Nevada briefs

     LV man sentenced
     for bank robberies
     
      A Las Vegas man was sentenced Tuesday to about seven years in prison for committing nine bank robberies last year.
      Steven Luck, 36, was arrested in May after a short foot chase in the 1000 block of Lisbon Avenue, near where he lived. A joint effort by the FBI, Las Vegas police and Bullhead City, Ariz., police led to Luck's capture.
      The defendant pleaded guilty in December to nine counts of bank robbery for crimes he committed in Las Vegas.
      As part of the plea bargain, officials in Arizona agreed not to prosecute Luck for two bank robberies he is suspected of committing in Bullhead City last year.
      Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Schiess said none of the crimes involved weapons.
      U.S. District Judge Lloyd George sentenced Luck to 85 months in prison and ordered him to pay about $14,600 in restitution.
     
     Companies sponsor
     Mining Expo events
     
      ELKO -- Local sponsors have stepped in to cover the costs of the golf tournament and banquet planned for this year's Mining Expo, showing their faith in the event's future, Convention Center Executive Director Phyllis Peterson said.
      Al Park Petroleum, the Northern Nevada Conoco distributor, has agreed to cover the cost of providing shirts, hats and carts for the golf tournament, items that have cost as much as $15,000, Peterson said.
      In addition, Nevada Mining Association and Knight-Piesold have pledged $2,500 each for the exhibitors' banquet, which should cover the cost of that event, she said.
      Additional golf tournament sponsorship has come from Sierra Pacific Power Co., which has pledged $500 for "at-large expenses," Peterson said, and from 23 sponsors of individual holes who have put up $100 to $300 each for a total of $4,500.
      Last year's Expo cost about $107,000 to put on and generated an estimated $6 million in business for Elko and other parts of Northern Nevada, Peterson said.
     
     Hatfield seeks second
     term on Elko board
     
      ELKO -- Former Elko Supervisor Nora Hatfield is seeking another stint on the planning commission after a short-lived hiatus.
      The 29-year Elko resident served as supervisor from 1991 to 1995. She ran for mayor and lost to Mike Franzoia, who then appointed Hatfield to the Elko City Planning Commission.
      Hatfield said redevelopment of older areas within the city is one of her main priorities. She joins incumbents John Ellison and Lee Hoffman and planning board member Jim Conner in the races for two seats.