Mitch Dudek

The nation’s best dodge ball players are set to descend upon Chicago. The USA Dodgeball National Championships will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park, just south of Midway Airport. The event is free for ... See more

Jim Ruddle made his mark on Chicago as a respected broadcast newsman who, quite literally, sailed into the sunset after his last broadcast. He had a reputation as an old-school professional who could skillfully craft a news script in minutes and, utilizin... See more

It’s good work ... if you can get it. And Joel Cory got it, and then some. “Joel was among the top three voice-over actors in the country during the heyday of television commercials in the 70s, 80s and 90s,” said Bill Brichta, a longtime friend and former... See more

As the owner of Quenchers, one of the city’s first destination beer bars, Earle Johnson tapped into the power of nostalgia to draw customers. Mr. Johnson stocked beer from nearly every country imaginable; when people returned from vacation — say in Argent... See more

Geraldine “The Jazz Lady” de Haas, who was the driving force behind the creation of the annual Chicago Jazz Festival, died July 28 from natural causes. She was 91 and had moved from her South Side home to New Jersey 13 years ago to be closer to family. In... See more