Cupcakes and civil rights come together in Carrboro this Saturday, when Mayor Lydia Lavelle will legally wed her long-time partner Alicia Stemper.
“Alicia and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary, but little did we dream two weeks ago that soon we’d be able to make it absolutely legal,” says Lavelle.
The couple was the first in line for a marriage license at the Orange County Register of Deeds office on the morning of October 13, after a court ruling struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.
However, the two have been together for more than a decade and Lavelle says they’ve considered themselves married for quite some time now.
“We kind of look at it as renewing our vows,” says Lavelle. “We did have what we consider our wedding a little over 10 years ago. But we decided we wanted to share our re-commitment to each other with the Town of Carrboro and do it at Carrboro Town Commons.”
Now they’ll officially tie the knot and celebrate in true Carrboro style.
“All friends and community members who want to support us are welcome,” says Lavelle. “It’s going to be a short but sweet ceremony. We’re going to redo what we did before, then after that we’ll be there to shake hands and give everyone cupcakes for attending.”
The ceremony begins at 5 o’clock on Saturday at Carrboro Town Commons.
Related Stories
‹

Carrboro Man, Chatham County Schools Staffer Arrested on Child Exploitation ChargesChristopher James Rex, 40, faces ten counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor following an SBI investigation.

Extraordinary Thrift Store In Carrboro Sets February Opening DateExtraordinary Thrift Store in Carrboro, formerly CommunityWorx Thrift Store, announced it will open to the public on Friday, Feb. 27.

Carrboro's E. Weaver Street to Close to Vehicles Every Weekend in April, Temporary Bike-Ped PlazaStarting in April, Carrboro’s East Weaver Street will be closed to vehicles every weekend — the town's next step in reimagining East Weaver.

Local Government Meetings: February 9-13, 2025This week in local government: residents in Chatham County push back against Flock license-plate cameras and AI data centers.
![]()
Carrboro: Comprehensive Plan, Black History, Refreshed WebsiteCarrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, February 6, discussing town news and events. She talked about the recent meeting of the town council, which saw an update on the town's comprehensive plan. She also talked about the council directing town staff to see if there are more support options for unhoused residents. She discussed some of the town's numerous Black History Month events, talked about the recently refreshed town website, and more.

Local Government Meetings: February 2-6, 2026This week in local government: Durham considers the RTP's long-term development plans, and Carrboro gets an update on its comprehensive plan.
![]()
Carrboro: Storm Response, Carrboro Works, Weaver Street ReimaginedCarrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, January 30, discussing town news and events. She talked about the previous weekend's winter storm, the upcoming weekend's winter storm, and Carrboro Works superior performance through the storm in spite of still not having a home after this summer's flooding. She also discussed a proposed upcoming pilot to "Reimagining East Weaver Street," which would see the block closed to vehicle traffic on weekends for a six month period, and more.

Carrboro Man Arrested For String of Briar Chapel Vehicle Thefts, Break-InsThe Chatham County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a Carrboro man believed to be responsible for a string of vehicle break-ins and thefts in the Briar Chapel neighborhood. Kevin Hernandez Sierra, an 18-year-old Carrboro resident, has been charged with 11 felonies and three misdemeanors, ranging from felony breaking and entering to a motor vehicle […]
![]()
Carrboro Film Fest Rescheduled for February 27 — March 1, 2026 Due to Winter StormCarrboro Film Fest has rescheduled their 20th festival to take place a month later than normally scheduled, due to hazardous weather conditions.

Orange County Communities to Observe Martin Luther King Day Jan. 19. Here's How it Affects Services.The observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 19 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect this year: Town of Chapel Hill Most town offices will be closed Monday. Residential trash normally collected Monday will be collected Wednesday, Jan. 21. Curbside recycling collection will […]
›