So-called "ugly produce" isn't just a type pf product; its proponents see it as a movement about to catch fire.

When it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, ugliness is only skin deep, while flavor and nutrition go all the way through. But is that enough to win over consumers?.

See pictures and more on this story on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.

Nature is increasingly accessible to wheelchair users in Sonoma County.

A quartet of Sonoma County agencies teamed up last weekend to organize and support a first-ever group outdoor outing for non-ambulatory Nature lovers.

Although the outing last weekend was tailored for wheelchair users, it equally open to all “slow ramblers.” See pictures from the outing on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.

Employees with mental disabilities are not a problem for one Napa County cafe.

Getting into the job market is hard enough. And for some people with mental illness, behavioral disorders or learning disabilities it can be nearly impossible. But, the Thrive Cafe, located in Napa County’s Health and Human Services campus, is making it their mission to get this disadvantaged group back in the workplace.

Find photos of Thrive Cafe on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.

The Springs area in the Sonoma Valley has seen better days. Now they’re mapping out a brighter future.

Long overlooked by the rest of Sonoma County, the south end of the Valley of the Moon is now charting a revitalized future. But the extensive community input process will eventually have to reconcile their sometimes conflicting desires.

Tonight’s community workshop on the Springs Specific Plan will be held from 6-8 pm in the multi-purpose room of Altimira Middle School. See maps and more about the process on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.

A tentative schedule for the SMART trains is about to begin testing, with regular service due to start later this year.

The SMART Train has not yet announced a start date for their commuter rail service between Santa Rosa and San Rafael, but they do know how often the trains will run each day when regular operations do get going.

You can review SMART’s draft schedule on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.

The Marin County Sheriff’s Office is joining other Bay Area law enforcement by adding body-worn cameras.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Marin County will soon be equipped with body cameras, but concerns remain about how the video from those cameras will be made available to the public.

Find a link to Marin County Sheriff’s Office body camera policy on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.

New state rules boosting water efficient landscaping are also cracking down on some troublesome invasive species.

California’s updated landscaping ordinance encourages wider use of native plants, to both promote water savings, and limit the spread of invasive species.

You can find the text of the updated ordinance and more on this story on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.

When the end of the ice age brought climate change to northern California, thousands of years ago, the indigenous tribes here adjusted through changes in their diet, lifestyle and social structure.

While John Muir was a towering figure in the emergence of modern environmentalism in California and beyond, Benson says he had a profound blind spot when it came to recognizing the role Native Americans had long played here.

Benjamin Benson will detail his research and conclusion in a Science Buzz Café talk Wednesday evening at 7 pm, at the French Garden Restaurant in Sebastopol. Hear more on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.

North Bay Water Agencies are working to get all trash out of local waterways by 20-26, as part of a new statewide policy.

Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties will soon be joining the rest of state in its effort to get to zero trash in California’s waterways.

Find this story and others on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.

Marin’s County’s Gnoss Field airport could finally be getting a runway extension - more than a decade after the idea was first proposed.

The proposed runway extension of Marin County’s only public airport gets closer to reality now that the Federal Aviation Administration approved a revised plan this week.

See photos of the airport on the North Bay Report webpage at krcb.org/news. You can also find this and past stories on our new North Bay Report Facebook page. You can comment, share and like us there. Follow the North Bay Report on Twitter @KRCBNews.