is this still 'mountain view voice' or 'menlo park voice'? why r u reportin on a missing kid from menlo park? would you report if a person of color is missing from East Palo Alto? i can't express my outrage in mere words.

Police are asking for help from people around the region. It is believed this girl may have headed through Mountain View after she disappeared.

On a logistical level, we picked up the story from our sister paper, the Menlo Park Almanac, so it wasn't a drain on our resources. The girl's race was not a factor in running this.

This article should be in every single paper available. A child is missing, "damnit". What I don't understand is how vague this is. What are her parents doing? Why are they in hiding?? If this was my child, voluntary or not, the first night she did not come home, you treat it like an abduction and call police and media. HELLO!!!It has already been a week now. The first few days are crucial. Menlo Park Police don't seem to take this very serious and I don't know why?

Hey rex manor, A child is a Child no matter what color she is. Quit bringing up the color or race card. I don't know about the rest of you self rightous people out there, but when it comes to missing teens or children or anyone, all areas should take concern and be on the look out. Speaking as a parent.

I don't see why anyone would have any objection! This is how people are found. Why do so many people have to find fault with EVERYTHING!
Such small minds.

damnit -- Literacy can be your friend. Reach out to it.

DonFrances and USA,
Iam not small minded and Iam sure this story gives a wakeup call to all parents who have teenage daughters/sons and makes them aware of how to deal with their kids.

What Iam miffed about the Americn media in general is , why people of certain color/ethnicity get countrywide coverage but people of african/latino/asians get absoultely no coverage in cases like this.
When was the last time there was a countrywide coverage when a black girl was missing.

The only time minority get front page coverage is when they are the culprits. This is just the way things are in AMerica irrespective of whether it is the deep south or the most liberal Vermont/California.

Hey damnit - All I can say to your comment is... Wow! Are you that heartless or ignorant to think that a missing child (regardless of where they're from or what color they are) should not be posted in EVERY media avenue?

To damnit:

Who is our President?

Who is our First Lady?

I am white and I voted for Obama, not because he is black but because I believe in him.

COLOR MEANS NOTHING TO ME. GET OVER IT.

damnit - just read your reply. Now that makes sense. Your outrage is with the hypocrisy of the media, not with the actual missing girl from Menlo Park being mentioned in a Mtn. View paper. I'm with you on that!

But lets get back to the point.... a child is missing.

This is why the news services should just report the news and not have blogs on their websites....

This paper should be renamed to "Don Frances's View Paper"

It appears Don does what he wants. So many readers are very disappointed with him which I find rather interesting. This newspaper is 'One-Way', 'Don's Way'.

I don't read this paper unless I am bored with absolutely nothing else to do. Palo Alto Weekly, The Almanac and the San Jose Mercury News are much more enjoyable than this Mtn View paper.

damnit -- I agree about the coverage, but the issue is not race. News orgs like to cover the cute and adorable such as blond girls, puppies, Hollywood starlets, etc. As far as coverage of crimes committed by people of color, well I think you know the real solution there.

sad -- Yes, sometimes people disagree with you and sometimes people take advantage of their public stage. That's life in a free society.

parent -- Though Don occasionally censors my comments, particularly with regards to my helpful suggestions on the use of pruning sheers on rapists and child molesters, he keeps an even keel on stories and the reader comments. Take a look at the comment sections in the SF and SJ rags.

Why every story crescendos into these big debates over big issues? If you see this girl or think someone may be her, then call 911.

why does it always come down to race. i feel like latino/africe/ etc get more attention than anyone does. so that is stupid to make a comment on. and yes i am "white". get over your self. its not about that, its about a little girl missing. selfish to even think that way. you make me sick to my stomach!