Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest

An Illinois State Police investigation of an officer involved shooting in Oak Park on May 31 has concluded. The results of the investigation have been turned over to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for its prosecutorial review, Wednesday Journal has confirmed. Christian Wallace, 38, was pulled over for a traffic stop near Austin Blvd. and Harrison Street on Sunday evening, May 31.

The plan to rebuild the pedestrian bridge over the Ike at Home Avenue took a major step ahead Sept. 1 when Oak Park’s village board chose one of three architectural designs and approved the broad financial obligations the project will require.

As it continues its community engagement process related to overhauling Oak Park’s single-family zoning policies, the village board on Sept. 1 approved a plan to host a panel of experts to discuss the history of zoning in the village. Trustees voted unanimously in support of a motion brought by Chibuike Enyia and Derek Eder to have the Community Relations Commission and the village government’s DEI department plan the event.

Sugar Fixé Pâtisserie, the French bakery at 119 N. Marion St. in Oak Park, has undergone a transformation behind the scenes under new ownership. After an initial plan to bring in an outside pastry chef didn’t pan out, Juan Muñoz, who previously worked on the wholesale side of Kribi Coffee, and is currently an Oak Park Township Trustee, stepped in as managing owner. Muñoz says the shop is working to define its role in the community as the local bakery scene evolves, with a focus on quality.

Scott Berg (Credit: Prestige Real Estate Images) Schools are back in session and while meteorological summer has a few days left, in the real estate world, the fall market has begun. In real estate, it’s a commonly held idea that the spring and early summer months move the fastest, with many buyers wanting to be in new homes before the school year starts. Local professionals tell us whether those preconceived notions hold in the current market.

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When Jam Alker got seriously ill, he wasn’t trying to start a business. He was trying to get his life back. Like many people dealing with complex health challenges, he cycled through specialists and searched for answers that often felt fragmented. Along the way, he discovered emerging wellness technologies and dug deep into the science of recovery and metabolism. That personal search eventually became HEAL Wellness + Longevity.

Rosina R. (Zia) Kenitz, 93, died in 2026. Born Rosina Cristina Ruffolo on May 1, 1933, in Marano Principato, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, to Assunta Magliocchi and Emilio Ruffolo, she immigrated to the U.S. with her mother and brothers aboard the S.S. Rex in 1936, beginning a life defined by learning, service, and generosity. She developed a love of decorating and cooking under the guidance of her mother.

Nancy Lee Mosley, 79, died on Aug. 4, 2026. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she grew up as the youngest of four children of Selena and James Mosley, with older siblings James, Patricia, and Carol. After St. Louis, she made her way to Chicago, later residing in Oak Park where her sister and nieces lived.

Donald McMahan Edwards, 84, died on Aug. 11, 2026, in Oak Park. Born on Oct. 22, 1941, in Marshall, Kentucky, he was a true southern gentleman who leaves behind a legacy of integrity, kindness, and achievement. As a youth, he achieved the distinguished honor of being the First Black Eagle Scout in Morristown, Tennessee. He graduated from Fisk University in Nashville in 1963, where he was both a scholar majoring in Math and Physics and an athlete, playing basketball.