Soul Fresh, Soul Clean is a monthly podcast from the Pueblo Star Journal that celebrates food, story and the humanity that lives around the table. In the debut episode of Soul Fresh, Soul Clean, Jocelyn Martinez shares the story behind PSJ Publishing House’s first cookbook. From restaurant hustle to healing through food, she talks about why joyful, seasonal cooking matters and how this Pueblo-rooted project is just getting started. You will find grit and a whole lot of heart.

Hosted by the PSJ and featuring chef and author Jocelyn Martinez, this series follows the creation of PSJ Publishing House’s first cookbook. Each episode dives into flavor, healing, hospitality, grit and the lived experiences that shape how we cook and why we gather.

This is not a celebrity food show. It is Pueblo-rooted, season-driven and unapologetically real. From green chile traditions to gluten-free reinventions, from industry hustle to kitchen-table resilience, the journey unfolds in real time.

Food is culture. Food is memory. Food is connection.

Pull up a chair, stool, porch or sidewalk.

Website: https://www.soulsmilehealthandwellness.com/

Music: 90's Smooth Funk by YellowTree -- https://freesound.org/s/621091/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

What do we mean when we say “childcare,” and how did Pueblo arrive at the gaps families and providers navigate today?

In Episode One of this series, Molly Cotner and Gregory Howell sit down for a conversation that traces the long arc of childcare in Pueblo, beginning in 1926 with the opening of one of the city’s earliest childcare centers and moving through decades of informal care, shifting labor patterns, and fragile systems that existed long before the pandemic. The conversation examines how COVID-19 exposed those weaknesses, including the emergence of Fair Care as a temporary community response, and why this investigative series moved forward regardless of funding outcomes.

This episode sets the foundation for a six-part investigative reporting series focused on lived experience, access, labor, and accountability in Pueblo County’s childcare system.

Life Inside the Childcare Gap is a production of the Voices of Pueblo podcast, presented by the Pueblo Star Journal and Investigative Reporters and Editors.

This episode was produced and narrated by Molly Cotner and Gregory Howell.

To learn more and to support nonprofit local news in Pueblo, Colorado, visit pueblostarjournal.org.

If you would like to share your childcare story, reach out to Molly at childcare@pueblostarjournal.org. We want to hear from you.

Thank you for listening.

Tax season does not have to be overwhelming — or expensive.

In this episode of Bree on a Budget, host Bree Pappan is joined by Luanne Maes and Adrian Gomez to break down how the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program helps Pueblo residents file their taxes for free.

During the conversation, listeners also learn that United Way of Pueblo County is celebrating 20 years of the VITA program in Pueblo, marking two decades of free, trusted tax preparation for working individuals, families and seniors across the community.

Operated by United Way of Pueblo County, VITA provides free tax preparation and filing for individuals and families earning $69,000 or less with simple returns. The program helps ensure taxpayers receive all eligible credits and deductions, including expanded benefits for families with children and older adults.

Maes and Gomez explain who qualifies, how to schedule an appointment, what documents to bring and why working with IRS-certified volunteers can reduce stress and protect refunds. They also share how community members can get involved as VITA volunteers — no prior tax experience required.

If you are looking to file with confidence, stretch your refund or avoid costly tax preparation fees, this episode is a reminder that free, reliable help is available right here in Pueblo.

Appointments for VITA services run from late January through April 15 and are available by appointment only.