William Mitchell

For close to a century, the Better Business Bureau has tried to help consumers recognize the difference between a good buy and a gimmick. With more than 200 chapters across the country, the BBB keeps a record of customer complaints against a wide range of companies and offers an arbitration service to resolve disputes. The private, nonprofit organization also keeps data on advertising claims and charities. The BBB traces its roots back to Samuel C. Dobbs, former president of the Coca-Cola Co.

The Better Business Bureau of the Southland is getting another shakeup at the top. William Mitchell, who led the organization for 26 years, has quietly resigned — for a second time — after criticism over the group's rating system for businesses and his compensation, which exceeded $400,000 a year. Mitchell previously announced his resignation in December, only to rescind it in February. At the time, Mitchell said he was needed to fend off efforts by the national Council of Better Business Bureaus to take control of the local group.

The Better Business Bureau of Los Angeles/Orange Counties, which closed last week after running out of money, may be replaced by branch offices of a bureau based in San Bernardino County if a local proposal receives national approval. BBB officials confirmed Wednesday that the board of the beleaguered Los Angeles/Orange County bureau approved the branch-office plan at a private meeting Tuesday and will submit it to the Council of Better Business Bureaus in Alexandria, Va.

The beleaguered head of the local Better Business Bureau, who resigned in December amid controversy over the group's letter-grade rating system and his high salary, has rescinded his resignation and vowed to fight to restore his reputation. William Mitchell, who made more than $400,000 in 2008 running the Southern California chapter, had resigned in the middle of an audit of the chapter by the National Council of Better Business Bureaus. But on Monday, he circulated an e-mail to his staff in which he criticized the Washington-based national council, saying executives were trying to take over the Southern California chapter and pack its board of directors with their own people.

William A. Mitchell, 92, a food scientist who invented Pop Rocks candy, died of congestive heart failure Monday in a Stockton care home, his daughter said. Mitchell, who worked as a chemist for General Foods Corp. in White Plains, N.Y., for 35 years until his retirement in 1976, held more than 70 patents, including inventions related to Cool Whip, quick-set Jell-O gelatin and the drink mix Tang. While working briefly for Eastman Kodak Co.

William L. Mitchell, who designed such cars as the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray and Buick Riviera during his 42-year General Motors career, is dead at age 76. The auto maker said the retired vice president died Monday at a Royal Oak hospital but did not list a cause of death. Mitchell, a GM vice president since 1958, retired as the head of the Design Staff in 1977.

The Better Business Bureau of the Southland is getting another shakeup at the top. William Mitchell, who led the organization for 26 years, has quietly resigned — for a second time — after criticism over the group's rating system for businesses and his compensation, which exceeded $400,000 a year. Mitchell previously announced his resignation in December, only to rescind it in February. At the time, Mitchell said he was needed to fend off efforts by the national Council of Better Business Bureaus to take control of the local group.

The executive who heads the organization's Los Angeles branch makes more than $400,000 a year. His San Diego counterpart brings in $206,000. The head of a smaller office in New York earns $175,000. Salaries at a corporation? Guess again. That's the compensation for local presidents of the nonprofit Better Business Bureaus, which issue letter ratings to businesses that are supposed to reflect how fairly they treat consumers. The organization's national president earned $335,000 in 2008, according to the latest available documents from the Internal Revenue Service.

The beleaguered head of the local Better Business Bureau, who resigned in December amid controversy over the group's letter-grade rating system and his high salary, has rescinded his resignation and vowed to fight to restore his reputation. William Mitchell, who made more than $400,000 in 2008 running the Southern California chapter, had resigned in the middle of an audit of the chapter by the National Council of Better Business Bureaus. But on Monday, he circulated an e-mail to his staff in which he criticized the Washington-based national council, saying executives were trying to take over the Southern California chapter and pack its board of directors with their own people.

The head of the Southern California chapter of the Better Business Bureau has resigned amid a scandal over the group's letter-grade rating system and controversy over his high pay. William Mitchell, a 26-year employee of the Better Business Bureau of the Southland, is leaving because of health concerns, said Bob Richardson, the chapter's director of operations. The national organization, which issues ratings to businesses supposedly based on how fairly they treat consumers, has been criticized in recent months for giving businesses better grades if they became dues-paying members.

The head of the Southern California chapter of the Better Business Bureau has resigned amid a scandal over the group's letter-grade rating system and controversy over his high pay. William Mitchell, a 26-year employee of the Better Business Bureau of the Southland, is leaving because of health concerns, said Bob Richardson, the chapter's director of operations. The national organization, which issues ratings to businesses supposedly based on how fairly they treat consumers, has been criticized in recent months for giving businesses better grades if they became dues-paying members.

The executive who heads the organization's Los Angeles branch makes more than $400,000 a year. His San Diego counterpart brings in $206,000. The head of a smaller office in New York earns $175,000. Salaries at a corporation? Guess again. That's the compensation for local presidents of the nonprofit Better Business Bureaus, which issue letter ratings to businesses that are supposed to reflect how fairly they treat consumers. The organization's national president earned $335,000 in 2008, according to the latest available documents from the Internal Revenue Service.

William A. Mitchell, 92, a food scientist who invented Pop Rocks candy, died of congestive heart failure Monday in a Stockton care home, his daughter said. Mitchell, who worked as a chemist for General Foods Corp. in White Plains, N.Y., for 35 years until his retirement in 1976, held more than 70 patents, including inventions related to Cool Whip, quick-set Jell-O gelatin and the drink mix Tang. While working briefly for Eastman Kodak Co.

For close to a century, the Better Business Bureau has tried to help consumers recognize the difference between a good buy and a gimmick. With more than 200 chapters across the country, the BBB keeps a record of customer complaints against a wide range of companies and offers an arbitration service to resolve disputes. The private, nonprofit organization also keeps data on advertising claims and charities. The BBB traces its roots back to Samuel C. Dobbs, former president of the Coca-Cola Co.

William L. Mitchell, who designed such cars as the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray and Buick Riviera during his 42-year General Motors career, is dead at age 76. The auto maker said the retired vice president died Monday at a Royal Oak hospital but did not list a cause of death. Mitchell, a GM vice president since 1958, retired as the head of the Design Staff in 1977.

James F. Hogg, former president of William Mitchell College of Law in Minnesota, has been appointed to lead Western State University College of Law in Fullerton. Hogg, who grew up and was educated in New Zealand, was president and dean of William Mitchell from 1985-1995. After stepping down, he continued to teach there. Hogg received his law degree from Harvard University.

How many more Jackson-Carpenter-Robbins type stories will it take to elicit the public pressure that (William) Mitchell ("Trial Illustrates Need for Campaign Reform," Dec. 17) says is necessary to force the Legislature to enact serious campaign reform? I fear that the public has political corruption burnout. Thankfully, for those who have not given up hope, there are groups such as Mitchell's Common Cause for citizens to channel their outrage into constructive efforts to change our corrupt and corrupting campaign finance system.