An East Tennessee State University Economist Says The Recessionary Trends Of The Past Year Continued Into The Third Quarter In The Tri Cities As Well As Across The Nation. As For Retail Activity, Dr. Steb Hipple Points To Dollar Sales That Fell In All The Tri Cities During The Third Quarter Of This Year. Kingsport Reported The Largest Decline At 8.3 Percent, While Dollar Sales Declined By 4.2 Percent In Bristol And 4.9 Percent In Johnson City. Hipple Believes The Recession Will Stay With Us For Awhile, Saying It Will Be At Least Early Next Year Before All The Positive Elements Are In Place So The Long-Awaited Recovery Can Finally Begin.