A proposal to rename Highway 16 the Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway is already taking shape, even before any legislation has been filed at the Idaho Statehouse.

Idahoans shared mixed reactions when asked about the idea. No, I disagree. I dont think it should be named by someone not from Idaho, said Ashley, an Idaho native now living in Boise.

Austin, another Idaho native Austin said, We are pretty Republican, so maybe.

Ive followed Charlie for years, but I dont think hes at the level of having a highway named after him," said Jeff, who is visiting Idaho on a business trip.

A local conservative Christian interest group, the Idaho Family Policy Center, is preparing a bill for lawmakers to consider.

READ MORE | Christian interest group hopes to designate SH-16 as the 'Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway'

The organization says the state should recognize Charlies legacy and that renaming the highway will serve as a reminder that free speech and the Christian faith are vital for a functioning constitutional republic. The group says it is already seeing interest from potential sponsors.

The Idaho Transportation Department said its role is simply to carry out whatever lawmakers decide, including making and installing dedication signs, like the existing Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway markers along I-84.

Former Idaho Democratic Senator Rick Just believes the proposal may come with a political strategy attached.

That reason is to see who votes against it, so they can use that against them in elections. Theyre probably after more moderate Republicans, he said. Adding that he'd "like to see more of an Idaho connection, maybe its a military person from Idaho" who is memorialized.

No changes have been made yet, but any decision would need to be passed by lawmakers and signed by the governor. The issue is expected to surface in early 2026.

Meridian Dairy Days is just a few days away, and one of the most important events is the dairy goat and cattle shows that take place at the Meridian Speedway.

Event guide | 96th annual Meridian Dairy Days returns to Storey Park

Meridian Neighborhood Reporter, Allie Triepke, went out to a Middleton farm to learn more from two 4-H students about how they are preparing their cows and goats for the Dairy Shows.

Hear from the local 4-H students as they prepare for Meridian Dairy Days:

Its a little bit harder taking care of them than you think, said Lilly Sharpe, a 5th grader in Middleton who is raising goats to show this summer.

10-year-old Lilly Sharpe of Middleton has raised show goats for half her life.

Each day, she feeds and cares for Kenzie and Sprinkles, the two goats shell show at Meridian Dairy Days.

Its really fun, it has a lot of responsibilities in it, said Lilly.

But she wont be the only one in her family showing at Dairy Days. Her older brother, Declan, is currently raising two cows, working to keep his family ties to Meridians dairy-based history.

My great-grandpa was a dairy farmer. He has a dairy farm out in Meridian. I think its important that I keep it going, said Declan Sharpe, who is going into his freshman year of high school.

For the last 3 years, his cows were part of the Treasure Valley Replacement Heifer program. After a summer of showing, his pregnant cow, named Tess, will go to a local dairy farm.

I have to separate them because they have different diets from each other. She gets more hay and a little bit more grain than that one, added Declan.

The support and encouragement from their parents, Jamie and Mike Sharpe, have helped their kids grow over the years.

I just think it teaches them so much. I see these kids who grow up and go through the program and go on to do great things. And its not just about learning about animals, its how they present themselves, its talking in public, said Jamie Sharpe, Lilly and Declans mother.

There was a full house at the Middleton School District's school board meeting Monday night.   

Many attendees showed their support to the elementary school principal who remains on leave in the after a costume controversy that threw the school into the national spotlight.      

As 6 on your side reported, multiple staff members donned stereotypical Mexican costumes while others dressed up as a border wall with the words, "Make America Great Again" across the front. Photos posted on the district's Facebook page went viral. 

In the wake of the incident, 14 staff members were put on leave. 13 have since returned to the school, but the principal of Middleton Heights Elementary is still on administrative leave. That administrative leave was approved by the board.      

Several community members spoke passionately in support of the principal. One in particular spoke for a considerable amount of time to give as she says the staff and teachers a voice. 

"We stand behind our staff and we wanted all of them to be back, they don't deserve what happened to them," said Brenda, Middleton resident. 

"We certainly feel their frustration in wanting to know more and I get that. We've tried to put out information that once something becomes a personnel matter, I mean, It really becomes something that you can't share, I mean people have rights and it's something that we need to deal with privately," said Dr. Josh Middleton, Middleton School District Superintendent. 

