PARSIPPANY — Kyle Cipkins, a scout with Troop 173, attended the Parsippany-Troy Hills Council meeting on Tuesday, October 16 to earn his “Communication Badge.”

To earn a communication badge, the scout can select from a list of requirements.  The scout can choose to attend a public meeting (city council, school board, debate) where several points of view are given on a single issue.

Practice active listening skills and take careful notes of each point of view. Then the scout had to prepare an objective report that includes all points of view that were expressed, and share this with their counselor.

Communication focuses on how people use messages to generate meanings within and across various contexts, cultures, channels, and media. The field of communication promotes the effective and ethical practice of human communication.

This badge is one of the many badges the scout must earn before earning Eagle Rank.

During the meeting, Kyle had an opportunity to speak to Parsippany-Troy Hills Council President Paul Carifi, Jr., and ask him questions regarding the issues that were discussed during the meeting.

Troop 173 offers a wide range of activities and learning experiences for your child that focus on their continued growth as they progress through the program.  They strive to incorporate education, character building, growth, teamwork, and primarily FUN for our Scouts. They are a “Family Friendly” troop that encourages Moms or Dads to attend our meetings, special events, and  camping trips so that everyone can experience the fun, together.

For more information on Boy Scout Troop 173, click here.

PARSIPPANY — The HUB Camera Club, Mountain Lakes, photography exhibit is currently on display at the Parsippany Library.  The HUB Camera Club, founded in 1998 offers programs, demonstrations, competitions, workshops and exhibitions.  They meet the fourth Monday of the month at the Mt. Lakes Library.

PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills held its first “Italian Cultural Event” on Sunday, October 14 on Minnehaha Boulevard between Washington Avenue and North Beverwyck Road.

Although the event slated to start at 1:00 p.m., plenty of people started arriving around 12:30 p.m. and were already lining up at the various food vendors.

By 1:00 p.m., Minnehaha Boulevard was filled up with plenty of people still arriving at both ends. The mandolin and accordion players were making their rounds while the dj was playing classical Italian music.

The tables were filled with people enjoying the festive atmosphere and eating all sorts of fine Italian foods. Everything from sausage & peppers, Linguine with meat and gravy, pizza, rice balls as well as meatballs were sold by various vendors.

On the dessert side, cannolis and zeppolis were a great hit. All flavors of Italian ices and funnel cakes were also available.

The multitude of residents crowded the street and often asked if this street fair could be done regularly. Italian day was really a big hit.

By the late afternoon, many of the food vendors were running low on food and were very surprised by the massive turnout. This being the very first year, many of the vendors didn’t know what to expect as far as turnout and weren’t sure of how much food to bring.

Mayor Michael Soriano said “A Sunday afternoon of good music, food, and friends is always a great success, and I look forward to the 2nd annual Italian Culture Festival.”

“I spoke to every vendor and they were all very happy with how well everything turned out. Not only that, but every vendor wanted to know if and when we were planning on doing this event next year. We are planning on having our Italian Cultural Event next year on Sunday, October 20. This was Mayor Michael Soriano’s idea and it turned out to be a big hit with everyone. We are planning on expanding the festival slightly next year and fine tuning certain things. It was great to be a part of it this year,” said Michael Sifonios, Director of Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

Councilwoman Loretta Gragnani said “A fun day was had by Parsippany residents. An array of delicious Italian food was provided by our local restaurants, civic organizations and food trucks. From sausage and pepper sandwiches, meatballs, Sicilian rice balls and of course dessert, fresh cannoli, funnel cake and zeppolis. It helped that the weather was beautiful which attributed to the large crowds.”

PARSIPPANY — Sons of Italy 2561 will be holding its Fourth Annual Beefsteak Dinner on Saturday, November 10. The event will be held at Bloomingdale Fire House, 97 Hamburg Turnpike, Bloomingdale. Tickets are $50.00 each and includes All You Can Eat Beefsteak, roasted potatoes, salad, pasta, assorted desserts, beer, soda, coffee and tea. Door Prizes and Raffles.

After the Beefsteak dinner, comedians Mike Morse and Brad Lowery will perform.

Call (201) 774-0943 for tickets and additional information.

You may recognize Mike Morse from his television appearances on MTV, VH-1, Comedy Central, and E! Entertainment Network. He was a winner on ABC-TV’s popular show America’s Funniest People, and was the host and head writer of Fox TV’s stand-up/sketch comedy show “The Comedy Cabaret.” Mike recently appeared in the AC/DC music video “Stiff Upper Lip” and the Ben Folds Five music video “Army”.

As a stand-up comedian, Mike has performed at comedy clubs, casinos, and colleges in cities all over North America, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Denver, Toronto, and Montreal. Recent appearances include shows at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City and the Riviera in Las Vegas. His unique combination of rapid-fire jokes, hilarious music, and clever props has made him a headlining favorite wherever he performs.

Besides writing and illustrating for Cracked Magazine since the mid-1990’s, Mike’s writing and artwork has been featured in magazines such as Weekly World News, Reader’s Digest, Slick Times, Thwak, and Steppin’ Out. His humorous plays have been produced in New York, California, New Jersey, and Texas, and he served as staff writer for the comedy news television show “168 Hours.” He wrote, directed, and performed with the sketch comedy group The Little Bastards and appeared in several successful New York City productions with the group, including “Nuts In A Lifeshell” and “Dust Bunny Beaujolais”.

Mike was a writer and performer on the popular Internet radio program “The Chaunce Hayden Show.” Mike’s work has also been featured on “The Howard Stern Show,” ESPN, Fuse, and “Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn,” and he is currently a writer for “Late Shift With Kevin Ferguson.”

Brad Lowery travels across the country performing, averaging over 200 dates each year. He has been nominated for Comedian of the Year four times and has been seen on A & E’s “Caroline’s Comedy Hour” and CBS’s “Star Search.” He has also opened for acts such as Chris Rock, Tommy Davidson and Adam Sandler.

PARSIPPANY — A reader suggested we take a picture of the Halloween display in front of the Super Foodtown of Lake Hiawatha, 435 North Beverwyck Road.

PARSIPPANY — How do you spell Parsippany? This sign has been in the Morris Hills Shopping Center for years.

When we noticed the above sign in the Morris Hills Shopping Center, with Parsippany misspelled, Parsippany Focus emailed Jason Fox of Brixmor Property Group, on January 22, asking them to correct the sign. The sign still remains incorrect.

Last year, Parsippany Focus, ran a story on another misspelled sign on Route 202. Focus contacted the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the sign was corrected within days.

When will the owners of Morris Hills Shopping Center correct their sign?