A colorful flag raises in Lebanon this weekend

Happy Thursday, Cincinnati. I’m Victoria Moorwood, a watchdog reporter who covers Butler, Warren and Clermont counties.

Pride Month may be over, but one Lebanon native intends to make history in his hometown this weekend with the city’s first-ever Pride festival.

Organizer James Reynolds expected more pushback from his quaint, Warren County hometown, known for its conservative values. Those values drove a citywide ban on abortion in 2021 that drew national interest and lawsuits.

But after Reynolds began fundraising for Pride, the response he got surprised him.

"You are going to have your loud people who are anti, but that is not the majority," he told me.

Lebanon Pride, Reynolds’ journey to establish the event and how city leaders reacted here.

What else you need to know Thursday, July 18

🌤️ Weather:High of 79. Partly sunny, pleasant and less humid.

⭐ Reds' Elly De La Cruz checked every All-Star box but the obvious one.

🎥 'Superman' crews appear to be setting up at Museum Center.

🕮 Goodreads blocks reviews of 'Hillbilly Elegy' by JD Vance, Trump's VP pick. Here's why.

🐱 Looking for a furry friend? Cincinnati Animal CARE waives adoption fees amid intake surge.

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