STAR 102.5's Colleen Powell to depart morning show after 21 years at the station

Colleen Kelly Powell
Colleen Kelly Powell

June will mark the end of an era for local radio listeners.

Colleen Kelly Powell announced this month that she's leaving KSTZ STAR 102.5, where she's co-hosted a morning radio show since 2000.

An official departure date has not yet been determined, but Powell will leave the “Ken, Colleen, & Kurt in the Morning,” which plays from 5 to 10 a.m. weekdays, when her contract expires next month.

“Everybody is probably like, 'Why?’ and most of you probably know why," Powell said when she made the announcement on air May 5. "The alarm going off at 3:50 in the morning is just getting increasingly difficult."

The morning radio show will continue with Ken Auge and Kurt Van Auken as Powell explores new opportunities in her career that are yet to be determined.

More: Colleen Kelly: I didn’t know my brother. Then I rang his doorbell.

Powell didn't say what she'll do next professionally but said she plans to be more present for her growing children.

“The kids are getting older and they no longer go to bed at 7 or 8 o’clock and they want to stay up — and I don’t know about you guys, but my kids just start talking,” Powell continued. “I know they’re putting off bedtime but it’s when they want to talk to me and I want to enjoy that, I don’t want to rush it, I don’t want to be the tired mom all the time. I want to be real present for it.”

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: STAR 102.5 host Colleen Powell left morning show after 21 years