Darryl Milner

April 13, 1963 — February 5, 2026

Darryl Kent Milner was born on April 13, 1963, in Boulder Colorado, to Sherrill and Betty Milner of Natchitoches, Louisiana. He passed away on February 5, 2026.

Darryl grew up in Southern California and graduated from Los Angeles Baptist High School. He later made his home in Salem, Oregon, where he worked for the Oregon State Department of Revenue beginning in October 1997. He was known as a hardworking, dependable presence and someone people could always count on.

Darryl found joy in the simple things and took pride in caring for what mattered to him. He loved gardening and was always trying to have the best lawn in the neighborhood, taking pride in keeping it neat and beautiful. He enjoyed golf and celebrated a proud accomplishment in 2025 when he became Senior Champion of the Cap City Amateur Golf Tournament at Salem Golf Club.

He enjoyed being part of a local billiards team, The Idle Family, playing both 8-ball and 9-ball, and he never passed up a chance to play Golden Tee. He also loved playing poker, listening to music, and singing along whenever the moment felt right. Darryl was an avid fan of the band Rush, whose music was often the soundtrack to his life. He had a big heart and was happiest when surrounded by others, laughing, telling stories, and simply enjoying the moment.

Time spent with friends and family meant everything to him. His yearly boys’ trips to the Snake River were filled with laughter, adventure, and stories that would be told for years to come, much like his crabbing trips whenever the catch was good.

Darryl was someone who would drop everything to help others. He loved deeply, gave generously, and was fiercely proud of his children, who were among the greatest joys of his life.

He is survived by his mother, Betty Milner of Natchitoches, Louisiana; his children, Chandra (husband

James) Whittle of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Matthew Milner of Eugene, Oregon; his sister, Paula (husband John) of Natchitoches, Louisiana; his niece, Angelique Milner of Thousand Oaks, California; and his great-niece, Kylie Milner of Las Vegas, Nevada.

He was preceded in death by his father, Sherrill Milner; his brother, Mark Milner; and his nephew, Bert Jarvis.

Service for Mr. Darryl Milner will be held on Saturday February 28, 2026 at 12pm at Blanchard St. Denis Funeral Home.

Casey Michael Field

Casey Michael Field Profile Photo

June 28, 1974 — February 22, 2026

Casey Michael Field, 51, of Lafayette, passed away on February 22, 2026, in Abbeville, Louisiana.

Born on June 28, 1974, in Natchitoches, Louisiana, to Jimmy and Sandy Field, Casey was raised in Natchitoches, where he spent most of his life before moving to Lafayette six years ago. He worked as a lifelong truck driver.

Casey was the devoted fiancé of Aimee Mackey, with whom he shared several joyful years and planned to marry on May 1; his life had never been better. He cherished their time camping together in the RV. He was “bonus dad” to Aimee’s daughter Sara Aucoin and her husband Clint, and their daughters Aubrey and Sophie, and to Aimee’s daughter Macy Canon (Blayne Barras) and their daughter Camryn—all of whom called him “Pop”—embracing them as his own.

He is survived by his father Jimmy Field and his stepmother Sandra Lemoine; his brother Andy Field (Kate); nieces Evelyn Spencer (Luke) and their daughters Clara and Margot of Chicago, Corinne Wessinger (Sam) and their daughter Lottie of Nashville, and Lydia Field (Jake) of Nashville. Casey was preceded in death by his mother, Sandy Field.

Visitation will be held Friday, February 27, from 5-8 p.m. and again Saturday, February 28, from 8-10 a.m. at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches. The funeral service will follow at 10 a.m. at the funeral home, with a graveside service at Memory Lawn Cemetery.

Natchitoches Weather Forecast

NATCHITOCHES, La. — Today will feature partly sunny skies with a high near 78 degrees and winds gusting up to 25 mph from the south.

Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low of 61 degrees. Tomorrow, there is a very slight chance of afternoon showers, with a high near 79. Tomorrow night’s low will be 52 degrees with partly cloudy skies.

Natchitoches Central Lady Chiefs Advance to LHSAA Quarterfinals

NATCHITOCHES, La. — The Natchitoches Central Lady Chiefs have advanced to the quarterfinals of the LHSAA girls basketball playoffs.

After defeating Destrehan 50-33, the Lady Chiefs will face the number one seed, Zachary, tomorrow at 6 p.m. in Zachary. The winner will advance to the semifinals in Hammond against either Terrebonne or Neville.

Law Enforcement Warns Public of Smishing Scam

NATCHITOCHES, La. — Local law enforcement authorities are warning residents of a new smishing scam involving fraudulent text messages.

The messages, claiming to be from “Nakotis R McIntosh Parish Sheriff’s Office,” are not from any official law enforcement agency. Authorities say the texts attempt to steal personal and financial information.

Residents are advised not to tap on links, call the numbers provided, or give out any sensitive information. The official area code for local law enforcement is not included in the scam messages.

St. Amant Man Arrested on Drug Charges Following I-49 Traffic Stop

NATCHITOCHES, La. — Lancashire Parish deputies arrested 41-year-old Charles St. Martin of St. Amant after a traffic stop on I-49 near the Ajax exit.

Deputies reported the vehicle was traveling 87 mph in a 75 mph zone. During the stop, officers detected a strong smell of marijuana and observed controlled substances inside the vehicle.

Authorities recovered:

  • 3 grams of suspected methamphetamine
  • 10 grams of suspected marijuana
  • 1 gram of suspected THC

St. Martin was taken to the LaSalle Correctional Facility in Natchitoches and charged with possession of CDS2, possession of CDS1, and speeding.

All persons accused of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

NSU powerlifters excel at first meet

Feb. 25, 2026 

NSU powerlifters excel at first meet 

BATON ROUGE – Northwestern State University powerlifters Ja’Leigha Gray of Plaquemine and Keith Wade of Belle Rose were standouts in their first collegiate competition at the USA Powerlifting Capital City Classic in Baton Rouge.  

Gray placed first in the Women’s Equipped Open Division, 56kg Weight Class with a personal record of 85 kg (185 pounds. Wade also had a personal record of 145 kg (315 pounds). 

“I am very proud of both lifters for their hard work and dedication,” said Powerlifting Club Head Coach Maya Lucas. “Not only were they able to place in their first meet, but they achieved new personal records, which is a major win in itself. I am very proud of them and can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester holds for the team.”  

The next meet for the powerlifting team will be USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals on April 9-12 in Kenner. 

For more information or to join the NSU Powerlifting Team, contact Lucas at [email protected].   

Caption 

Northwestern State University powerlifter Ja’Leigha Gray of Plaquemine finished first in her class at the USA Powerlifting Capital City Classic in Baton Rouge