Riverside-San Bernardino Radio: Donna D Exits KOLZ

Radio personality Donna D, who joined the Jesse Duran In The Morning! show on KOLA 99.9 FM in February 2018, bid a tearful goodbye to her radio family on Thursday, Sept. 23.

Donna DeCoster first came to the Redlands-based KOLA and sister station KCAL 96.7 FM in August 2017, handing weekend shifts and filling in as needed elsewhere on the air.

The Press-Enterprise reports DeCoster is leaving for a job at a nonprofit that will allow her to work from home, she announced on the air on Thursday, Sept. 23, one day before her final shift on Friday.

Donna DeCoster

“Donna is going to be leaving our show,” Duran said. “And you’re leaving on your own; you obviously have a great opportunity to pursue. This is going to be really hard on myself and all of our listeners, but it’s extremely hard for you.”

DeCoster, struggling to compose herself, agreed.

DeCoster said her first stop will be Cincinnati to be with her twin sister and family. DeCoster’s nephew, who is also her godson, and his wife are expecting a baby in January, so that will keep her here in Ohio at least until then, she told listeners.

“And then I’m gonna spend some time on a beach somewhere,” she said.

DeCoster is a radio veteran, who worked at KXKL “KOOL” 105 in Denver before landing at KOLA. The new gig, though, was too good not to take, she said.

“I think when an opportunity comes that is almost too good to pass up you gotta jump, and that’s what I’m doing,” DeCoster said.

“I’ve never been part of a radio station that’s been such a family,” she said. “It’s been so wonderful. If you’ve ever had to quit a job that you love it is tortuous on some level.

“It’s exciting and it’s awesome, and you’ve got to take chances in life too, but this is hard.