-BTC’s expanding role in cross-chain liquidity and its growing utility throughout DeFi Dragonverse Neo is well-positioned to drive engagement and growth within Merlin Chain’s gaming sector reinforcing its status as a cornerstone of the ecosystem On Dec. 9, 2024, Merlin Chain announced a strategic partnership with TimonFun TimonFun leverages Telegram’s user base of over 950 million active users to drive adoption through its quest-based mini-app The platform rewards users for completing tasks such as engaging on social media TimonFun incentivizes user participation by offering tickets and diamonds that can be redeemed for prizes ranging from cryptocurrency rewards like TimonFun Points and MERL to physical items such as MacBooks By integrating features like zero-fee farming and gas fee loans TimonFun lowers the barriers to entry for new users All tokens created on BTC.Fun are inscribed or etched on the Bitcoin L1 and bridged to Merlin Chain where they can be traded in a user-friendly environment the Merlin Chain ecosystem expanded its reach with additional partnerships Additional Q4’24 partnerships include the following: Merlin Chain remained active in the community and participated in many community events Merlin Chain community events held in Q4’24 include the following: Merlin Chain’s MERL token also received several exchange listings in Q4’24 Q4’24 MERL token listings include the following: In Q4’24, Merlin Chain demonstrated resilience and growth across several key metrics. The network’s TVL increased by 18.5% QoQ to $171.6 million, supported by heightened DEX activity driven by the rise of BTC.Fun Average daily DEX volume rose 24.8% QoQ to $1.6 million reflecting increased trading activity and liquidity migration from successful token launches Despite a 6.6% decline in market cap and a sharp drop in protocol revenue due to reduced transaction fees with a 240.6% increase in average daily new addresses signaling strong user onboarding leveraged its large user base to onboard new participants through interactive tasks and incentives helping to drive adoption and engagement on Merlin Chain such as the contraction in DeFi diversity and a narrative shift away from BTCFi in Q4’24 Merlin Chain’s efforts to build foundational infrastructure and onboard new users position it well for future growth As the network advances its L2 ambitions and expands its offerings Merlin Chain is poised to further solidify its place in the Bitcoin ecosystem in 2025 No part of this report may be (a) copied, photocopied, duplicated in any form by any means or (b) redistributed without the prior written consent of Messari®. 0xBoomzHayden is a Research Analyst specializing in the intersection of crypto-economic incentive mechanisms and their role in DeFi, DePIN, and AI ecosystems. Prior to joining Messari, Hayden worked as a Research Analyst at The Block and as a Venture Associate at a crypto-native venture capital fund. Hayden is a Research Analyst specializing in the intersection of crypto-economic incentive mechanisms and their role in DeFi Hayden worked as a Research Analyst at The Block and as a Venture Associate at a crypto-native venture capital fund the Hixson family has served the people of Central Louisiana by providing funeral and cremation services to all faiths Find your loved one below to share a memory or express your condolences You may also show sympathy by sending flowers Enter your information to receive emails when new obituaries are published We're dedicated to providing personalized professional and compassionate services to help lighten your burden and support you Receive emails when new obituariesare published to our website Your browser may not work with certain site. Upgrade now.