Sexual harassment is alive and well in Kern County, Wood-Dale Market to carry fresh fish at its new location and Kevin Burton joins a local law firm

 * ... SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Given all the sexual harassment and groping charges on the national level, did you ever think if it is better - or worse - here in Kern County? I posed that question to Katy Raytis, a lawyer who specializes in sexual harassment for Belden/Blaine/Raytis. Her answer might surprise you. It is actually worse here, she told me, because of the chummy nature of our community. "Everyone knows everyone," she said, "and that leads to familiarity and the idea that it
can't happen to me. But it does." The time of year when we should all watch our behavior? The holidays, of course, when we find ourselves at company Christmas parties with our guard down while alcohol is being served.

 * ... ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS: And speaking of surprising, did you know that only 2 percent of high school athletes actually receive some sort of athletic scholarship to attend college? That's the word from Trevor Horn, prep sports writer for The Bakersfield Californian. The number is so small, in fact, that Horn has this advice for parents who are dreaming their children will get a scholarship: "Relax and just enjoy the ride," he said. "Enjoy them participating in sports and let them play multiple sports."

 * ... FISH MARKET: It looks like the new Wood-Dale Market at Grand Island Village will be opening sometime after the first of the year. And here is some good news: Chris Vasquez, son of owner Israel Vasquez, says the old-style meat market will also be carrying fresh fish. Vasquez told me they will start with the most popular types of fish - salmon, sea bass etc - but will let the customers decide what they should carry. Work at the new location, next to the Sol Y Luna restaurant across from Wiki's Wine Dive and Grill, is well under way as they shoot to open after the first of the year.

 * ... SPOTTED ON TWITTER: "Congressmen only make $174,000 a year! How can they be expected, on such a meager pittance, to raise a family, buy groceries, send their kids to school, and pay massive sexual harassment settlements? Impossible."

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "One day you're 18, eating pizza for every meal, wearing a size 4 and the next you're 30, drinking kale and debating wearing a T-shirt in the pool."

  * ... KEVIN BURTON: Kevin Burton, who has been the face of the marketing for Adventist Health for the past seven years, is leaving his job as head of its foundation to join the law firm of Klein DeNatale Goldner. Burton will be overseeing corporate and business development as well as marketing the firm.

 * ... THE TOWER: It looks like the old downtown church that has housed several restaurants (Bell Tower Club, The Ivy) is about to get a new owner. Robert Alimirzaie, executive chef at Bakersfield Country Club, has purchased the elegant old church and will open it as a restaurant called "The Tower" in February.

Kevin Burton decides against running for mayor of Bakersfield, an expert predicts the price of oil will double this year and Monsignor Michael Braun begins his farewell tour

 * ... OIL: With the price of oil hovering around $30 a barrel, it's hard to find optimists in the oil patch. But at least one analyst is bucking that trend by predicting the price will double to around $60 a barrel by the end of this year. That's the word from The Wall Street Journal which reported that

energy executive Harold Hamm believes the current glut will ease as U.S. producers "ratchet down production until the market recovers." Hamm, chief executive of the U.S. shale producer Continental Resources,  also described OPEC as "almost a nonentity" that is losing its ability to dictate market prices.

 * ... KEVIN: Kevin Burton has decided against running for mayor this year, citing his responsibilities as president of the San Joaquin Community Hospital foundation. Burton, who will turn 45 next week, called being mayor "a lifelong dream" but told me he was simply not in a position to run for election this year. "I love this city and it's been my goal to be mayor," he said. "But I just can't do it now." It is still not certain if Harvey Hall will run for reelection, and Burton's decision creates an even wider opening for former homebuilder Kyle Carter to seek the office. Carter says he is running whether Hall runs or not.

* ... MONA: An interesting exhibit of neon signs will be on display in Glendale next month when the Museum of Neon Art holds its grand opening. And one of its prized pieces is none other than one of the original neon signs for the now defunct Green Frog market. The sign, if you remember it, has the phrase 'Howdy Folks' under a strutting green frog decked out in a tuxedo and black top hat. By the way, if you are into this kind of stuff, take a leisurely drive through old east Bakersfield some time and take in the treasure trove of neon signs that grace our streets, from Pyrenees Cafe to Luigi's to Woolgrowers to the Arizona Cafe. Or, better yet, head over to the Kern County Museum to check out its impressive display of old neon signs.

