Military, health-care industries help deflect economic crisis BY PAM BRANNON Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Graphic by Jessica Bowie/Gulf Breeze News Has the Wall Street bailout and fluctuating markets got you pulling your hair out?

When the country goes into recession, the Florida Panhandle is the best place in the nation to live, according to Dr. Rick Harper of the Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development in Pensacola.

"We won't feel a recession as strongly or as quickly as some parts of the country," Harper said last week.

"The military payroll helps keep things rolling here, and health-care spending will continue

here. A lot of the health-care spending flows through Medicare and

Medicaid, which is good for Northwest Florida. We have a lot of health-care facilities of all kinds, all along the Panhandle," Harper said.

"Plus, we are a value destination tourism spot, so families will throw four people in a car and drive here for our beaches instead of spending $600 to $800 on air fare tickets to go someplace else. That will also continue to help us."