There was no decision and no timeline made on the principal who is on administrative leave.

The Middleton School District's internal investigation with those staff members placed on administrative leave has officially wrapped up.

Some district staff came under fire after photos of controversial Halloween costumes emerged.

The district tells us they plan to welcome those teachers and staff members back into the classroom in the next few days, but for now, the school will continue with its interim principal.

They say the investigation found nothing more than love and commitment in the hearts of these teachers and aides.

And today the district began a cultural sensitivity training with all staff members.

Around a dozen people lined the street in front of the Middleton School District office rallying in support of the Heights Elementary teachers who have been placed on administrative leave.

As of today, there was an officer patrolling the grounds and two police cars at the school. The district tells us they have added that extra security presence as well as more administrative presence and a crisis team.

This all comes after staff members at Heights Elementary posted pictures on social media dressed as a border wall, labeled "make America great again, and others as Mexicans dressed in mustaches and sombreros. 

Since then, the story continues to make national news, with people all over the country accusing the staff of racism and signing petitions to have the teachers fired.

While on the other hand, there are also many who think this has all been blown out of proportion.

"The whole scenario of actually what happened at the time, isn't I guess what people are seeing. It was more of an exercise for the teachers to do all of the different cultures and those were the two that actually won, so that's why the two pictures were together," said Callie Mould, a parent of a student at Heights Elementary.

Those staff members have all been placed on administrative leave, and this Wednesday, November 7th, the district will hold an all-staff meeting for the purpose of cultural sensitivity training. That training will continue throughout the school year and at the start of each school year moving forward in the Middleton School District.

Superintendent Middleton previously made statements saying he hoped to have the investigation wrapped up by today, but it seems that is being pushed further down the road.

At last check, the petition in support of keeping the teachers had over 13,000 signatures, while the petition for firing them had over 11,000 signatures.

We will keep you updated with any new information, as the district releases it.

In less than 24 hours, more than 9,000 people have signed an online petition supporting the teachers and staff at a Middleton elementary school who wore costumes on Halloween that many parents and Treasure Valley residents have found offensive and even racist.

The group of employees dressed as a border wall with the slogan "Make America Great Again" and a group of Mexicans wearing ponchos and sombreros.

The employees involved were placed on administrative leave Saturday at a special school board meeting, but community members are now rallying around those teachers in an effort to protect their jobs.

The petition is seeing steady support online. A separate online petition, condemning the costumes and demanding a transformed school environment, is also seeing support online. That petition has more than 8,000 signatures.

The Middleton School District says there will be an all-district staff meeting for cultural sensitivity training this Wednesday, Nov. 7th. They say these kinds of training exercises "will continue throughout this school year and at the start of each school year moving forward," according to the district's press release.

UPDATE: 14 staff members at Heights Elementary in Middleton have been placed on administrative leave after dressing up for Halloween in costumes many parents and Treasure Valley residents are calling "offensive" and "racist."

"They should have some kind of sensitivity training-- some kind of interaction with other cultures, because this-- this is what they are passing on to the kids. So it's normalizing-- for them-- that these kinds of things are acceptable, when, in my opinion, they are not," said Kevin Vallejo, Boise resident.

Actually, Middleton School District has now announced that they are doing just that. Administrators say that this Wednesday, Nov. 7th, there will be an all-district staff meeting for cultural sensitivity training. They say these kinds of trainings "will continue throughout this school year and at the start of each school year moving forward," according to the administration's release.

__________

Days after a group of Middleton Heights Elementary School teachers and staff came under fire for dressing as a border wall and group of Mexicans on Halloween, the district's superintendent announces the employees involved have been placed on administrative leave.

According to Idaho Ed News, the decision was announced Saturday morning at a special school board meeting. After the announcement, the board went into executive session. The superintendent did not disclose the names of the employees involved.

In response to the controversy, Mark Hopkins has been named principal at Heights Elementary for now, Middleton said. Hopkins began the year as principal of Purple Sage Elementary, according to Idaho Ed News. 

Board members participated in a nearly two-hour executive session before returning to open session and reading a statement condemning the employees actions.

Photos of the employees posing in their costumes were originally posted on the school district's Facebook page and then later removed. The entire district's Facebook page has since been taken down.

