This evening: From California drug dealer to cartel kingpin, the making of ‘El Mencho’

Plus where you need to be during Frieze L.‍A.‍ What you need to know this evening.‍  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­   ADVERTISEMENT February 23, 2026 | View in browser This Evening's Big Stories 'El Mencho': From California drug dealer to cartel kingpin The founder of the ruthless Jalisco New Generation Cartel was killed Sunday in Mexico, authorities said, ending a criminal career that reshaped his country's underworld after humble beginnings on the streets of San Francisco. Read More ADVERTISEMENT Dozens of Mexican soldiers killed in cartel attacks after operation targeting drug kingpin 'El Mencho' Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum seeks to quell fears after violence erupted in 20 states after the killing of the world's most wanted cartel kingpin. Read More Californians 'hunkering down' in Puerto Vallarta as cartel violence frays nerves U.S. tourists and expats across Mexico sheltered in place on Sunday as cartel violence engulfed several beach resort towns after Mexican security forces killed Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, Mexico's most-wanted drug trafficker. Read More ADVERTISEMENT Nick Reiner pleads not guilty to murder in killings of parents, Rob and Michele Reiner Nick Reiner pleaded not guilty during a brief Monday morning hearing in downtown L.A. on charges that he murdered his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, late last year. Read More These are L.A.'s worst intersections. Why some might surprise you What are the worst intersections in L.A.? We crunched the numbers and this is what we came up with. Some of the crossings will surprise you. Read More Keep up with California Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe Now Buyer for Oceanwide Plaza's infamous graffitied towers emerges The proposed buyer of the L.A. project in bankruptcy proceedings is a partnership led Kali P. Chaudhuri, whose firm owns properties in California and India. Read More Feds say man groomed 13-year-old to engage in self-harm online and lured her to L.A. motel for sex Federal authorities believe the suspect to be associated with nihilistic violent extremist ideology, which prosecutor Bill Essayli called "a growing threat to American families" and "one of the most twisted and disturbing ideas to crawl out of the Internet." Read More As ICE scales up hiring, whistleblower documents reveal deep cuts to training program The Trump administration made significant cuts to the training requirements for new immigration officers, according to new whistleblower documents made public Monday. Read More Column: Robots are heading into the kitchen. Should we welcome them? An L.A. company is producing robotic cooking equipment that could change how chefs operate in the kitchen. Read More Everywhere you need to be during Frieze L.A. Arts and culture writer Evan Nicole Brown shares her guide to the best exhibitions and club nights in town this week. Read More ADVERTISEMENT Thank you for reading This Evening's Big Stories from the Los Angeles Times Sign up for more L.A. Times newsletters. Sign Up You received this email because you opted to receive email communications from L.A. Times. Unsubscribe | Manage marketing email preferences | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information | CA Notice of Collection Advertisers have no control over editorial decisions or content. Place an ad or classified. Copyright © 2026, Los Angeles Times 2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, CA 90245 1-800-LA-TIMES latimes.com