Liz Wagner Rose stood in the spotlight last Sunday night – right next to Taylor Swift.

The 1975 graduate of Irving High School won the highest award in the music business – a Grammy – for Best Country Song. She collaborated with Swift on "White Horse." She shared another Grammy with Swift, who won four altogether.

On one country music blog, Rose talked about how she met Swift.

"About six years ago," she wrote, "this curly-headed 14-year-old walked up to me and said, 'You think you would write with me sometime.' Thankfully, I said yes."

Rose was born in Dallas but grew up in Irving. She moved to Nashville, Tenn., when her three children were young and did a little work in the music business. Her songwriting skills soon got recognized. And now she's snagged two Grammy Awards.

The Irving Heritage Society loves the Heritage District. But they are worried about its future.

To allay some of their fears, Brenda McDonald, Irving's real estate and development director, recently spoke at the group's meeting at the Central Library.

McDonald presented a slide show on Heritage Crossing – the 640-acre area bordered by Pioneer, Britain, Shady Grove and MacArthur that is set to be redeveloped. She said 85 properties have been purchased, five substandard apartment complexes were demolished and 15 development sites have been identified. Development will start this year, she said, with a townhome complex of 50 units. She also discussed some future projects, such as a Delaware Creek multifamily complex and retail and office possibilities.

But there were concerns. Lorraine Taylor asked about the trees that will be cut down. And Marvin Randle wanted to know about how the financing works. Others are worried about traffic and parking. Developer Delbert McDougal did attend and answered one question about environmental considerations.

McDonald tried to encourage optimism. "Over time, this will be an asset to the community," she said.

The city offers the plans online at www.cityofirving.org. Search for "Heritage Crossing."

The League of Women Voters of Irving wants to help end the plight of homeless children in Irving.

At a recent meeting at the Central Library, the league held a panel discussion to update its Kids at Risk Study and present information from experts in the field. Judge William Mazur pleaded with league members and guests to be proactive and write to legislators for policy changes.

"There are no shelters in this area," Mazur said. "It's a zoning issue, a not-in-my-backyard problem." He added that Texas ranks first in child abuse deaths in the nation.

Other speakers included Angela Norwell, regional director for Child Protective Services; Craig Bonham, a prosecutor in the district attorney's office; Toni Gallego, the Irving ISD homeless liaison; and Lori Davis, a member of Advocates for Irving's Homeless Teens.

"We want these teenagers to graduate," Davis said. "Statistics show that just one in four homeless teens graduates."

To learn more, contact Sharon Johnston at 214-202-0225 or e-mail Gallego at tgallego@irvingisd.net.

The main ballroom of the Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas was packed Jan. 30, but it wasn't for the usual fundraiser or luncheon.

Instead guests gathered for a memorial for Max Hopper, the father of information technology at American Airlines. Morton Meyerson spoke. So did Robert Crandall, Sam Gilliland and other executives whose lives were touched by the airline leader.

Hopper died Jan. 25 at Medical City Dallas. He was 75.