diff --git a/src/app.ts b/src/app.ts
index 82e083cc..2a36a83e 100644
--- a/src/app.ts
+++ b/src/app.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import '@/cron.ts';
 import {
   type Context,
   cors,
diff --git a/src/client.ts b/src/client.ts
index dd0efcc3..c3d7cd9a 100644
--- a/src/client.ts
+++ b/src/client.ts
@@ -1,32 +1,9 @@
-import { Conf } from '@/config.ts';
-import { type Event, type Filter, matchFilters, RelayPool, TTLCache } from '@/deps.ts';
+import { type Event, type Filter, matchFilters } from '@/deps.ts';
 import * as pipeline from '@/pipeline.ts';
-import { Time } from '@/utils.ts';
+import { allRelays, pool } from '@/pool.ts';
 
 import type { GetFiltersOpts } from '@/filter.ts';
 
-type Pool = InstanceType<typeof RelayPool>;
-
-/** HACK: Websockets in Deno are finnicky... get a new pool every 30 minutes. */
-const poolCache = new TTLCache<0, Pool>({
-  ttl: Time.minutes(30),
-  max: 2,
-  dispose: (pool) => {
-    console.log('Closing pool.');
-    pool.close();
-  },
-});
-
-function getPool(): Pool {
-  const cached = poolCache.get(0);
-  if (cached !== undefined) return cached;
-
-  console.log('Creating new pool.');
-  const pool = new RelayPool(Conf.poolRelays);
-  poolCache.set(0, pool);
-  return pool;
-}
-
 /** Get events from a NIP-01 filter. */
 function getFilters<K extends number>(filters: Filter<K>[], opts: GetFiltersOpts = {}): Promise<Event<K>[]> {
   if (!filters.length) return Promise.resolve([]);
@@ -34,9 +11,9 @@ function getFilters<K extends number>(filters: Filter<K>[], opts: GetFiltersOpts
     let tid: number;
     const results: Event[] = [];
 
-    const unsub = getPool().subscribe(
+    const unsub = pool.subscribe(
       filters,
-      Conf.poolRelays,
+      allRelays,
       (event: Event | null) => {
         if (event && matchFilters(filters, event)) {
           pipeline.handleEvent(event).catch(() => {});
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index e03ef8bc..dc870b16 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -58,14 +58,6 @@ const Conf = {
   get adminEmail() {
     return Deno.env.get('ADMIN_EMAIL') || 'webmaster@localhost';
   },
-  /** @deprecated Use relays from the database instead. */
-  get poolRelays() {
-    return (Deno.env.get('RELAY_POOL') || '').split(',').filter(Boolean);
-  },
-  /** @deprecated Publish only to the local relay unless users are mentioned, then try to also send to the relay of those users. Deletions should also be fanned out. */
-  get publishRelays() {
-    return ['wss://relay.mostr.pub'];
-  },
   /** Domain of the Ditto server as a `URL` object, for easily grabbing the `hostname`, etc. */
   get url() {
     return new URL(Conf.localDomain);
diff --git a/src/cron.ts b/src/cron.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a08fdf64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cron.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import * as eventsDB from '@/db/events.ts';
+import { cron } from '@/deps.ts';
+import { Time } from '@/utils/time.ts';
+
+/** Clean up old remote events. */
+async function cleanupEvents() {
+  console.log('Cleaning up old remote events...');
+
+  const [result] = await eventsDB.deleteFilters([{
+    until: Math.floor((Date.now() - Time.days(7)) / 1000),
+    local: false,
+  }]);
+
+  console.log(`Cleaned up ${result?.numDeletedRows ?? 0} old remote events.`);
+}
+
+await cleanupEvents();
+
+cron.every15Minute(cleanupEvents);
diff --git a/src/db.ts b/src/db.ts
index 2deca9a0..e371ac94 100644
--- a/src/db.ts
+++ b/src/db.ts
@@ -29,9 +29,7 @@ interface EventFTSRow {
 
 interface TagRow {
   tag: string;
-  value_1: string | null;
-  value_2: string | null;
-  value_3: string | null;
+  value: string;
   event_id: string;
 }
 
