Among the many important local stories last week in the Mobile area, here are five you might have missed:

· In our Sunday Q&A (today) Penelope House Executive Director Tonie Ann Torrans talks about how to be an ally to a victim – and not just during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

· Just 40 miles north of Mobile, hundreds of McIntosh residents are suing a chemical plant for multiple releases of dangerous chlorine gas into their atmosphere. The Lede’s Margaret Kates reported on the lawsuits no one wants to talk about.

· Not all high-paying jobs require a degree. Kates reported on the 10 highest payers without going to college.

· Are you checking out the Lede College Football Picks contest? It’s published every Friday.

· In the Lede’s continuing coverage of what happens in Mobile after the recent annexation, Kates reported on efforts being made to re-divide the city council districts to make them more equitable.

The Lede reports many more local, state, national and world events worth reading about every day. Here’s how to navigate this digital news project to get the most from the Lede. It even has a cool YouTube video to make it easier.

Every week we work to make the Lede better. Give us your input. Suggestions? Constructive criticism? Stories you’d like to see? Questions about your community? Something for us to look into that will make your life better? Send me a note at [email protected].