 * ... BRAUN: Good luck to Monsignor Michael Braun, one of the smartest - and wittiest - pastors in town who has spent three decades leaving his imprint on Catholic life here. Braun will retire at the end of this month, but not before a 'farewell tour' of sorts that included a tribute dinner at Bakersfield Country Club that drew some 300 people. When Braun steps down, he will be the longest-tenured pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also surpassing those at other local Catholic parishes.

 * ... SPOTTED ON FACEBOOK: "I'd like to read an obit about someone who did not die surrounded by family. Someone whose niece was on her way but didn't quite make it."

 * ... FUND RAISER: Mark your calendar for the annual reverse raffle and fund raiser for the Our Lady of Guadalupe School, a small non-profit school that serves students through the eighth grade. The dinner is set for Saturday, Feb. 13., at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine at 4600 E. Brundage Lane. Tickets are going for $140 (steak dinner for two and one entry into the reverse raffle) and there will be an $8,000 grand prize. This year's honorees for the Monsignor Craig Harrison award: Rose Alderete, Marylou Burlingame and Woolgrower's Restaurant-Jenny Poncetta and Mayie Matia.

The private story behind the life of the latest victim of a hit and run, Monty Byrom set to appear at Temple Beth El, and Nordstrom Rack gets ready to open its first Bakersfield location

 * … RIP SHORTY: Every death is accompanied by a personal story and most of them go unnoticed by the public. Joe Sacco wanted me to know that the death of 66-year-old Lauren "Shorty" Bristol was not one of them. Bristol was killed in a hit and run incident at Calloway Road and Palm Drive a few days ago, the latest pedestrian death in a long line of tragedies locally.  "The

gentleman killed was the longest tenured employee at our family business Sierra International Machinery. We used to be Sierra Bag and over any years we transformed into recycling and machinery. The loss has rocked our company and family. He was a man of the highest integrity, he mentored me an my brother and many others. He was loved by all and we at Sierra are in a state of shock. He was a great husband , father and grandfather who loved his family the way we all should love our families. I wanted you to know that this man wasn't just a random man killed but a beloved employee and family man."

* … BEST BETS: One of this weekend's best bets will happen Sunday at the Bell Tower Club when local rock and blues singer Monty Byrom and his band will be appearing to benefit Temple Beth El. It is a 2 p.m. show and the cost is $25 a ticket. On Saturday night, the Bakersfield West Rotary will holds its annual Cioppino Feed at Monsignor Leddy Hall at Garces Memorial High School, a can't miss even here in the charity fund raising season.

 * … NORDSTROM: The next big retailer to open at The Shops at River Walk will be Nordstrom Rack, which opens its doors on Thursday, March 26. Get ready for another mob scene as Bakersfield welcomes a new retailer, and it no doubt will test a parking lot that is already jammed with the opening of Sprouts Farmers Market and BevMo!

 * … BURTON: I had a chance to catch up with Kevin Burton, who runs the foundation over at San Joaquin Community Hospital and has been eyeing a run for mayor if Harvey Hall chooses not to seek reelection. Burton said he is definitely interested, has been overwhelmed with the amount of support her has garnered, and will decide only after consulting his family and friends.

 * … FITNESS: And don't forget about the 6th Annual Bakersfield Health and Fitness Expo set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rabobank Theater. This is a free event and will feature dozens of vendors focusing on healthy living.

 * … SCAM: Are you ready for another telephone scam targeting the elderly? Consider this from Norma Jackson. "The newest scam comes from an e-mail I received this morning from the 'Attorney General Office of South Carolina. They told me I was now going to be arrested regarding a lawsuit which is filed on my name and gave me a case file number. The first big tip off was the horrible grammar. They were also going to 'update this thing to your employer place and we are sure you will get terminated from your job with the immediate effect' [sic].  It provided a number for me to call; they also [very nicely] provided me with an Attorney Retainer Agreement for me to retain The Bennett Law Firm to represent me. I called the South Carolina Attorney General's Office and spoke with a Winifred there, who told me it was a fraud and I wasn't the first one.  She gave me the number for consumer affairs to report it.  On calling them I spoke with Matt in the fraud division, who knew about scam.  He gave me the website for internet crimes and also phone number for Federal Trade Commission, which I did call.

