Welcome to the Morning Brief

The Morning Brief

BLK.AM MEDIA - TEAM LIMA | Monday, February 9, 2026

Good morning.

Welcome to The Morning Brief, the flagship dispatch from BLK.AM Media. We are a nonprofit newsroom on a mission to deliver the smart, essential, and trustworthy reporting that Lima’s neighborhoods deserve.

We aren't just reporting on a geography; we are reporting on a powerhouse. With Black buying power projected to top $2 trillion this year, the economic engine of our community is undeniable. Advertisers and brands are waking up to what we’ve always known: Lima’s Black market is a center of influence, loyalty, and untapped potential. At BLK.AM, we don’t just bridge the information gap—we provide the bridge for partners to engage with a community that leads the way in digital trends, brand choice, and civic growth.

While we celebrate the excellence and resilience of our neighbors, we also lean into "solutions journalism." We track the halls of power and uncover health and housing data not to dwell on the negative, but to ignite a call to action. We believe that when our community is informed, our economy thrives and our voices become impossible to ignore.

BLK.AM is your hyper-local "Morning Mixtape"—the curated rhythm of Lima, Ohio. We’re keeping the tempo tight and the signal clear, giving you the situational awareness you need to engage, act, and lead.

Let’s get into the arrangement.

City Hall & Statehouse

1. Cable Road: The Monday Showdown

The Cable Road Safety Project faces a critical second reading tonight, Feb. 9. While the plan secured a 5-3 majority last week, it failed to reach the threshold needed for an emergency pass. At stake is $6M in funding for a "road diet" and concrete medians designed to cut down on 156 injury crashes. Councilors Gordon (1st), Lowe (3rd), and Neeper (7th) remain the "No" votes.

2. Statehouse: Property Tax & Cannabis Revenue

The Ohio General Assembly is back in session with two major items: a Property Tax Repeal ballot initiative gathering signatures for November, and the rollout of Senate Bill 56. This bill finally secures the 36% cut of cannabis tax revenue for host communities like Lima—funding local leaders are eyeing for infrastructure and public safety.

3. A Last-Minute Reprieve for TPS

In a massive development, a D.C. federal judge issued a stay on Feb. 2, halting the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians hours before the deadline. For now, legal status and work authorization remain valid, providing immediate stability for thousands of families along the I-75 corridor.

4. School Board & The State Takeover Shadow

As Youngstown fights to exit "academic distress," the Lima City School Board is watching state legislature bills that could dissolve the takeover commission model entirely. Locally, the focus remains on aligning student curriculum with the region’s emerging manufacturing and tech job market.

Saturday Civics: Following the Money

In our weekend deep-dive, we’re following the money behind LifeWise Academy, which just hit $39.2M in revenue. We’re investigating how "Project 2025" blueprints are influencing Ohio’s school mandates.

The Question: If the state mandates religious time in public schools, whose theology is leading the way?

Spiritually Speaking

With Dr. B. LaMont Monford, Sr.

"I am Dr. B. LaMont Monford, Sr., and for thirty-four years, I have stood as the watchman on the wall at the Philippian Missionary Baptist Church, right here in the heart of Lima. I was born in these streets, I was raised by these streets, and I have seen God move in these streets when everyone else said the fire had gone out. I have come today to join this Blk.AM movement because I believe our community needs more than just information—we need inspiration.

I’m talking to somebody this Monday morning who feels like they are running on empty. You’ve been working the plan, you’ve been building the business, you’ve been trying to hold the family together with nothing but a hope and a prayer—and you’re starting to wonder if the prayer part even matters anymore.

Get this in your spirit: Prayer still works.

“Prayer is not the steering wheel that you turn when you’re in trouble; it is the engine that drives the vehicle when you’re on the straight-away.”

See, we think prayer is just about asking for things. But I’ve learned in my three decades of pastoring that prayer is about aligning things. When you get down on your knees, you aren't just talking to a ceiling; you are connecting to a Power that can move a City Council, open a closed bank vault, and heal a broken heart in the 5th Ward all at the same time.

I don't care what the data says. I don't care what the opposition says. I don't care how many 'No' votes you’ve counted. If God be for you, who can be against you?

You might be in a valley on Cable Road today, but that valley is just the fertile ground for your next victory. Don't you dare start this work week without checking in with the Master. Stop trying to out-work what you haven't out-prayed.

This is your moment. This is your season. Lima, let’s go get what God has already promised us.”

WE OUT! ✌🏾

Thank you for rocking with us for the inaugural BLK.AM Lima. We are doing this for the city, the culture, and the legacy. Information is only powerful if you move with it. Stay Connected: I’m in your corner. If you have a story that needs telling or want to connect, reach out atjharper@blkamcity.com.

Thanks for reading. I am.

J. Harper