@@ -63,8 +61,26 @@ const migrator = new Migrator({
   }),
 });
 
-console.log('Running migrations...');
-const results = await migrator.migrateToLatest();
-console.log('Migrations finished:', results);
+/** Migrate the database to the latest version. */
+async function migrate() {
+  console.log('Running migrations...');
+  const results = await migrator.migrateToLatest();
+
+  if (results.error) {
+    console.error(results.error);
+    Deno.exit(1);
+  } else {
+    if (!results.results?.length) {
+      console.log('Everything up-to-date.');
+    } else {
+      console.log('Migrations finished!');
+      for (const { migrationName, status } of results.results) {
+        console.log(`  - ${migrationName}: ${status}`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+await migrate();
 
 export { db, type DittoDB, type EventRow, type TagRow, type UserRow };
diff --git a/src/db/events.test.ts b/src/db/events.test.ts
index 94a4e235..a9ab016d 100644
--- a/src/db/events.test.ts
+++ b/src/db/events.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 import event55920b75 from '~/fixtures/events/55920b75.json' assert { type: 'json' };
 import { assertEquals } from '@/deps-test.ts';
 
-import { getFilters, insertEvent } from './events.ts';
+import { countFilters, deleteFilters, getFilters, insertEvent } from './events.ts';
+import { insertUser } from '@/db/users.ts';
+
+Deno.test('count filters', async () => {
+  assertEquals(await countFilters([{ kinds: [1] }]), 0);
+  await insertEvent(event55920b75);
+  assertEquals(await countFilters([{ kinds: [1] }]), 1);
+});
 
 Deno.test('insert and filter events', async () => {
   await insertEvent(event55920b75);
@@ -15,3 +22,28 @@ Deno.test('insert and filter events', async () => {
     [event55920b75],
   );
 });
+
+Deno.test('delete events', async () => {
+  await insertEvent(event55920b75);
+  assertEquals(await getFilters([{ kinds: [1] }]), [event55920b75]);
+  await deleteFilters([{ kinds: [1] }]);
+  assertEquals(await getFilters([{ kinds: [1] }]), []);
+});
+
+Deno.test('query events with local filter', async () => {
+  await insertEvent(event55920b75);
+
+  assertEquals(await getFilters([{}]), [event55920b75]);
+  assertEquals(await getFilters([{ local: true }]), []);
+  assertEquals(await getFilters([{ local: false }]), [event55920b75]);
+
+  await insertUser({
+    username: 'alex',
+    pubkey: event55920b75.pubkey,
+    inserted_at: new Date(),
+    admin: 0,
+  });
+
+  assertEquals(await getFilters([{ local: true }]), [event55920b75]);
+  assertEquals(await getFilters([{ local: false }]), []);
+});
diff --git a/src/db/events.ts b/src/db/events.ts
index 1b30f5b3..b86e70d9 100644
--- a/src/db/events.ts
+++ b/src/db/events.ts
@@ -34,17 +34,14 @@ function insertEvent(event: Event): Promise<void> {
     }
 
     const tagCounts: Record<string, number> = {};
-    const tags = event.tags.reduce<Insertable<TagRow>[]>((results, tag) => {
-      const tagName = tag[0];
-      tagCounts[tagName] = (tagCounts[tagName] || 0) + 1;
+    const tags = event.tags.reduce<Insertable<TagRow>[]>((results, [name, value]) => {
+      tagCounts[name] = (tagCounts[name] || 0) + 1;
 
