NEW YORK (AP) — The embattled attorney Michael Avenatti has pleaded not guilty to accusations that he defrauded his most famous client, porn star Stormy Daniels. Avenatti appeared before a federal judge in New York on Tuesday on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors say Avenatti pocketed money Daniels was supposed to get from a book deal.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The ACLU of Missouri is seeking a statewide vote on a new law that will ban most abortions starting at eight weeks of pregnancy. The ACLU said Tuesday that it has submitted a referendum petition to the secretary of state’s office as a first step toward blocking and potentially repealing the law Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed last week. The group wants to block the law from taking effect on Aug. 28 and force a referendum in 2020.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats appear likely to try again to pass a long-overdue $19 billion disaster aid bill that’s a top priority for some of President Donald Trump’s most loyal allies on Capitol Hill. A GOP conservative blocked the measure last week, but there’s another abbreviated House session Tuesday afternoon. The bill is supported by Trump and top leaders in Congress, and Democrats went on the attack after a GOP Texas freshman blocked the bill on Friday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is upholding an Indiana law that requires abortion providers to dispose of aborted fetuses in the same way as human remains, a sign that the more conservative court is more open to abortion restrictions. But the justices rejected the state’s appeal of a lower court ruling blocking a separate provision that would prevent a woman in Indiana from having an abortion based on gender, race or disability.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — States are debating whether to make it more difficult for students to avoid vaccinations for religious or philosophical reasons amid the worst measles outbreak in decades, but children using such waivers are outnumbered in many states by those who give no excuse for lacking shots. Data reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a majority of unvaccinated or undervaccinated kindergartners in 10 of 27 states reporting were allowed to enroll in school without any exemption.

Members of the military are allowed to adopt a pet for free this week at the Beaver County Humane Society.  BCHS spokeswoman Susan Salyards tells Beaver County Radio News that the Pets For Vets promotion allows active duty, reserve, and veterans to adopt one animal per household…

Those hoping to make an adoption must still meet B-C-H-S adoption requirements. ..

The promotion ends Saturday.

MONACA’S BLAINE ROAD HAS BEEN RENAMED IN HONOR OF A PETTY OFFICER MISSING IN ACTION. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS MORE…

There’s a new push to allow all police departments in Pennsylvania access to radar guns. But not everyone thinks it’s a good idea. Right now, only state police can use them. Two bills in Harrisburg could soon change that. Sen. Jim Brewster, a Democrat from McKeesport, sponsored a bill that would allow local police to use radar guns to enforce speed limits. Pennsylvania is the only state in the country limiting their use to only state police. But the bill has opponents, like the National Motorists Association, which claims that radar, for local or state police, are almost exclusively used in speed traps. Brewster said his bill, and a companion bill, is getting support in Harrisburg.

Pennsylvania State Police will be ramping up patrols this summer in hopes of keeping drivers safe. Troopers are teaming with Triple-A for Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort. State police say they’ll be more visible with enforcement patrols, targeting speeding, distracted driving and aggressive driving. More DUI checkpoints are also planned in the deadly crash-reduction campaign.