Week in Review: Whale Had a Family and Paddleboard Company Expands

The following is a round-up of headlines posted during the week of April 22.

1. Westhampton Beach Village Hires Contractor to Train New Clerk

At a meeting that was intended to be for executive session items only, the Village of Westhampton Beach opted to hire former village clerk Kathy McGinnis to oversee a transition when Clerk Rebecca Molinaro leaves for a postion in East Hampton Village on May 1.

2. Westhampton Beach High School Ranks 4th in Suffolk County

Westhampton Beach High School made the cut — it was recently ranked 401st out of 22,000 high schools nationally in the U.S. News and World Report high school rankings.

3. Reports Show Rough First Quarter for Hamptons Real Estate

First quarter activity in the Hamptons home sales market fell in 2013, according to three recently released reports citing rising capital gains taxes and lingering effects from Hurricane Sandy as reasons for the slump.

4. Mendelson: Supermarket Proposal 'Stymied Again'

Last Wednesday night, developer Andrew Mendelson was ready to participate in a discussion on the village's master plan, which would relate directly to his proposal to bring a new supermarket to Old Riverhead Road in Westhampton Beach. However, that discussion never happened.

5. Adventure Paddleboards Expands; Now Offering Sup Yoga

Adventure Paddleboards of Hampton Bays is gearing up for its second season and co-owner Cherryl Bradley said the company has a lot of new things to offer this year.

6. Free Prom Dresses For Hampton Bays Seniors

Hampton Bays High School seniors who plan to attend the prom this year, but might not have the money to buy a brand-new dress will be able to get one thanks to a new program at the Hampton Bays Library.

7. WATCH: Whale Shows 'Personality' in Open Ocean

Before Istar, a 30-ton, female humpback whale met her demise in East Quogue last week, she delighted whale watchers across the Atlantic Ocean.

8. Westhampton Beach Farmers Market Sets Opening Date

The popular Westhampton Beach Farmers Market is ready to open for the season, according to new market manager Barbara Riegger.

9. School Board Races Set for Area School Districts

The nominating petitions are officially in. Here you can find the names that will appear on the ballots during the May 21 school board elections.

10. Researchers: Dead Whale Was 'Fertility Goddess'

A 30-ton, 48-foot long female humpback whale that washed up in East Quogue last week was the mother of all whales. After some research, Kim Durham a senior biologist with the Riverhead Foundation, said researchers have learned that she has been tracked since the 1970s by the The Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies.

11. Trustees Restock Ponds With Trout Across Town

The Southampton Town Trustees, who oversee the town's waterways, conducted annual trout restocking in seven lakes and ponds Thursday.

12. PHOTOS: Top Ambulance Volunteers Honored at Ceremony

Members of the Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance Association, which responded to 1,187 calls in 2012, honored their own at an annual ceremony held on Friday night at Dockers in East Quogue.

13. PHOTOS: The Great East End Clean-Up

Over the weekend, numerous groups and organizations across the Town of Southampton participated in the annual Great East End Clean-up, among them Boy Scout Troop 483 from Hampton Bays and St. Rosalie's Church.