Belleville Mayor Michael Melham and officials around Essex County are prepping for a unique news conference and community event Sunday, Dec. 21 — where they’re expected to announce the apprehension of the Grinch at long last.
The family-friendly event will culminate in an official Grinch perp walk, led by the Belleville Police Department, whose diligent work led to the apprehension of the green good-for-nothing.
The event will begins at 12:30 p.m. at the Belleville Police Department Garage, located under the Law Enforcement Building at Town Hall, 152 Washington Ave.
The Grinch, facing serious charges of attempted theft of Christmas, will be formally escorted by the Belleville Police Department from the station and placed into a police vehicle for transport to the County for central processing — symbolically ensuring he will be locked up for Christmas and that holiday joy is protected for Belleville’s children.
The event will include a press conference, which will feature remarks from Mayor Michael Melham, Police Chief Mark Minichini, Essex County Sheriff Amir Jones, State Sen. Britnee Timberlake, Assemblywoman Carmen Morales, Assemblyman Michael Venezia and Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II.
The event follows a multi-day social media story line in which the Grinch was reported “spotted” in Belleville, including staged drone footage during the township’s Christmas Tree Lighting. This week, the mayor will announce that, following a review of evidence and investigation by the Belleville Police Department, the Grinch has been arrested.
Children attending the event will be invited to observe the perp walk from the covered police garage area, take photos following the escort and receive a Belleville Police Department junior badge.
Media members are encouraged to arrive early to allow for setup. The event will take place rain or shine, with accommodations made for cold weather.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.