12/18/17 – 5:30 A.M.

We begin our look back at 2017 today, recapping the top stories of the year as suggested by our listeners. Our first story looks back at the ongoing Boot school safety effort.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office started off the year with a $50,000 donation from Marathon Petroleum for the Boot project. Other companies and organizations like Ohio Logistics and the Community Foundation would follow suit throughout the year.

The sheriff’s office started installing the devices in August. Cory-Rawson saw the first installations in the county.

The Courier’s Kathryne Rubright says that by the end of the year the Boot project was nearing its fundraising goal…

Audio: Kathryne Rubright

The Boot is a device that can block a door during an active shooter situation or other emergencies. It can withstand 16,000 pounds of pressure.