Muncie to name alley after comedian David Letterman

MUNCIE -- David Letterman, who suggested that his home town of Indianapolis name an Interstate after him, finally has something close to home that bears his name. It's an alley.\nCity officials in Muncie decided Wednesday to name a downtown alley after the "Late Show" host, who is a Ball State University graduate.\n"It will take some time to develop," said Brian Lough, Muncie's downtown development director. But the alley is "the busiest and the best" in the city about 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis.\nLough came up with the idea after Letterman asked Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson to rename Interstate 465, the highway that encircles the city, the David Letterman Expressway in October.\nThe South Walnut Street alley is near a bar and a parking lot and between a comedy club and United American Appraisal. It will be dedicated Dec. 5. Officials plan to install signs and a camera to broadcast images over the Internet.\nMayor Dan Canan said he hopes naming the alley after the CBS star will bring attention to the city's development efforts and generate publicity.\nLast year, Letterman asked to have Ball State's football stadium renamed after him without a donation to the university. Universities usually name buildings after receiving sizable contributions.\nTom Keaney, a representative of Letterman's production company, World Wide Pants, did not offer an immediate reaction from Letterman after the taping of Wednesday's show.