 Jake's father, Vern, served in the Legislature of the Alaska Territory during the mid-1950s and later became a well known radio broadcaster, newspaper editor and pioneer TV reporter in Juneau.Two siblings, Peter and Kim Metcalfe, have written books on Alaska Native History.Jake started work at the age of five, helping his big brothers sell newspapers, and by the age of eight, he had his own business, a shoeshine stand in a popular barber shop where he shined the shoes of most of Alaska's leading politicians.