KNOXVILLE – A federal judge has scheduled an April 20 trial for a University of Tennessee student accused of hacking the personal e-mail of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

U.S. Magistrate Clifford Shirley set the date Wednesday at a motions hearing in the case of 22-year-old David C. Kernell. He is accused of gaining access to Palin’s account in September 2008 by correctly answering a series of personal security questions. He has pleaded not guilty.

Wade Davies, Kernell’s attorney, told the court there are people throughout the country, including Alaska, involved in the case. Palin is former governor of Alaska.

Kernell’s father is Democratic state Rep. Michael Kernell of Memphis.

JUNEAU – Senate President Gary Stevens says lawmakers should consider renaming what’s known as the Governor’s Performance Scholarship proposal.

Stevens, who sits on the Senate Education Committee, says the concept shouldn’t be tied to a single person in its name.

Gov. Sean Parnell’s proposal calls for $400 million to act as an endowment for in-state tuition or professional training. Graduating Alaska high schoolers earning at least a C+ average and completing a rigorous course schedule would be eligible.

Education committees in both chambers have been studying and making changes to the plan for weeks.

House Education Committee Chairman Paul Seaton says he intends to move a bill out of his committee Friday. It’s due in the finance committee next, which has dozens of bills pending.

KOTZEBUE – Alaska State Troopers say an overdue snowmachiner from Kivalina has been found dead, apparently from exposure.

The snowmachiner, 49-year-old Bradley Bergsrud, was reported missing March 3 and his body was discovered on the winter trail to Kivalina.

The state medical examiner requested the body for an autopsy.

KENAI – The Kenai Peninsula Borough says sales tax revenue fell short of budgeted expectations in fiscal year 2010.

The borough finance department projects sales tax revenue at $26.5 million through next June. That’s about $1.7 million, or 6 percent, short of what had been predicted.

Finance Director Craig Chapman attributes the shortfall to a weaker-than-anticipated economy and says taxable sales decreased across the board.

The peninsula’s economy is driven in part by tourism and taxable sales in that industry took the biggest hit. Revenue for July, August and September fell 38.1 percent in 2009 compared to 2008.

MISSOULA, Mont. – Officials with a faith-based addiction recovery group say former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is coming to Missoula in September to fire up a fundraising campaign.

Teen Challenge Montana offers a residential program designed to help women give up drugs and alcohol to lead healthier lives.

Executive Director Jan Henderson says she met Palin during a book signing event in Billings, and asked her to speak in Missoula at a fundraiser for Teen Challenge.

Henderson says Palin agreed, and is slated to speak on Sept. 12 in Missoula. The group is selling tickets for the event for $100.

SEATTLE – Math and English instruction in the United States moved a step closer to uniform — and more rigorous — standards today as draft new national guidelines were released.

Supporters of the project led by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers hope the lists of things kids should learn at each grade level will replace a patchwork of systems across the country. The effort is expected to lead to standardization of textbooks and testing and make learning easier for students who move from state to state.

But some have criticized the process, saying adoption of the new standards won’t be voluntary. Texas and Alaska are the only states not participating in the effort, and Texas also opted out of the federal Race to the Top competition for $4.35 billion for education reform.

The public is invited to comment on the proposed new national standards until April 2, and the developers hope to publish final education goals for K-12 math and English in May.

ANCHORAGE – Satellite positioning shows Yukon Quest winner Hans Gatt of Whitehorse leading the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race early Wednesday, nearing the checkpoint at Ophir, 322 miles into the race.

More than a dozen other mushers are at the Takotna checkpoint, including four-time winner Jeff King of Kenali Park and Canadian Sebastian Schnuelle.

Five of the 71 teams that left Willow on Sunday scratched Tuesday.

JUNEAU – The sponsor of a wastewater discharge bill intended to protect fish spawning grounds from mine waste says his bill is dead.

Rep. Paul Seaton, a Republican from Homer and commercial fisherman, says the bill would create a modest protection for fish against effects of mining. Opponents have cited legal and regulatory concerns.

The House’s special committee on fisheries voted 4-3 to table the bill Tuesday. Seaton says this effectively kills it.

Rep. Craig Johnson, an Anchorage Republican, initially called on his colleagues to have the “fortitude” to vote it up or down directly. He then made the motion to table.

“I know for a fact,” said the three-time winner.

Mackey, who has been open about using medical marijuana on the trail, on Tuesday was among the early front-runners in the race, which began with 71 teams Sunday in Willow. Canada’s Sebastian Schnuelle was in the lead. He was followed by 2004 winner Mitch Seavey of Seward, then four-time champion Jeff King of Denali Park. Mackey was running 7th.

Race organizers aren’t saying when or where on the route the testing will occur, but they add that they aren’t excluding anyone driving the 16-dog teams in the race. A musher who tests positive could face disqualification, a period of ineligibility from future races or both.

“We’re going to test everybody,” said Stan Hooley, executive director of the Iditarod Trail Committee. “It’s not going to be random.”

Race rules have included a policy on drugs and alcohol since 1984, but it has never been implemented, although the sled dogs have been tested for performance enhancers since 1994. Race organizers say they decided to formalize the policy for testing mushers beginning this year at the request of the Iditarod Official Finishers Club. The service is being provided by a drug testing company that’s among the Iditarod sponsors.

Officials say the idea has been discussed for years. However, Hooley said it would be difficult to deny Mackey’s contentions that he is being singled out for his acknowledged pot use and that other mushers have complained about it.

FAIRBANKS – A Fairbanks police officer has shot and killed a man who pointed a handgun at him.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports the officer early Tuesday morning spotted a vehicle reported stolen and attempted make a stop. Two people were inside.

The car pulled over and the driver fled on foot.

Deputy Chief Brad Johnson says the passenger tried to run but fell down, pulled a handgun and pointed it at the officer.

The officer fired, killing 21-year-old Matthew Dillingham.

The officer has been placed on administrative leave.

The driver has not been caught.

The incident was the third this month of police officers shooting and killing armed suspects. The other incidents were in Anchorage and Golovin.