The California Emergency Management Agency has designated the Visalia Fire Department as a Type 1 Hazardous Materials Department, its highest level of hazardous materials emergency response.

The designation means that the Visalia "haz mat" team can respond to any kind of spill and is on a list of teams that can respond statewide, Visalia Fire Chief Mark Nelson said.

The department can respond to incidents of terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction, transportation emergencies, pipeline leaks, releases at chemical facilities and other hazardous-materials situations, Nelson said.

Health

Save Mart donations benefit cancer group

The American Cancer Society's programs in Northern California and Northern Nevada have received $156,000 from Save Mart Supermarkets.

Donations received were part of a month-long campaign in October where all Save Mart, S-Mart Foods, Lucky, Food MAXX and MAXX Value Food stores sold Making Strides icons for $1 and helped spread breast cancer education and awareness.

In 2010, the American Cancer Society provided free support to more than 11,000 callers, gave rides to 243,000 cancer patients and helped more than 10,000 patients who participated in Look Good ... Feel Better or Reach to Recovery programs.

Road work

Roadwork will slow Highway 99 traffic

Drivers on Highway 99 in north Fresno should expect a 45-minute to 1-hour delay starting Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. due to roadwork, Caltrans said.

As a part of the six-lane improvement project, the 3.9-mile stretch from the Grantland Avenue undercrossing to the Shaw Avenue undercrossing will have delays while workers place hot-mix asphalt material, which cannot be cured during the night hours.

Southbound Highway 99 will be reduced to one lane during daytime hours. Caltrans recommends that drivers use an alternate route if possible.

Education

Fresno State gets water research funds

California State University, Fresno will receive $300,000 over two years to establish the Claude Laval Water Research Fund, which will provide research funding for eight faculty studying Central California's most urgent water issues. The gift is from local entrepreneur Claude Laval.

For the 2012-13 year, the Claude Laval Water Research Fund will give $220,000 for research in the departments of plant science, civil and geomatics engineering, earth and environmental science, curriculum and instruction, and mass communications and journalism. Another $80,000 will go to faculty in geography, public health and management for the 2013-14 year.

Clovis Unified promotes principals

Two elementary school principals and a high school principal have been promoted by Clovis Unified School District.

Scott Dille, principal at Gettysburg Elementary, was named principal of Clovis North Educational Center, replacing Norm Anderson, who is now serving as Clovis North area superintendent. Darin Tockey, Clovis East High School principal, was promoted to Clovis East Educational Center principal. Kevin Kerney, Fancher Creek Elementary School principal, has been named deputy principal at Clovis East, overseeing Reyburn Intermediate School. Kerney replaces Barry Jager, who now serves as Clovis High School area superintendent.