Mill Avenue Food Critic

by Nick Coons
Aug 19, 2006

Dennnis "with three n's, the middle 'n' is silent" Skolnick, the Mill Avenue Food Critic, passed away on Saturday August 5th. He was found in his car over the steering wheel. A once homeless man with a substance-abuse problem, Dennnis had begun reviewing restaurants in downtown Tempe as a way to work and feed himself.

He enjoyed talking about how he had been sober for the past three years and was proud to call such people as Mayor Hugh Hallman, Police Chief Ralph Tranter, and former City Council member Dennis Cahill as close friends. He was seen by some as an annoying fixture on Mill, and by others as local color; but none would argue that he wasn't outspoken.

Unfortunately, Dennnis hadn't been seen much recently. As he revealed to his close friend Don Plato on the Thursday evening before his passing, he had recently relapsed and was embarrassed about that fact.

To those of us that knew Dennnis, we will miss him and his colorful personality.