APRIL 6, 2026 — A new “People’s Flag” has been proposed for the town of Yucca Valley, California, by local resident and vexillographer Bret Albone, according to Z107.7 FM Joshua Tree.
Presenting his design during the public comment period of a March 17 Town Council meeting, the twenty-year-old designer aims to provide a more symbolic alternative to the current municipal flag, which features the town’s seal on a white field.
Albone argued that official seals often represent government bureaucracy rather than the citizenry, suggesting that “if the United States flag was just a blue flag with the seal on it, nobody would feel attached to it.”
The flag consists of a blue field representing the sky and local turquoise mines, an orange “V” for the region’s rocks and sand, and a brown section depicting the surrounding canyons and mountains.
At the centre sits a yellow Yucca tree, an element retained from the current seal to represent the town’s namesake and its people. Albone noted his preference for the palette, stating, “I believe blue, orange and brown and gold is a good color combo for a desert flag.”
The proposal also incorporates historical symbolism through five stars. These stars commemorate the successive eras of the region: the Serrano and Chemehuevi Indigenous tribes, the Spanish Empire, the Mexican Empire, the California Republic, and the United States.
While the town’s official seal is inspired by the landscape at sunrise and sunset, Albone’s design seeks to follow the “people’s flag” movement seen in other American cities such as Cleveland and Milwaukee, where grassroots designs are adopted by residents to foster local identity.
Initial reception to the design has been positive among community members, though its status remains unofficial.
Albone noted that the Town Council and various residents have expressed interest in the design, observing that many empty flagpoles throughout the town could benefit from a symbol that residents feel more personally connected to.
As an enthusiast of historical vexillology, Albone cited the 1901 Maine state flag as a primary influence, reinforcing his commitment to simple, memorable civic imagery over complex heraldic seals.
Image: Z107.7 FM Joshua Tree