"A patron reached out to me and was disturbed by the photos and then he shared those with me and I was equally, I was disappointed and I saw some inappropriate and insensitive costumes," Dr. Josh Middleton, superintendent, Middleton School District said Friday. 

Friday, the superintendent said the costumes were part of a curriculum unit on character, respect, and kindness. 

Superintendent Josh Middleton says this is a learning opportunity for the district and other schools. 

"To say that we are outraged is to put it mildly, we're very disappointed," said Humberto Fuentes, President, Hispanic Cultural Center. 

On Halloween, some Middleton School teachers and staff dressed up as a border wall, with the statement, "Make America Great Again."

Others also came in costume with ponchos and sombreros, playing maracas. The photos shocked members of the Latino community. 

"They are not only sending a very distasteful display, but it's racist. I mean this is racist, I mean how do they feel when the students come into class and see that those pictures."

Photos were posted on the school district's Facebook page and then later removed.

"A patron reached out to me and you know was disturbed by the photos and then he shared those with me and I was equally, I was disappointed and i saw some inappropriate and insensitive costumes," said Dr. Josh Middleton, superintendent, Middleton School District. 

The superintendent says the costumes were part of a curriculum unit on character, respect, and kindness. 

"These are quality teachers and I think it was a bad unit or a unit that's gone a bad result. I don't think anything malicious, no malicious intent, but this day and time, very insensitive and inappropriate."

As of Friday morning, those in the pictures were still working at the school. 

"These are the pictures that we used to see in the forties and fifties in this country. I mean I thought we had made progress given this situation here looks like we still have a lot of problems to resolve. This is just very bad for the Latino community."

Middleton's top administrator says the staff could face consequences from a verbal warning to termination, but at this point the district is on a fact finding mission before making any decisions.

Superintendent Josh Middleton says this is a learning opportunity for the district and other schools. 

"Ugly result and we're so much better than this." 

Costumes worn on Halloween by Middleton elementary school staff members have created an uproar in the district, with upset parents calling the District office and the news media expressing their outrage.

Seven teachers dressed up as a border wall with the statement Make America Great Again emblazoned across it, echoing President Donalds Trump well-known political slogan.

They also dressed in stereotypical - some say racist - sombreros and ponchos, playing maracas.

The photos were originally posted on the School Districts Facebook page, but have since been removed.

In a Facebook posting, Middleton School Superintendent et Dr. Josh Middleton stated he is deeply troubled by the decision by a staff member to wear those costumes that are clearly insensitive and inappropriate.

In the video, Dr. Middleton started he had been contacted by a parent expressing concern over the staffs costumes

He said district administration officials are investigating the poor decisions that were made.

We are better than this. We embrace all students. We have a responsibility to teach all students. So I think there was a malicious intent in this poor decision? No, I dont. was there poor judgment involved? Absolutely, he stated.

He also offered our sincerest and deepest and humblest apologies to our families, to our patrons. Again, we are so much better than this.

He said the district is looking into the matter. 

We are learning from this and changing and again, being the school district we know we can be, he said.

Ann Sweeney served in the U.S. Air Force back in the Vietnam era, she started out in photography then transitioned into helping service members who struggled with substance abuse, something she continued after serving for ten years in the military.

"I really enjoyed that the most because I love working with people," said Sweeney.

The veteran's roof was leaking, but thanks to the Owens Corning Roof Development project a crew from Idaho Roofing Contractors installed a new roof on her Middleton home.

Sweeney was selected for this project by the Canyon County Habitat for Humanity who teamed up with the other organizations to give back to a veteran who's selfless service made a positive impact in so many lives.

"I do love it and they say that when you give, you get back and I do believe that," said Sweeney. "It's so exciting I've been wanting to get a new roof for the longest time but haven't been able to, so this is really a blessing."

The crew from Idaho Roofing Contractors all of whom are legal workers in the United States finished the roof in one day, all the building materials and the labor was donated by Owens Corning.

"It just means a lot to be able to do this because she has given so much to our community by serving," said Corky Copp of Idaho Roofing Contractors a local company. "We wanted to give something back to her."

In the future crews will paint the outside of Sweeney's house and help level out the inside to help her be able to move around easier.