Saturday February 27 marked the year anniversary of the death of 5-year old Zachary Michael Cruz. His family and friends have kept the stop sign at  Warring and Derby — the site of his death — continuously decorated. This weekend pots of yellow tulips and other spring flowers surrounded a picture of Zachary. Three sheets of poster board were tacked to a nearby wall for people to leave comments.

Frances Dinkelspiel, Berkeleyside and CItyside co-founder, is a journalist and author. Her first book, Towers of Gold: How One Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California, published in November...