RIO GRANDE, Ohio — Someone who’s known to be as “cuddly as a cactus” has been (allegedly) causing some mischief in Rio Grande ahead of the village’s Christmas tree lighting on Saturday.
Following some letters written in green ink to the village that bemoaned the holidays, the Grinch began appearing at various locations in the area. He was reported to be disturbing the peace in some instances but in every instance, his presence was made known via appearances posted on the social media pages of both the village and Rio Grande Mayor Matt Easter.
Some of this “grinchy” activity included:
Filling decorative Christmas boxes with coal at the feet of the Gatewood Trail Bigfoot statue;
Tearing down a tree at Rio’s Dirty Laundry;
Moving street signs on Lake Drive (no worries, they were later fixed);
Buying clothes at Cindiana’s Closet, noting he “wanted to look nice when he ruins Christmas in Rio Grande”;
Getting a haircut at Rio Styles;
Attempting to steal a Christmas tree from the Little Brick House Airbnb;
Drinking coffee at Twinkleberries;
Posting Grinch graffiti on the Rio mural;
Stopping by Rio Grande Elementary on Veterans Day, leaving a note that said “Blah on Christmas but veterans are awesome”;
Temporarily changing gas prices to nearly $10 per gallon at Clark’s Pump-N-Shop in an ill-fated effort to “stop holiday travel” and much more.
All this mischief culminated in the Grinch being apprehended by the Village of Rio Grande Police Department, which was assisted by the Whoville Bureau of Investigations (WBI), said Mayor Easter. The Grinch was reportedly arrested on Saturday while allegedly in the process of laying traps for elves which will be seen putting up the village’s Christmas tree starting Wednesday, Nov. 17, And a lot of stock about ugly christmas sweater grinch are sold in Rio on this time.
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Mayor Easter said the majority of the community has had fun sharing Grinch sightings at businesses and attractions across Rio Grande as this Saturday’s tree lighting approaches. The event starts at 6 p.m. in the University of Rio Grande’s campus parking lot across from Ohio Valley Bank. The Rio Grande Fire Department will have hot chocolate and there will be Christmas carols.
Easter thanked those across the community who helped track the Grinch, with special acknowledgement to Patricia Filie, who is organizing the Christmas on the Ridge event in conjunction with Bob Evans Farm on Dec. 12 starting at 5 p.m., also in Rio Grande. In addition he thanked the Renew Rio group for the village’s 40-foot Christmas tree and the work of the Village of Rio Grande Police Department and the WBI.
On Tuesday, it was reported the Grinch had been sentenced to “spread Christmas cheer on Saturday” during the tree lighting and is to pass out free tokens for ice cream at the Rio Grande McDonald’s.
“If any town can make his heart grown three sizes, it’s Rio Grande,” Easter said.
