Five Things To Know Today: July 31

Weather: Expect mostly cloudy skies today with high temperatures hitting 77 degrees. As night falls, there will be a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

1. Calling Junior Explorers! The Nature Conservancy in Rhode Island invites children ages 6 - 8 to investigate nature through games, crafts, and exploration. Be ready to find live animals and use real scientific tools! Meet at the Environmental Center. Adult accompaniment is required. The center is located at , 140 South Shore Road, Little Compton.

Registration by phone or email is highly recommended.

Cost: Free

2. Help for Seniors: Insurance, Benefits. Seniors can get help with health insurance, supplemental insurance, Medicare Advantage plans and oher medical or food assistance programs at the on Conanicus Street.  You must call the center to make an appointment with Janet Holmes, who is there every Tuesday morning.

Cost: Free

3. Are you a political candidate in the upcoming election? Tiverton-Little Compton Patch is doing profiles of every candidate running for public office in the two towns. Contact Editor Erin Tiernan at erin.tiernan@patch.com to get started.

4. Don't forget to cast your vote. The Readers Choice voting continues through Aug. 17. Don't miss the chance to show just how much there is to celebrate about our town: great family-friendly activities and great local businesses.

5. Happy Birthday Harry Potter... the fictitious hero of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry shares his birthday with the author who penned him into existance:

On this day in 1965, Joanne Rowling, better known the world over as J.K. Rowling, the author and creator of the celebrated Harry Potter book series, is born near Bristol, England. Beginning in the late 1990s, Rowling’s seven Harry Potter novels became international blockbusters, selling over 400 million copies and being translated into more than 60 languages. The books also spawned a series of movies, video games and other merchandise that made Rowling one of the wealthiest people in the entertainment industry.