Page 4B The Castlegar Sun Wednesday, April 10, 1991 1. Only ballots printed by The Castlegar Sun will be counted. No copies accepted. , 2. Businesses nominated have to be in the Castlegar Region and’ individuals nominated have to work or live in the Castlegar Region. _ JREADERS CHOICE RULES | 3. Ballots may be deposited in a ballot box at The Castlegar Sun or West's / Dept. Store or Mallards Ski & Sports - Castlegar 4. Entry deadline is 5pm , April 5th,1991 ayy CASTLEGAR'S BEST _ The Readers Choice ne al In order to find the best people, places and food in the Castlegar Region, the Castlegar Sun has asked : you, the citizens of the Castlegar Region, to cast. your ballot and decide. The top five in each category will be featured in a special edition tabloid in April entitled "CASTLEGAR'S BEST: The Readers Choice." BEST PEOPLE MAN OF THE YEAR DENTIST INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVE WOMAN OF THE YEAR DOCTOR RADIO PERSONALITY. WAITRESS OF THE YEAR MECHANIC LAWYER BANKER CAR SALESPERSON CONTRACTOR SECRETARY. EYE-CARE SPECIALIST SERVICE GROUP. RECEPTIONIST BARBER/HAIRDRESSER ELECTRICIAN .BOSS REALESTATE AGENT. PLUMBER BEST FOOD PLACESE CHINESE STEAKS WEDDING CATERER ITALIAN FOOD PIZZA FAST FOOD COFFEE MILKSHAKE SOFT DRINK: SEAFOOD HOT DOG BAKERY BREAKFAST. DELI KID'S MEAL BRUNCH LUNCH RUSSIAN FOOD FRENCH FRIES HAMBURGER DESSERTS BEST PLACES! GROCERY STORE FLORIST GOLF COURSE MEN'S CLOTHING PHARMACY/DRUG STORE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION WOMEN'S CLOTHING SPORTS RETAIL AUTO DEALER PLACE FOR BARGAINS CHILDREN'S CLOTHING BEST LOOKING BUILDING COMMUNITY FESTIVAL/EVENT BUY FURNITURE HARDWARE STORE: HIGH SCHOOL . -DAYCARE "GAS STATION ‘Pago 6B. : . Wednesday, April 10,1991 obert Diaz wanted to be a doctor from the time he was a small child. His obsession went unnoticed in a house- hold of 16 children. The Diaz family lived in a working class area in Gary, Ind. There was precious littie time to notice that Robert craved the attention and the importance that being a member of the medical profession might : bring him. BEIJING (SNS) - Chinese offi- cials who selected a i violence.” . The authorities may fear the film film for this year’s Academy Awards have been ordered to write self-criticisms for drawing world Communist authorities have instructed officials at the Chinese Film Bureau, including its chief, Teng Jinxian, and leaders of the China Film Corporation which con- trols film exports, to admit to their exror and repent. : China initially submitted the film, Judou, to the awards in November but officials later sought to withdraw it because it did not + portray socialist values. :- Acting Minister of Culture He Jingzhi said the film, a tale of lust, violence and adultery in rural - China, showed the nation in a nega- j_ tive light, and had ordered'the self- i criticisms, film industry officials and other sources said. *. Those who offend communist authorities are often forced to write Lf-critici > formal xt | of regret - as an act of public bumil- The film, submitted in the best foreign film category, failed to win an Oscar but the controversy con- , tines. He, deputy chief of the Commu- nist Party’s propaganda depart- ment,:is one of the conservative | ideologues who have scen their i power expand since the bloody : + amy crackdown on pro-democracy Protests in 1989, i “Judou stresses individualism rather than the collective, so it’s natural that party leaders wouldn’t like it,” said a film critic. The Chinese government offi- | cially told Hollywood’s Academy ; Of Motion Picture Arts and Sci- * ences that Judou was ineligible for } an award because the film never + played to a paying audience in. But the China Film Corporation "| id quietly exhibit Judou last year in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, said a China Film worker. °.°",° A higt-level source in the film .. government ‘doesn’t like Judou is \ because the film portrays an aging tyrant who rules over his family by “using physical and psychological’ will be seen as a metaphor for Chi- nese society and its elderly rulers, the source said. ‘ Although still facing resistance from moderates in the film bureau and other cultural organs, party ide- ologues have gradually tightened their control over the arts., “The (party’s ruling) politburo and d now | Chinese film officials censured for Oscar entry | films to send abroad,” said a film industry official. More urgent matters took precedence over Robert's fascination with medicine, Like keeping food on the table. To a alleviate the ever pressing financial burdens on e family, Robert was put out to work at an early age in an auto parts factory. For a few years, he worked industriously, but always % longed to be a physician. When Robert reached his 18th year, he joined the ‘ U.S. Marines, but was mustered out after going Absent Without Leave. Back he went to Gary and the auto parts factory. In 1971, Robert married Eleanor Sierkowski, but the marriage ended in : divorce a year later. As Robert entered his 30s, he decided to do some- thing about his long standing ambition to devote his life to medicine. With no more than 10 years of for- mal schooling, there was little he could do towards becoming a doctor. He did the next best thing. He enrolled in a school for vocational nurses, He applied himself and graduated as a vocational nurse. Robert met and wed Martha, a divorcee with two children. She and Robert proceeded to have a third child. Things couldn’t have been better for Robert