LOS ANGELES – Governor Gavin Newsom’s newly established Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force carried out its first significant seizure, confiscating 2.2 million illegal cannabis packages. 

The illicit products were marketed as popular children’s candy, including Sweet Tarts, sour gummies, and Confetti Twinkies.

Tamma Adamek, Spokesperson for the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) said,  

“It was a lot; it filled six box trucks,” said Tamma Adamek, spokesperson for the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). “We had to take it to a warehouse—it was big.”

The operation targeted 11 businesses in the Toy District of Downtown Los Angeles. All seized packages bore the official state logo, a symbol legally reserved for products from licensed businesses regulated by the Department of Cannabis Control. 

Selling packaging with this logo without proper licensing is a violation of state law.

“What we know has been happening is these businesses are manufacturing or importing this packaging,” Adamek said. “And they’re selling it to the illicit market. Illicit cannabis dealers are then putting their product in it and selling it.”

Using the state logo on unlicensed products poses a significant risk to consumers, who may mistakenly believe state authorities have vetted the products.

“Consumers think it’s real,” Adamek warned. “They think it’s been vetted by the state. And that’s what’s so frightening about this—no, this is dirty, buggy, untested cannabis products going in here. That’s why we cracked down on the packaging.”

Authorities advise consumers to purchase cannabis products only from reputable, licensed vendors to ensure product safety and compliance with state regulations.

Visalia, California — For Catholics in Central California, bigger means better — and St. Charles Borromeo Church feels heaven-sent. The largest Catholic parish church in North America has 3,200 seats, sprawls nearly an acre and cost $21 million to build.

“This is a Catholic megachurch,” said Bishop Joseph Brennan, who leads the Diocese of Fresno.

Father Alex Chavez, a pastor at the church, is still struck by its massive scale. And as big as it is, it could be even bigger.

“There’s room for growth. I could always add masses,” Chavez said.

The Catholic Church is facing a labor crisis decades in the making. Over a half-century, the average size of a parish increased by 60%, while the number of priests dropped by 40%, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate.

“It’s huge, and it’s really across the board,” Brennan said. “It’s complicated, but there are all kinds of issues.”

Among them are inadequate recruiting of young men, societal issues including materialism and career success, family issues such as broken homes and the legacy of the church’s sex abuse scandals, according to Vocation Ministry.

The Fresno Diocese recently ordained six new priests — their most since 1968. But Brennan says he could use 25 every year.

“I think nowadays, especially for my generation, commitment’s a strong word,” said Jimmy Millan, one of the new priests at St. Charles Borromeo.

Joseph Klinge, another newly ordained priest, says the Catholic Church’s history of sexual abuse have marred the image of the priesthood.

“I’ve had people call me a pedophile, just for wanting to become a priest. There’s wounds or scars, because that’s a horrible thing,” Klinge said.

Still, the new priests are hopeful things could turn around.

Until it does, this megachurch merges four parishes into one behemoth. Across three Sunday masses, 8,000 parishioners in total fill the pews.

“We’re responding to a very real need. So Jesus would walk through the door and say, ‘Well it’s not what I had in mind, but way to go, guys. It’s a creative approach.’”

A California community college district agreed to pay $2.4 million to a conservative professor in a recent settlement agreement after years of legal battles between the two parties.

“After five years of administrative misconduct, a decisive courtroom display exonerated me of all allegations and exposed that Kern Community College District engaged in flagrant retaliation for my questioning of partisan policies and wasteful expenditures,” Matthew Garrett reacted in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Facing an imminent ruling in my favor and the prospect of paying millions of dollars in damages, KCCD had only one viable option: settlement.” 

Garrett, previously a tenured history professor at Bakersfield College in southern California, filed a federal lawsuit against the Kern Community College District (KCCD) in 2021. In the lawsuit, Garrett claimed school officials retaliated against him and a colleague for questioning if grant money was being improperly used to fund social justice initiatives on campus. 

Garrett also claimed that he and other faculty members of a free speech coalition on campus were targeted with false allegations after they asked questions during a campus diversity meeting in October of 2022. 

PROFESSOR WHO WAS FIRED AFTER REPORTING ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS WINS $1M IN SETTLEMENT WITH UNIVERSITY

The district Board of Trustees voted to fire him in April of 2023, alleging he had engaged in multiple instances of “immoral and unprofessional conduct,” which Garrett adamantly denied.

The professor contested his suspension in court. The two parties agreed to a settlement last month to end all disputes and claims surrounding Garrett’s employment after Garrett’s lawyers argued his case before an administrative law judge in May.

The district pledged to deliver a $2.4-million payment to Garrett as part of the settlement agreement that was obtained by Fox News Digital. The agreement covers “alleged general and emotional distress damages,” as well as attorney fees. The total payment includes a one-time payment of $154,520.00 for back wages and medical benefits since his dismissal.

Under the settlement, Garrett agreed to resign from his position in the district. Administrators also agreed to withdraw its reports and accusations of unprofessional conduct from Garrett’s record and seal documents related to punitive action it took against him from his personnel file.

CALIFORNIA COLLEGE TRUSTEE APOLOGIZES AFTER ‘THREATENING’ REMARKS ABOUT FACULTY WHO OPPOSE EQUITY INITIATIVES

The settlement agreement isn’t an admission of wrongdoing for either party, it says. (Getty Images )

The settlement says the agreement isn’t “an admission of any wrongdoing or liability by either the District or Garrett.”

A district spokesman for KCCD provided the following statement to Fox News Digital.

“The Kern Community College District (KCCD) has settled all issues with Matthew Garrett. Matthew Garrett has voluntarily resigned from his employment and all litigation on this matter has been resolved. KCCD believes the settlement is in the best interest of the District and allows us to focus on the future and continue to deliver quality higher education for students of Kern County without any further legal distractions. To be clear, the dispute with Matthew Garrett was a disciplinary matter due to his disruptive actions on campus, none of which concerned freedom of speech. Kern Community College District unequivocally supports the right for our students and faculty to share their views and opinions on campus and elsewhere. As a District, we create an environment that provides our diverse students and communities with the opportunity to professionally engage with new ideas.”

“As this is a confidential personnel matter, we will not comment further.”

Garrett said he was grateful for the support he’s received and declared the settlement a victory.

“I am grateful to the many who stood by my side during this difficult time and invite them to join in our triumph. To my colleagues at Bakersfield College and nationwide, I say: Keep the faith; we are winning the battle, one case at a time,” his statement continued.

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