Take a trip north of the 45th Parallel in this week's Northern Express, sister publication of The Ticker, with your guide to the latest happening in Petoskey, Beaver Island, Cheboygan, and more!

In "Cheboygan's Big Boom," writer Al Parker looks at the causes behind the recent reinvigoration of the once-sleepy town, where a new business has opened every single month for the past three years. “It's included restaurants, retail, doctors, lawyers, and many others," says Scott Herceg, executive director of the Cheboygan Area Chamber of Commerce. "Cheboygan is not satisfied with second place. We have $500 million in tourism dollars that go through the county each year.”

In "New Future For Third Oldest Lighthouse On The Great Lakes," a new partnership between Charlevoix County and Networks Northwest to buy the historic Beaver Island Lighthouse School property is highlighted. The sale includes 171 acres of property, the lighthouse, 1,400 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline, and 11 total buildings. The purchase price was $215,000, with the county owning 51 percent and Networks Northwest 49 percent. The county and Networks Northwest plan to work with the Beaver Island Historical Society and island residents to identify potential future uses of the site that will increase the presence of the historical asset and surrounding property.

Other stories in this week's special Northern Express issue explore the continued expansion of the family-owned Mackinaw Trail Winery and Brewery and Resort Pike Winery & Cidery, the success of restaurant Palette Bistro in Petoskey, the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of the controversial Camp Seagull Park - and much more. The Northern Express is available to read online, or pick up a free copy at one of nearly 700 spots in 14 counties across northern Michigan.