Defendants’ Insolvency Ends Anchor’s Efforts

SANTA ANA — The longtime publisher of the Laguna Hills Leisure World phone book won’t pursue punitive damages against two former advertising sales employees it had sued successfully for fraud and unfair business practices.

Anchor Publications of Orange won a $1.1-million jury award on Dec. 19 against Clare Twedt and Eric Tencamp, contending that while under contract to Anchor they secretly set up a competing company that stole away the Leisure World business.

At a hearing last week before Orange County Superior Court Judge Ragnar Engebretsen, Anchor lawyer James M. Trush accepted representations by Twedt and Tencamp that they are insolvent. Their Farmers Publications won a contract in 1996 to publish the official phone directory for Leisure World, a walled community of 18,000 affluent retirees. But the suit contended they misled advertisers into supporting their concept for a phone book, and stole Anchor trade secrets.

The defendants’ lawyer, Harland Burge, said he intends to ask the judge to reduce or eliminate the award. He also said he plans to seek a new trial.