Bemidji drops ‘Stoner Avenue’

After years of seeing street signs along Stoner Avenue disappear, Bemidji has decided it's had enough.

Tired of the thefts, city officials have decided to change the street's name.

Public works officials in Bemidji say about 15 "Stoner Avenue" signs disappear each year from the street located south of Lake Bemidji. It costs about $100 to replace each sign. Officials say the city has probably spent close to $20,000 over the past decade.

Beltrami County had similar problems with its Stoner Memorial Drive, according to a report in The Bemidji Pioneer. A few years ago, the county changed the name of that roadway to North Blackduck Lake Road Northeast.

A name change means people living on Stoner Avenue will have to update their drivers license, banking and other documents, but city officials say the cost of a name change to the city will be minimal.

The process of changing the street name includes a series of ordinance readings and a public hearing. No decision has been made on what the new street name will be.

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