Technology is great, isn’t it? But like the debt ceiling, it has its limitations.

Google might provide a guilt-free cheesecake recipe and tell you how many U.S. presidents were left-handed, but if you’re wondering why they’re clearing land on Gillespie Road, well, that’s where it gets tougher.

Until now.

Answering local questions is what “Ask the Lede” is all about. Just think of me as a Siri or Alexa – whatever you’re into – who grew up right here in Alabama.

Do I know all the answers? No. But I don’t think Alex Trebek did either, if you snatched those precious notecards.

I know what I know, and I know what I don’t know. And if my journalism career, that started as a freshman at Jacksonville State University in the late 1900s, has taught me anything, it’s how to dig for the things I don’t.

I’ve done journalism in the state for almost all of my career, save for a stint at the Charlotte Observer before coming to rest here with Alabama Media Group for what’s now approaching a decade.

Over the years, I’ve searched for a lot of answers. And I’m ready to do it again.

For some of your questions, the hole may be shallow enough for tomato plants, and all I’ll have to do is a little reporting, or ask one of my esteemed colleagues at AL.com. Other questions may require deeper digging. But fire away; I don’t mind getting dirty.

And don’t limit your questions to new construction.

Heck, don’t even limit them to Huntsville. Whatever pops in your head on your morning commute or something that’s been rolling around up there since the Dubya was president, let ‘em rip.

I’ll give you my best Joe Friday “Just the facts, ma’am” answer as soon as I can dig it up.

P.S. – Here’s your first one. What’s the Lede? Lede is a journalism term for the opening paragraph of a news article. Why is it spelled lede instead of lead? Legend has it, it was to avoid potential confusion in writing when newspapers were printed with lead type.