Pubdate: Wed, 16 Nov 2005
Source: Des Moines Register (IA)
http://www.dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051116/NEWS01/511160346/1001/NEWS
Copyright: 2005 The Des Moines Register.
Contact:  http://desmoinesregister.com/index.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/123
Bookmark: Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

FORT MADISON PROCEEDS WITH CAUTION

Fort Madison schools were locked down Tuesday, closing their doors to 
strangers as city and state authorities searched for two violent 
prison fugitives from the city's maximum security prison.

The break Monday evening spilled over into a Tuesday filled with 
safety warnings and anxious door-bolting by residents who were home alone.

Business continued in the city's restaurants, hair salons and other 
shops. But not before residents looked over their shoulders and 
double-checked the locks on their cars and homes.

"People are pretty worried," said Barb Johnston, a waitress at the 
Fort diner. "Especially people who have children in school. . . . 
It's a big thing."

Fort Madison schools Superintendent Kenneth Marang said that recesses 
were canceled Tuesday and that high school seniors were forbidden to 
leave once they arrived for the day. Anyone seeking entry to a school 
building was stopped at a main door and required to show identification.

"We're going to continue that for the foreseeable future, until I 
hear from the police that they have these characters in custody or 
know that they're not here," Marang said late Tuesday afternoon. 
"They don't know where they are."

Tabitha Higgins said business was still fairly active at Alpha's on 
the Riverfront restaurant, despite some butterflies in the stomach 
among Fort Madison residents. Authorities were announcing news over 
speakers normally used for tornado sirens, she said.

"I only caught a little of it, because my TV was on," Higgins said. 
"I know I was home by myself last night, and I called my boyfriend 
and said, 'Get home now!' "

"I think everybody's being cautious, as they should be," said Robin 
Reu, a longtime employee of Captain Kirk's Marina. "But everybody's 
going about their business. I haven't really noticed anybody doing 
anything different - except everybody's making sure they're locking 
their car doors."

Diners at the Fort theorized that the fugitives will want to leave 
the prison behind as soon as possible.

"They would be stupid if they stayed here," said Marylee Merschbrock.

"I'd think they'd want to get as far away from here as they could," 
said truck driver Robert Rhoer. "I know I would."

Marang, the school superintendent, said his students were 
extraordinarily understanding about their unusual restrictions.

"The high school kids usually blow things off, but they've been 
fairly serious about this," Marang said. "If you err on the side of 
safety for children, you can never go wrong."