Have you been to Bellaire or East Jordan lately? They're not what they used to be.

In this week's Northern Express - sister publication of The Ticker - writers Al Parker and Ross Boissoneau - go behind the scenes of two of northern Michigan's small towns on the rise. In Bellaire, the sprawling 5,000-acre Shanty Creek Resort has won accolades from the likes of Golf Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Ski Magazine, and AAA. Lake Bellaire and Clam Lake were named among Michigan’s "20 Most Beautiful Lakes" by Vacation Idea Dream Vacation Magazine, while Torch Lake was named one of Michigan’s 20 most beautiful lakes for couples. Bellaire can also hardly be mentioned without noting Short’s Brewing Company; the company's growth since launching in 2004 is reflected in the town's own uptick.

In East Jordan, EJ - formerly the East Jordan Iron Works, which employees some 600 workers - unveiled plans to construct a new state-of-the art foundry operation 13 miles out of town. The plant joins other high-profile projects that are putting the town back on the map, including the 2016 construction of The Cannonball Building, a new brick structure at the corner of Mill and Main Street, housing restaurant hotspot Blue Smoke. The building is also home to North Perk Coffee shop, which also has locations in Petoskey and Boyne City, and Thomas’s South Arm Market, which features sandwiches, salads and wraps, along with bulk deli offerings of meats, cheese, and pastas.

Read more about the reinvention of Bellaire and East Jordan - plus find an overview of changes in Cadillac - in this week's Northern Express cover story, "Small Up North Towns On The Rise." 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.