Following is a sampling of Kern County residents who, for better or worse, are poised to make a splash in 2008.

In God we trusted

Longtime Bakersfield City Councilwoman Jacquie Sullivan has become known for championing a single issue: getting In God We Trust on school posters and government walls whenever and wherever possible.

Will the 68-year-old decide to run for another four-year term in 2008? If she does, it could either be hugely entertaining or a total snoozer, depending on who, if anyone, challenges Sullivan.

Too early to talk legacy?

The Weekly Standard in September named Bakersfield congressman Kevin McCarthy one of three "Young Guns of the House GOP."

The prominent conservative magazine further dubbed McCarthy "the strategist" with one goal -- "to retake the House."

Some may argue that McCarthy's legislative duties are more important to his constituents than any aspirations he may have to become his party's top campaign planner.

But McCarthy has been active in a slew of local issues in 2007, with direct involvement in the VA's plans for a national veterans cemetery; concerns about the availability of medical care for local military veterans; plans to build a federal courthouse in Bakersfield; and a base realignment in Ridgecrest that could bring hundreds of new jobs to the naval weapons station at China Lake.

Voters should have a clearer picture in 2008 of how McCarthy is performing on these and other issues.

Cleaning up the town

Veteran county administrator John Nilon will be another one to watch in 2008. Some may argue that no one appeared to be watching his predecessor.

As the new administrative head of Kern County's troubled Department of Public Health Services, Nilon's priority will be to restore the agency's damaged credibility.

The health department has been plagued for years by lax financial controls and questionable billing practices, according to a county auditor's report. Many of the problems were linked to the leadership of former Director B.A. Jinadu, who left this summer for points unknown -- while owing the state more than $400,000 for overbilling Medi-Cal.

Romancing the Tombstone

Another local icon to watch -- even if it's not really a person -- is the historic Padre Hotel. The circa-1928 building has been a part of Bakersfield's folklore and cityscape for so long that some believe it's alive and breathing.

But after five years of work and waiting -- and an asbestos lawsuit, too -- owner Pacifica Enterprises halted renovation on the 72,800-square-foot landmark and placed it on the market in June for $5.6 million.

We've had our hopes dashed so many times, it's hard to believe recent reports that an unnamed San Diego company with multiple hotel and restaurant holdings is in negotiations to turn the Padre into a high-end boutique hotel.

But hey, it's the new year. Anything's possible.

What's old is new again

He's only 18, but the jazz piano stylings of Ezekiel Victor combine the dynamic subtlety of a seasoned performer with the youthful exuberance of someone experiencing it all for the first time.

This 2007 Highland High School graduate received his early training in classical music, but fell in love with jazz piano in his mid-teens.

"He has such an old soul," school psychologist and jazz afficionado Larry Totten said of Victor.

Although he regularly plays jazz in Bakersfield and is working to get on the music scene in Los Angeles, Victor is a realist, too. He's studying computer science at UCLA.

Samples from Victor's self-produced CD can be heard at www.ezekielvictor.com.

Painting the town

It's nearly impossible to highlight one painter, sculptor or artist in Kern County when the list of talented individuals who work and create here is so long and varied.

Instead, we're highlighting a local artist and poet who found a way to bring together more than 150 pieces of artwork by 34 female artists last October -- and make it work. The name of this bundle of creative energy is Jen Raven and the name of the show was "Burn the Witch II."

Held at The Empty Space for the second year in a row, the show had the artsy and the curious, the mainstream and the alternative, streaming through -- and opening their checkbooks, too.

The event was a fundraiser as well, so a portion of the proceeds helped support the venue's ongoing effort to make quality live theater affordable and accessible in Bakersfield.