Officials of the Tunica-Biloxi Indian Political Action Committee (TBIPAC) and the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana will host a forum for all qualifying candidates in the 2011 Fall Avoyelles Parish sheriff’s election. The event will be held on Monday, July 18 at 6PM in the Mari Showroom at Paragon Casino Resort.

“The TBIPAC and the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe are pleased to host a debate which will allow the voters of Avoyelles Parish the opportunity to hear issues openly discussed,” stated Tribal Chairman, Earl J. Barbry, Sr.

Admission to the debate is one non-perishable food item. All items collected from this event will be donated to the Central Louisiana Food Bank. “Creating awareness lets us lead and feed by example,” said David Rivas, Director of Political Affairs for the Tunica-Biloxi Political Action Committee.

Candidates scheduled to participate in the debate are Doug Anderson, T. Joe Panichella and Damon Didier. Each candidate will pull a number to determine the order of speaking and seating throughout the debate. The candidates will be given a list of twelve questions to review during a thirty-minute period before the debate begins at 6PM. Each candidate will answer three questions posed by each panel member.

Radio station KAPB of Marksville will carry the debate live on their station at 97.7 FM. A webcast will also be carried at the freestateofAvoyelles.com