AREA RESIDENTS NOT WORRIED ABOUT SECOND SHUTDOWN

The federal budget crisis came and went, shutting down non-essential government offices for six days then re-opening them last week for business as usual.

But both Democrats and Republicans warned that the government could shut down again Dec. 15 -- the day terms of a temporary agreement run out -- if the two sides don't agree on a long-term budget.

Most Southeast Missouri residents don't particularly care. They said the shutdown didn't affect them the first time, and it won't the next time.

Dennis O'Shields' budget-crisis story was unique. A former naval petty officer, he qualified for vocational rehabilitation benefits through the Veterans Administration. He had an appointment with a VA counselor to discuss his benefits and planned to begin classes at Southeast Missouri State University next spring.

When he read news of the impending government shutdown, O'Shields, 27, called his VA counselor to see about his appointment. He found out the administration wasn't taking new claims.

"They said there wasn't anything they could do about this, and my appointment will probably be after the new year," O'Shields said. "I still don't have an appointment. This is so typical."

Now school will have to wait at least until the Fall 1996 semester, he said.

People shopping at West Park Mall Sunday, while not affected by the shutdown, were as disgusted as O'Shields. Susan Boyd, 32, of Ironton was shopping with her husband, father-in-law and two sons. She said she briefly worried about her father-in-law's retirement benefits being delayed by the shutdown, but they weren't.

"I think all of those people in Washington should grow up," Boyd said. "I send my kids to their rooms for bickering like that. The bigwigs will get their checks whether there's another shutdown or not, but it's the little folks who get hurt."

Her father-in-law, 78-year-old Maxwell Boyd of Ironton, said he expected the parties to reach a compromise before another shutdown.

David Wheeler, 32, of Essex was deer hunting through most of the budget crisis. He said more people may have been affected if the shutdown went on longer, but he didn't see any influence on himself or his family and friends.

Wheeler plans to vote the same way despite the bickering.

"I voted a straight Republican ticket in the last election for the first time in my life," he said. "I'll probably do the same again. The longer I look at it, the more differences I see in the policies of each party."

Bonnie Engelmann, 52, of Cape Girardeau said she didn't worry about her family during the shutdown, but she thought about the people who were out of work.

"I'll probably take a second look at the way I vote," Engelmann said.

Democrats and Republicans currently disagree on Medicare, tax cuts and a timetable for a balanced budget, among other issues.