Spring is the season of life, a time of renewed energy and growth. It is a time when more people take to the roads and sidewalks and revel in warmer weather.  Despite the vibrant colors of the flowers, the sound of children playing outdoors, April is also Distracted Driving Awareness Month – a month in which we also face the grim reminder that distracted driving is as dangerous as ever.

In Western New York and across the entire U.S., home solar installations are on the rise! In 2012, homeowners installed enough residential solar panels to power the equivalent of almost 24,000 homes.

Despite its growing popularity, solar technology remains unfamiliar to many Americans. As renewable energy becomes a mainstay topic for the nation's partisan political debates, consumers may struggle to separate the facts about solar energy from common misconceptions.

Here are the realities behind five common solar myths, courtesy of Buffalo Solar Solutions Inc. and SolarWorld Americas:

Vendors are currently being sought for the first annual Collectors’ Expo, a unique event to take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, in the historic Buffalo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Road, South Buffalo.

“We envision the event to be something like ‘American Pickers’ under one roof, featuring sports memorabilia, coins, stamps, antiques, original art, trains, toys, bottles, comic books, music and theatre memorabilia, and more,” said Joe Kirchmyer of West Seneca, organizer of the event. “Everyone collects something … and there will definitely be something there for everyone.”