This California town booted out its leaders – what happens if they refuse to leave?

Avenal has been rocked by the council’s refusal to accept the results of a recall election – and the repercussions extend far beyond the Central Valley

From the outside, the city of Avenal appears to embody every bit of its motto – an “oasis in the sun”. Approaching the community, passing through the dusty yellow hillsides of the Central Valley, Avenal emerges with a sudden burst of green on the horizon.

Its small-town feel and quiet tree-lined streets offer respite from the bustling Interstate 5 some five miles away. But trouble is brewing here that has brought this lonesome city national attention.