Diaz. At long last he had a profession in which he was happy, a devoted, good looking wife and three healthy children. In the years which followed, Robert worked at a number. of southem Califomia hospitals. Yes, there were'signs. Sometimes Robert would esti the q tensen insisted, until an inquiry " throes of violent seizures, Unbelicvably, they’ all' died : minutes after:1 a.m., 4 a.m., and 7,a,m; In all'12 \ cases, Robert Diaz went off duty at 1'a.m.,'4 a.m., and 7 a.m, i ; . Around the Community Hospital, these hours were called “dying time."" It seemed uncanny that between March 30 and April 25, 1981, the rash of similar aths struck down 11 elderly patients, After all,t he community Hospital of the Valleys only had 36 beds, Tuy had lost 31% of their patients in a four-week Period, ; During this period, nursing supervisor Patricia Chri felt that hing was di wrong. She reported her suspicions to the hospital’ tration, Initially, nothing ‘was done, Chris- waslounched. - No one, absolutely no one, suspected the horror Mj the inquiry was to uncover, Aprerently Robert had been active for years in various Califomia hospitals, all, 24 bodies were exhumed. Autopsies revealed i been The investigation moved slowly. On April 23, @ 1981, authorities got around to questioning Robert Diaz in a routine manner, He desiied any responsibili- ty for the unusual series of deaths, but brought suspi- 4 clon on himself by filing a $1-million law suit against fq the authorities for ruining his nursing career, Four months later, he and wife Martha filed another suit for four and a half million dollars against authorities, : claiming damages to character and libel. ‘The investigation pressed on. In the two hospitals qin question, detectives found three hidden syringes traces of Li the bore labels with the signature of none other than Robert Diaz. Colleagues stated that Robert was seldom with- out syringes of Lidocaine in his pockets. Looking back, these same colleagues. recalled how agitated Robert would become just before a patient died and how he generally had just gone off duty when his patient expi On Nov. 23, 1981, the day before Thanksgiving, Robert was arrested and charged with 12 murders. ‘ ‘The victims were between the ages of 52 and 98. While Robert languished in jail awaiting trial, other hospitals where he had been employed were investigated for unusual deaths. The results were cstounding. It was learned that 30 elderly patients had died in Los Angeles County hospitals while Robert was empl in those instituti In Riversi San Bernardino Counties, another 30 had died myste- tiously while under Robert's care. In all cases, the patients had tumed red, then blue, and finally had suf- fered violent seizures. In those bodies exhumed, lido- caine was found to be present in massive quantities. In November 1983, two years after his arrest, Robert went to trial, charged with 12 counts of mur- der, Electing to stand trial before a judge rather than a jury, he was found guilty of all 12 killings. Through- out the court precedings leading to his conviction, Robert maintained his innocence. The strongest evidence against him was the dis- covery of prepackaged doses of Lidocaine which had been i i length of time elderly patients had to live. He was uncanny with his predictions. At others times he would profess to have supematural healing powers. He read up on reincamation and often talked to col- The party has set restricting experimental works like Judow and requiring books, newspa- pers and films to promote socialist virtues and heroes, ding to a Teagues about a far better life in the hereafter. Despite these idi ies, soft spoken, bespectacled Robert was well liked by all. In 1981 there began a series of unusual deaths in two southern California hospitals. Eleven deaths writer who attended a meeting at which the policy was announced. “Judou may be the last artistic film to be made in China for the fe future - at least until the have ultimate control over which SP tiga SP ssa te Eset tee FE shee Bathe ate nel Secketanie, : wee @ present leaders dic,” be said. APRIL 22 - 26 SHOW OFF YOUR SECRETARY - JN OUR SPECIAL SECRETARIES PAGE ON APRIL 24 AND SHE WILL RECEIVE: COMPLIMENTARY COURTYARD _ AND A BEAUTIFUL COMPLIMENTARY « BOXED ROSE FROM LL CATHY, DONNA OR JON AT” The Guetiddar Sun FOR MORE DETAILS 365-2278 FLORAL CO. -LUNCH WILL BE SERVED ON FRIDAY, APRIL 26 FROM 12. NOON - 2PM BECAUSE SHE'S WORTH IT | d at the Ce Hospital of the Valleys in Perris and one death at the San Gorgonio Pass Hospi- tal in Banning. AU of the victims were elderly and all displayed the same horrible symptoms before dying. They tumed red, then blue, and finally expired in the with to ly their strength. All these bore Robert's signature. Robert Diaz's motive for his murder spree, which many feel claimed 60 victims, has never been firmly _ established. During the five month long trial, the longest ever held in Riverside County, Robert's wife Martha insti- tuted divorce proceedings and took legal action to keep the three children. Roben, always ready for a legal battle, fought for custody of the children and lost. Robert Diaz lost in other ways as well, The presid- ing judge sentenced him to 12 death sentences. He now resides on Death Row, awaiting San Quentin's gas chamber. we | WZ iis Country Music Association Bud Country Talent Search "91" in association with \ British Columbia 16 oon 5 age won C gar Sun AS Open to any vocalist, amateur or professional ; Meare for more information call: : _ 365-6933