-      if (tagConditions[tagName]?.({ event, count: tagCounts[tagName] - 1 })) {
+      if (value && tagConditions[name]?.({ event, count: tagCounts[name] - 1 })) {
         results.push({
           event_id: event.id,
-          tag: tagName,
-          value_1: tag[1] || null,
-          value_2: tag[2] || null,
-          value_3: tag[3] || null,
+          tag: name,
+          value,
         });
       }
 
@@ -111,12 +108,14 @@ function getFilterQuery(filter: DittoFilter) {
       query = query
         .leftJoin('tags', 'tags.event_id', 'events.id')
         .where('tags.tag', '=', tag)
-        .where('tags.value_1', 'in', value) as typeof query;
+        .where('tags.value', 'in', value) as typeof query;
     }
   }
 
-  if (filter.local) {
-    query = query.innerJoin('users', 'users.pubkey', 'events.pubkey');
+  if (typeof filter.local === 'boolean') {
+    query = filter.local
+      ? query.innerJoin('users', 'users.pubkey', 'events.pubkey') as typeof query
+      : query.leftJoin('users', 'users.pubkey', 'events.pubkey').where('users.pubkey', 'is', null) as typeof query;
   }
 
   if (filter.search) {
@@ -128,13 +127,20 @@ function getFilterQuery(filter: DittoFilter) {
   return query;
 }
 
+/** Combine filter queries into a single union query. */
+function getFiltersQuery(filters: DittoFilter[]) {
+  return filters
+    .map(getFilterQuery)
+    .reduce((result, query) => result.union(query));
+}
+
 /** Get events for filters from the database. */
 async function getFilters<K extends number>(
   filters: DittoFilter<K>[],
   opts: GetFiltersOpts = {},
 ): Promise<Event<K>[]> {
   if (!filters.length) return Promise.resolve([]);
-  let query = filters.map(getFilterQuery).reduce((acc, curr) => acc.union(curr));
+  let query = getFiltersQuery(filters);
 
   if (typeof opts.limit === 'number') {
     query = query.limit(opts.limit);
@@ -145,10 +151,27 @@ async function getFilters<K extends number>(
   ));
 }
 
+/** Delete events based on filters from the database. */
+function deleteFilters<K extends number>(filters: DittoFilter<K>[]) {
+  if (!filters.length) return Promise.resolve([]);
+
+  return db.transaction().execute(async (trx) => {
+    const query = getFiltersQuery(filters).clearSelect().select('id');
+
+    await trx.deleteFrom('events_fts')
+      .where('id', 'in', () => query)
+      .execute();
+
+    return trx.deleteFrom('events')
+      .where('id', 'in', () => query)
+      .execute();
+  });
+}
+
 /** Get number of events that would be returned by filters. */
 async function countFilters<K extends number>(filters: DittoFilter<K>[]): Promise<number> {
   if (!filters.length) return Promise.resolve(0);
-  const query = filters.map(getFilterQuery).reduce((acc, curr) => acc.union(curr));
+  const query = getFiltersQuery(filters);
 
   const [{ count }] = await query
     .clearSelect()
@@ -176,4 +199,4 @@ function buildUserSearchContent(event: Event<0>): string {
   return [name, nip05, about].filter(Boolean).join('\n');
 }
 
