More Voices From Leavenworth

by Chris Bodenner
Contra Geraghty, the Kansas City Star reports:

An informal survey Thursday on the streets of Leavenworth found reactions ranging from confidence that the Army would continue to keep the community safe, to concerns that the city would be visited by new dangers and its name become synonymous with terrorist incarceration.

“The question that comes to my mind is how secure it will be,” said Timothy Swan, the owner of Alpha Geek Computers in downtown Leavenworth.

Anita Maynard, owner of the Queen’s Pantry shop, feared the transfer of prisoners might too strongly reinforce Leavenworth’s image as simply a prison town at the expense of its other attributes such as being home to a college for mid-career Army officers.

Dianne Hawkins, a homemaker married to a soldier, said she had confidence that if the detainees came, the Army could keep things safe.

But that security question was key for Brendan Sheehan, who runs a bicycle shop in Leavenworth. If he were assured that the town would stay safe, Sheehan said he could imagine an economic boon. “That’s that many more workers here in town,” he said. “That could mean more customers.”