BLACKSBURG -- The message on the door of Joe's Diner was simple and clear.

"CLOSED FOR MANHUNT"

Those three words, written in blue marker on a white sheet of paper, spoke for much of downtown Blacksburg, as residents, students and business owners awaited news Monday on the pursuit of escaped inmate William Morva.

"I think people are really freaked out, but really curious at the same time," said Patricia Barney, manager of Gillie's restaurant, about 10:30 a.m.

At that time, people milled around at the corner of College Avenue and Draper Road, unable to peel themselves away from the scene in front of Virginia Tech's Squires Student Center a block away.

Police officers flooded the area at 10 a.m. after receiving reports that Morva had been sighted in Squires. Hundreds of students and faculty had been evacuated from the building.

Once police determined that Morva was not hiding in Squires, the officers left and the onlookers deserted the corner.

The only sound that could be heard was beating rotor blades of a Virginia State Police helicopter overhead.

Though Gillie's and its sister coffee shop Bollo's opened at their normal time of 7 a.m., they later closed as managers became concerned that the businesses could become targets. Bollo's was a frequent hangout for Morva.

"It's not worth it for us to be here if nobody's in here," said Felicia Jackson, a barista at Bollo's.

Elsewhere downtown, the lunchtime rush that would have picked up with new and returning students in town was just a slow trickle at noon. Only a few tables were occupied at the Cellar, a restaurant across from Tech's campus.

"Things are a little bit slower than they usually would be. We're just trying to run the business normally, but with some caution," said Kevin Long, the Cellar's owner.

Boudreaux's and several other lunch spots were closed.

Some businesses on North Main, including the Hokie Emporium and Hokie Hair, were open throughout the day but saw few customers while Morva was still on the run.

About a mile from downtown, the staff and parents of the Children's Nest, a day care center for children from 6 weeks to 11 years old, spent the morning trying to keep calm.

Gulbun Esen, the owner of the center, stood watch over the front door of the building at 1155 Draper Road. She and her staff had locked the doors, drawn the shades and made sure that the 59 children at the center that morning were safe.

"Kids are smart. Their parents don't want us to say anything to them, but they know something is going on," Esen said.

The center is somewhat secluded and located near a leg of the Huckleberry Trail, where Morva reportedly had been sighted early Monday.

Nerves around town eased after 3:45 p.m., when police captured Morva on another section of the trail, near Tech Center Drive.

Faith Capone, the owner of Capone's Fine Jewelry, said she hoped that the police and sheriff's officers would be recognized for their diligence in tracking down Morva.

"People just started popping out of their holes," said Jan Downs, an employee of Matrix Gallery. "Hopefully things will get back to normal."

Aaron Lumpkins, a 2006 Virginia Tech alumnus, said he was thankful that Morva had been apprehended.

"I think this is a loss of innocence moment for Blacksburg," Lumpkins said. "For the longest time down here, we felt like we were safe in our bubble. This throws that into disarray."