Topix, the local news search Web site owned by Gannett, McClatchy and Tribune, on Monday will start asking its readers to contribute news from parts of the country that the big mainstream media don’t cover enough.

Chief Executive Rich Skrenta got the idea after a mayoral scandal in his hometown of San Carlos in Silicon Valley. The news didn’t rate much more than a short mention in the local metro dailies, which include the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News, he said.

Now, people on the service – which is shifting its site to “Topix.com” instead of “Topix.net” — can chime in with the news that they think is important but under-covered. Readers also will be able to comment on various items, something that they have already been able to do for some time.

In our coverage of this development, we quoted an analyst who voiced his concerns about the sometimes spicy and just plain unusual nature of online commentary. Here’s a sample of what Topix was running on Sunday.

Topic: “Would you cut off a finger to feed a starving cat?”

One of more than 200 responses: “I would give the cat some of my tuna hoagie and then send him on his way. I don’t particularly like cats. There is something in them from the DEVIL. Brrrrr….”

Another: “Dumb question, and no. Cats are natural born killers and fend for themselves quite well. Mice and rat populations keep the cats in plenty of food.”

Just wait until the fur starts flying over the next San Carlos school board meeting.