Three separate threads came together in Oakdale this month: the new school year started, a council election that had been sitting open finally got its full field of candidates, and a community band that went quiet for the summer is coming back for a show on August 27.
Oakdale Joint Unified School District's fall term is underway, with staff and administrators welcoming students back into classrooms this month.
A filing deadline extension earlier in August led to a full six-candidate field for November's two open at-large seats.
The Oakdale Community Dance Band returns August 27 at the Gladys Lemmons Senior Community Center, after a two-month break.
Oakdale's general election is reported for November 3, 2026 — see our full candidate rundown below.
Students are back in the classroom.
Oakdale Joint Unified School District's new academic year is underway, with staff and administrators welcoming students back for the fall term.
The council deadline extension resolved a thin field.
Oakdale Leader's August 12 community briefs reported that the city extended its candidate filing deadline for the November 3 election. That extension mattered: by the time filing closed, six candidates had qualified for Oakdale's two open at-large council seats, with the mayor's race drawing no challenger. We covered the full six-candidate lineup and the questions every candidate should answer in a separate election overview.
The band comes back after a two-month break.
Oakdale Leader reported on August 19 that the Oakdale Community Dance Band is returning to the stage after a two-month break, with a performance scheduled for August 27 at the Gladys Lemmons Senior Community Center.