Mike Daniels named Crown Pizza general manager

The Neches Restaurant Group has named Mike Daniels as general manager of the all-new Crown Pizza in Katy.

In this role, Daniels will oversee staff and daily operational activity on-site for a unique dual general manager role of both Crown Pizza and its sister restaurant, Willy Burger, where he has served the role for the last six years.

Daniels brings experience, positivity and a valuable knowledge of the restaurant business to go with his innate leadership and his service-first personality. Chef Alden Pond, Neches Restaurant Group chief product officer, said Daniels will help launch the new pizzeria as it enters the new year.

“Nobody represents the vision of the Neches Group quite like Mike Daniels,” Pond said. “He gives a hundred percent all the time. He makes a difference and that’s exactly what we want to do with Crown Pizza: make a difference.”

Daniels trained at the original Willy Burger in Beaumont years ago and has served in multiple roles over the years leading up to the general manager position. He is a familiar face in Katy, having helped coach youth football for years.

“I love this,” Daniels said. “I love when it gets busy, people are moving, things are clicking, and working together so everyone’s having a good time on both sides of the counter. We want to serve the good people of Katy with something special and a great experience, and Crown Pizza is poised to do just that.”

Under this new Neches ownership, Crown Pizza is set to open soon at Tiger Square near Willy Burger, directly across from Katy High School.

Cinco Ranch Branch Library seeking donations of art materials for community art swap

The Cinco Ranch Branch Library is hosting a community art swap Jan. 28 in the meeting room of the library, 2620 Commercial Center Blvd.

Between Jan. 5-23, artists are encouraged to clean out their art supplies and donate any unwanted art materials in good, usable condition. Materials should be brought to the library during business hours no later than Jan. 23.

Artists who bring their unused arts supplies during this period will receive a ticket for special early access (10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) to the community art swap.

After 2 p.m. Jan. 28, the event is open to everyone, including those who did not contribute supplies. Free art supplies can be claimed by anyone after 2 p.m. while supplies last.

This is an excellent way for anyone who is thinking about trying art as a hobby to pick up start-up materials without investing in a large amount of money.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, see the website fortbend.lib.tx.us.