Every year, reporters from the Northern Express - sister publication of The Ticker - fan out across the region to find 20 average folks dedicating themselves to a not-so-average existence. From chef and cookbook author Abra Berens to WWII veteran and Bronze Star recipient Gus Schmidt to 13-year-old Manistee drag racer Ean Guenthardt, this year's annual Fascinating People issue is filled with the surprising and inspiring stories of northern Michigan's colorful residents.

The people on this year's list covers a fascinating and diverse range of backgrounds, from an infectious diseases physician to a gas-station-attendant-turned-emergency-midwife to a Jeopardy! contestant. The stories of northern Michigan's most fascinating residents are wide-ranging, surprising, and deeply inspiring. Check them out in this week's Northern Express - available to read online or at one of nearly 700 spots in 14 counties across northern Michigan.