5 Things To Know Today: May 4

Stories And Games: Mohr Library hosts a story time for 3- to 5-year-olds at 10:30 a.m., and games (including video, card, and dice varieties) from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. for middle and high schoolers.

Steps And Twirls: The senior center opens its dining room at 1 p.m. today for ballroom dancing. And who knows? !

Handshakes And Greetings: Tonight at 7 at Ribs & Company in Atwood Avenue, the Johnston Lions Club is scheduled to hold its monthly meeting. New members welcome; check out their website at www.johnstonri.org for more information.

Speeches And Celebration: Today beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the Rhode Island State House, state officials and educators representing charter schools will host the 5th Annual Charter Public School Showcase in celebration of May 4 as Rhode Island Charter Public School Day.

Pride And Leadership: You may also want to drop by the State House today to commemorate an important day in our state's history — on this date in 1776, Rhode Island became the first American colony to declare independence from Britain. We were the last of the 13 colonies to ratify the Constitution; Do you know why? Answer appears below. (from timeanddate.com)

A.: Among the reasons listed by the Rhode Island General Assembly's history page for Rhode Island withholding its ratification vote until May 29, 1790 are: insistence that the Bill of Rights be included in the Constitution; Quaker-led disagreement with slavery and the "impled assent" written into the Constitution at the time; newspaper editorials calling for ratification; and investors hoping to have their securities backed by a strong government.