-export { countFilters, getFilters, insertEvent };
+export { countFilters, deleteFilters, getFilters, insertEvent };
diff --git a/src/db/migrations/003_events_admin.ts b/src/db/migrations/003_events_admin.ts
index 9183322c..e481a59a 100644
--- a/src/db/migrations/003_events_admin.ts
+++ b/src/db/migrations/003_events_admin.ts
@@ -8,5 +8,5 @@ export async function up(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 export async function down(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
-  await db.schema.dropTable('relays').execute();
+  await db.schema.alterTable('users').dropColumn('admin').execute();
 }
diff --git a/src/db/migrations/004_add_user_indexes.ts b/src/db/migrations/004_add_user_indexes.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e77693b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db/migrations/004_add_user_indexes.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import { Kysely } from '@/deps.ts';
+
+export async function up(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
+  await db.schema
+    .createIndex('idx_users_pubkey')
+    .on('users')
+    .column('pubkey')
+    .execute();
+
+  await db.schema
+    .createIndex('idx_users_username')
+    .on('users')
+    .column('username')
+    .execute();
+}
+
+export async function down(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
+  await db.schema.dropIndex('idx_users_pubkey').execute();
+  await db.schema.dropIndex('idx_users_username').execute();
+}
diff --git a/src/db/migrations/005_rework_tags.ts b/src/db/migrations/005_rework_tags.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f2746701
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db/migrations/005_rework_tags.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import { Kysely, sql } from '@/deps.ts';
+
+export async function up(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
+  await db.schema
+    .createTable('tags_new')
+    .addColumn('tag', 'text', (col) => col.notNull())
+    .addColumn('value', 'text', (col) => col.notNull())
+    .addColumn('event_id', 'text', (col) => col.references('events.id').onDelete('cascade'))
+    .execute();
+
+  await sql`
+    INSERT INTO tags_new (tag, value, event_id)
+    SELECT tag, value_1 as value, event_id
+    FROM tags
+    WHERE value_1 IS NOT NULL
+  `.execute(db);
+
+  await db.schema
+    .dropTable('tags')
+    .execute();
+
+  await db.schema
+    .alterTable('tags_new')
+    .renameTo('tags').execute();
+
+  await db.schema
+    .createIndex('idx_tags_tag')
+    .on('tags')
+    .column('tag')
+    .execute();
+
+  await db.schema
+    .createIndex('idx_tags_value')
+    .on('tags')
+    .column('value')
+    .execute();
+
+  await db.schema
+    .createIndex('idx_tags_event_id')
+    .on('tags')
+    .column('event_id')
+    .execute();
+}
+
+export async function down(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
+  await db.schema.dropTable('tags').execute();
+
+  await db.schema
+    .createTable('tags')
+    .addColumn('tag', 'text', (col) => col.notNull())
+    .addColumn('value_1', 'text')
+    .addColumn('value_2', 'text')
+    .addColumn('value_3', 'text')
+    .addColumn('event_id', 'text', (col) => col.notNull())
+    .execute();
+
+  await db.schema
+    .createIndex('idx_tags_tag')
+    .on('tags')
+    .column('tag')
+    .execute();
+
+  await db.schema
+    .createIndex('idx_tags_value_1')
+    .on('tags')
+    .column('value_1')
+    .execute();
+}
diff --git a/src/db/migrations/006_pragma.ts b/src/db/migrations/006_pragma.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e9dbad15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/db/migrations/006_pragma.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { Kysely, sql } from '@/deps.ts';
+
+export async function up(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
+  await sql`PRAGMA foreign_keys = ON`.execute(db);
+  await sql`PRAGMA auto_vacuum = FULL`.execute(db);
+  await sql`VACUUM`.execute(db);
+}
+
+export async function down(db: Kysely<any>): Promise<void> {
+  await sql`PRAGMA foreign_keys = OFF`.execute(db);
+  await sql`PRAGMA auto_vacuum = NONE`.execute(db);
+}
diff --git a/src/db/relays.ts b/src/db/relays.ts
index d6f99c38..d41948f2 100644
--- a/src/db/relays.ts
+++ b/src/db/relays.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ function addRelays(relays: `wss://${string}`[]) {
   if (!relays.length) return Promise.resolve();
 
   const values = relays.map((url) => ({
-    url,
+    url: new URL(url).toString(),
     domain: tldts.getDomain(url)!,
     active: true,
   }));
diff --git a/src/deps.ts b/src/deps.ts
index b26bd8f4..f4efc62c 100644
--- a/src/deps.ts
+++ b/src/deps.ts
@@ -65,5 +65,6 @@ export {
 } from 'npm:kysely@^0.25.0';
 export { DenoSqliteDialect } from 'https://gitlab.com/soapbox-pub/kysely-deno-sqlite/-/raw/v1.0.1/mod.ts';
 export { default as tldts } from 'npm:tldts@^6.0.14';
+export * as cron from 'https://deno.land/x/deno_cron@v1.0.0/cron.ts';
 
