Take a tour of Traverse City's neighbor to the north in this week's edition of the Northern Express - sister publication of The Ticker - highlighting the Petoskey and Little Traverse region.

It’s likely that nobody will correct you if you call Carlin Smith “Mr. Petoskey.” He’s lived in the town for almost thirty years and has served as Chamber President since 2003. Prior to that, he led Petoskey’s downtown. In this week's Northern Express, Smith sits down and talks about what’s new, great, and challenging in Petoskey. "There’s a lot beneath the surface that people don’t know or haven’t seen if they haven’t been here," says Smith. "People of course think of us as a tourism town, but there’s a manufacturing community that’s relevant and profitable, with several plants that have been here a long time, so that’s one thing. The other thing to understated is the hospital...it’s our county’s largest employer."

The region also has challenges, says Smith, including a lack of affordable housing. "It’s of course great to have rich, retired people who invest and drive-up property values, but as that happens what happens to teachers, nurses and the general folks who live here and how can they afford homes? We need workforce housing."

Also highlighted in this week's issue: an attraction that would perhaps be more expected in the wilds of the Colorado River, the Nenana River in Alaska, or the Rogue River in Oregon, but instead is hidden in the heart of Petoskey. The Bear River Valley Recreation Area Whitewater Park, specifically crafted for kayaking fun and said to be the only whitewater park in northern lower Michigan, is a 36-acre, 1.5 mile-long valley park alongside Petoskey’s Bear River. The park underwent a $2.4 million facelift just a few years ago, and the river itself was part of that remodel. The park and the whitewater area both sit within a short walk of Petoskey’s downtown Historic Gaslight District - which is where the “unexpected” part comes in.

This week's special Petoskey issue of the Northern Express also includes an overview and history of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, a profile of fall color train excursions from SRI (Steam Railroading Institute), a feature on the Harbor Springs Festival of the Book - and much more! Check out the Northern Express online, or pick up a free copy at one of more than 600 distribution spots across 14 counties. And, stay connected throughout the week on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.