Who is Jason Stovall, the Man-Around-Town “Redding Buzz” Guy?

If you have been following ReddingBuzz on social media (Instagram and Facebook), you have seen Jason Stovall covering local festivals and events, introducing you to new and old restaurants and businesses in Redding and beyond with good humor and so much enthusiasm that it will spill over onto you, giving you that buzz!  Jason is full of energy and passion, and he exudes comradery wherever he goes.  In other words, he is a local treasure that has helped countless businesses get off the ground and brought a greater sense of community spirit to the City of Redding and surrounding communities.  You may be shocked to learn he has been pounding the pavement and making these videos for the last 18 years, hardly ever stopping to take a breather and garnering a very large audience, with over 77,000 followers between Instagram and Facebook.

Jason towers over most people, with an impressive height of 6’4”, and always has a genuine smile on his face.  He was born in 1958, one of four children, in Arcadia, California.   His family moved around so Jason has lived in Seattle, Washington, Phoenix, Arizona, and Porterville, California (on the eastern side of the San Joaquin Valley).  When Jason was a teenager, he and his brothers came to Redding in the '70s, arriving at the Cascade Motel after their father gave them money and sent them on a Greyhound bus. They went through various foster homes, and Jason was determined not to move anymore, once they settled in Redding. Despite the area's challenges, such as drug issues, Jason saw the immense beauty and potential of Shasta County. This realization, dating back to the '70s, has driven him to passionately promote local businesses and elevate the area's positive attributes.

Jason saw a need in the community to help local businesses, leading him to start a review blog called Redding Reviews. However, he realized that focusing on negative aspects wasn't in his heart, as he wanted to support businesses positively. This led him to create Best of the North State.com, and eventually, Redding Buzz. Redding Buzz began with Jason actively visiting businesses on the streets, highlighting their food, drinks, chefs, and the diverse culinary scene in the area. He also covered local events and some news. His dedication and effort paid off as Redding Buzz gained momentum, with Jason pouring significant time and money into the project while holding down a regular full-time job. For a while, a local videographer named Brandon Ballard (who happens to be my son) was helping Jason increase his following.  (It’s a small world – especially in Redding!)

Redding Buzz has experienced rapid growth and has become a highly interactive community page. People frequently leave comments, and the engagement rate is exceptionally high due to the team's active involvement with the community. The only exception is during "runaway posts," which receive so much attention that it's impossible to keep up with the responses. The key to Redding Buzz's success lies in genuinely caring for the community and elevating it, especially during difficult times. For example, when a house burned down recently, the community rallied in response to a post by offering donations of money and clothes. This sense of community support and care is a defining characteristic of Shasta County, showcasing how people come together to help each other in times of need.

Jason experiences joy and satisfaction when, after doing a shout-out for a local restaurant or other business, he hears back from business owners that he has “moved the needle to bring in new customers”. This is what “fuels his fire”.  He especially enjoys the food aspect of what he is doing, and he wanted to share with me the recent experience he had visiting the new Thai Cuisine Express Restaurant at 983 Lake Blvd. in Redding yesterday.  Now, I definitely want to try it, too!  I must say that his enthusiasm is infectious.  The other thing he wanted to share with me is that the foods coming out of the mom-and-pop boutique-style food kitchens (licensed in-home kitchens) are so delicious, like the tamales he tried recently from a vendor that sells behind Kohl’s on Browning Street, from 12:30 – 5 every day.

Jason has four grown children – one lives in Sacramento and the rest are on the East Coast; and he has five grandchildren who he tries to visit from time to time. 

His favorite community events are those that are family-focused and free-of-charge to the community because there are a lot of struggling parents in our area and it’s great that they have the opportunity to enjoy these events too.

Recently, Jason is expanding his efforts to include Beauty Buzz XO and NorCal Buzz Sports Network, which has its own Facebook page and YouTube channel which are live-streaming high school games, starting with football, then later it will cover basketball, and baseball, to give young athletes an "ESPN Experience". 

Jason started the Shasta County Chamber of Commerce about two years ago in collaboration with Nigel Skeet of California Adventure District, and James Mazzotta of Enjoy Magazine.  They broadcast the “Shasta Live” radio show every Monday evening at 6 p.m. on FreeFire Radio, 1460 AM and 96.5FM and stream online at kcnr1460.com.

If you would like to contact Jason, he can be reached by email at ReddingBuzz@gmail.com.