* …ACHIEVER: More on the good news front: Congratulations to Alicia Sandoval Gilliam, an alumni of East Bakersfield High school class of 1994, for  being honored by the National Association of Social Worker (San Jose Unit) last week. Alicia is the city of Sunnyvale's Youth, Family and Resources Coordinator. Thanks to her proud mother, Vickie Gilley, for sharing this.

Former residential home builder Kyle Carter readies for a run for mayor, celebrating the small-town feel of Bakersfield and noting some good form about town

 * … MAYOR: Mayor Harvey Hall's term in office doesn't expire for another year, but already folks are lining up to replace Hall if he chooses not to seek reelection. One name mentioned frequently is Kyle Carter, the former residential home builder who was recently elected to the Kern Community College District. Carter is deeply involved in the community and has recently been investing in downtown properties. He successfully sold the company bearing his name before the recession hit, and he would no doubt be a formidable candidate. Meanwhile Kevin Burton, who runs the foundation over at San Joaquin Community Hospital, is also eager to run. "It's all Kevin talks about," said one of his friends. Hall has served as mayor since 2000 and told me he would announce his intentions in February of next year.

 * … SMALL TOWN: Another reason to celebrate our "small town" feel comes from reader Aneta Adams: "Over the weekend, I caught two of the Bakersfield episodes of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  You know it's not Bakersfield if you don't see someone you know! At KC's Steakhouse, it was Howdy Miller and Gary Crabtree. At Mama Roomba, it was H.A. Sala. How did the restaurants choose the patrons for the show? I also caught the episode with Salty's. Both were good representations of Btown!"

 * … BAD FORM: Emily Shapiro was in res room at Barnes and Noble when she spotted this example of bad form. "In an era of water depletion, conserving water is of the utmost importance. However, this past Saturday around 5 p.m. at Barnes and Noble I noticed a patron in the ladies room who after washing and drying her hands left the water running full blast. Not only is it bad manners, but the lack of consideration for others is astounding."

 * … WATER: Reader Gene Bonas' note about the length of time it takes hot water to reach the other end of the house drew this comment from Lee Altmar, himself a former sailor like Gene. "A trick we used when I lived in Santa Barbara during the drought of the 1980s was to keep a 5-gallon bucket or two in the shower. We would fill the bucket(s) while waiting for the water to get hot, then use the water for cleaning (e.g., dishes and floors). The fun thing about Bakersfield is that, in the summer, it takes even longer for the water to get cold enough to use. I've had to brush my teeth with water that was almost boiling."

 * … NORTHEAST: Penny Young responded to a reader's rant about the lack of new retail in the Northeast. Said Penny: "Needless to say, we enjoy your column for all the voices and personalities and events and tidbits that come to light. Today Elizabeth Trainor was spot on about the feelings of northeast residents and our lack of shopping while there are such exuberant openings on the other side of town. However, I think she was a little hard on Ken Weir, our Councilmember Ward 3. It appears she misses some of the information published in The Californian. Very recently Mr. Weir organized a public forum at the new Paul Cato Middle School where he brought together directors of 5 agencies connected with development in the NE, (transportation, parks, etc.) It was enlightening, well-received, well-attended, and well-reported by Theo Douglas. It's easy to miss things, and I am sorry that Ms. Trainor has 'never seen or heard from him over the years.'  If  Ms. Trainor Googles Bakersfield City Council and clicks on the first link, she will be able to solve her problem of being 'unable to discover his email address.' (These comments are not meant in a smarty tone, but just to give more balanced perspective.)"

 * … MEMORIES: Here's a puzzler from reader Cheryl Hyde Reid: "I recently obtained my great grandfather's death certificate.  It states that he died at the Stockdale Country Club Hospital in 1940.  I was born here in 1947, and don't remember that hospital.  Does anyone else recall a Stockdale Country Club Hospital?"