Jesse's first 13 years were spent in Arbuckle, a small town in Colusa County where his father owns an agricultural equipment business.

Jesse learned to read at a very young age by studying baseball cards, and he learned math by figuring the players' batting averages. He memorized their statistics and copied the players' batting stances. He especially liked to read Hardy Boys mysteries and often figured out the endings.

After his parents divorced, Jesse followed his mother to Woodland, where she taught in local schools. Jesse attended Sacramento Adventist Academy, spent two years at Woodland Community College and finally three years at PUC, where he studied journalism, public relations, copy editing, writing and research.

Throughout his schooling, he continued to develop his love of books, especially contemporary fiction written over the past 50 years.

"I'm most passionate about modernist and post-modernist American literature," he said recently. "I like books that are fun, that have a puzzle to them and have something to figure out."

His favorite authors are Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo, Ian McEwan, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, John Crowley, Joyce Carol Oates and James Joyce.

When he isn't writing for us, Jesse spends a lot of time reading, watching the Sacramento Kings basketball team, watching movies and listening to music that is "left of mainstream, from the 1960s on."

His first perception of St. Helena was that it was "very rich and upscale." He has since reassessed the town.

"There are a lot of poor people who may not live here but who work here and are looking for a place, and affordable housing is an issue here."

He sees Calistoga as "more touristy," but appreciates the bookstore.

"My big issue with both cities is that there aren't any fast-food restaurants," he said.

While Jesse looks for a place to rent, he is also assessing his decision to take a job that will force him to spend carefully. However, he seems excited about the Upvalley beat.

Although becoming familiar with wine isn't a job requirement, it is something he is looking forward to.

He hasn't had wine since he was 5, when his grandfather gave him a sip of Sutter Home at Christmas.

Jesse speaks some Spanish -- thanks in part to his father's Mexican heritage -- but isn't yet fluent enough to conduct interviews.

He'll be asked to do that, of course. One of his first assignments will be to interview Hispanic leaders regarding the top issues facing the region.

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