EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ECONOMIST DOCTOR STEBB HIPPLE IS PROJECTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY WON’T LIKELY IMPROVE UNTIL 2010. HIPPLE SPOKE TO AREA MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTE FOR SUPPLY MANAGEMENT LAST NIGHT. HE SAID THE CURRENT RECESSION COULD BE THE WORST SINCE 1981 AND THAT THE HOUSING MARKET HAS CREATED A SITUATION THAT HAS PARALLELS TO THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN 1929. ALTHOUGH HE’S NOT FORECASTING A DEPRESSION, HE PROJECTS THINGS WILL HIT BOTTOM IN 2009, BUT 2010 THE LOCAL ECONOMY WILL LIKELY IMPROVE AND WE’LL BEGIN TO SEE PROSPERITY.