The law cuts both ways
Reports in that Monrovia City Council members are meeting at the community center there, despite no public notice as required under the Brown Act. Someone at the center confirms to Molly that the entire council is meeting currently and that it's open to the public. No notice was ever posted, however.
UPDATED: 7:50 p.m.: City tried to deny access to reporter Robert S. Hong before relenting. WTF?
Sorry, but the meeting in question was for "contact point" residents of MAP Area 1, part of Monrovia's neighborhood revitalization program. Thirty people were invited.
The City Council wasn't there -- the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem were. The Brown act didn't apply.
Your reporter was never denied access - nor your photographer. The reporter showed by an hour after the meeting started and was told that the press had not been invited because we needed residents to speak openly about ideas to take back their neighborhoods, without fear of having their names and pictures in the paper. Buit he was told he was welcome to stay. He did. Your photographer snapped photos of speakers even after being publicly asked not to photograph anyone without permission. At least one participant said he was intimiated by the photography and would not be speaking.
Check the city "rumor has it page". You made it to their big time with the PIO.
http://www.cityofmonrovia.org/index.cfm?id=308086&pageid=368