 export type * as TypeFest from 'npm:type-fest@^4.3.0';
diff --git a/src/firehose.ts b/src/firehose.ts
index b6d7ad4d..a510d656 100644
--- a/src/firehose.ts
+++ b/src/firehose.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,15 @@
-import { getActiveRelays } from '@/db/relays.ts';
-import { type Event, RelayPool } from '@/deps.ts';
+import { type Event } from '@/deps.ts';
+import { allRelays, pool } from '@/pool.ts';
 import { nostrNow } from '@/utils.ts';
 
 import * as pipeline from './pipeline.ts';
 
-const relays = await getActiveRelays();
-const pool = new RelayPool(relays);
-
 // This file watches events on all known relays and performs
 // side-effects based on them, such as trending hashtag tracking
 // and storing events for notifications and the home feed.
 pool.subscribe(
   [{ kinds: [0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10002], limit: 0, since: nostrNow() }],
-  relays,
+  allRelays,
   handleEvent,
   undefined,
   undefined,
diff --git a/src/pipeline.ts b/src/pipeline.ts
index 573dafbf..38e32141 100644
--- a/src/pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/pipeline.ts
@@ -4,10 +4,13 @@ import { addRelays } from '@/db/relays.ts';
 import { findUser } from '@/db/users.ts';
 import { type Event, LRUCache } from '@/deps.ts';
 import { isEphemeralKind } from '@/kinds.ts';
+import * as mixer from '@/mixer.ts';
+import { publish } from '@/pool.ts';
 import { isLocallyFollowed } from '@/queries.ts';
 import { Sub } from '@/subs.ts';
+import { getTagSet } from '@/tags.ts';
 import { trends } from '@/trends.ts';
-import { isRelay, nostrDate, nostrNow, Time } from '@/utils.ts';
+import { eventAge, isRelay, nostrDate, Time } from '@/utils.ts';
 
 import type { EventData } from '@/types.ts';
 
@@ -21,9 +24,11 @@ async function handleEvent(event: Event): Promise<void> {
 
   await Promise.all([
     storeEvent(event, data),
+    processDeletions(event),
     trackRelays(event),
     trackHashtags(event),
     streamOut(event, data),
+    broadcast(event, data),
   ]);
 }
 
@@ -49,16 +54,39 @@ const isAdminEvent = ({ pubkey }: Event): boolean => pubkey === Conf.pubkey;
 /** Maybe store the event, if eligible. */
 async function storeEvent(event: Event, data: EventData): Promise<void> {
   if (isEphemeralKind(event.kind)) return;
+
   if (data.user || isAdminEvent(event) || await isLocallyFollowed(event.pubkey)) {
-    await eventsDB.insertEvent(event).catch(console.warn);
+    const [deletion] = await mixer.getFilters(
+      [{ kinds: [5], authors: [event.pubkey], '#e': [event.id], limit: 1 }],
+      { limit: 1, timeout: Time.seconds(1) },
+    );
+
+    if (deletion) {
+      return Promise.reject(new RelayError('blocked', 'event was deleted'));
+    } else {
+      await eventsDB.insertEvent(event).catch(console.warn);
+    }
   } else {
     return Promise.reject(new RelayError('blocked', 'only registered users can post'));
   }
 }
 
+/** Query to-be-deleted events, ensure their pubkey matches, then delete them from the database. */
+async function processDeletions(event: Event): Promise<void> {
+  if (event.kind === 5) {
+    const ids = getTagSet(event.tags, 'e');
+    const events = await eventsDB.getFilters([{ ids: [...ids] }]);
+
+    const deleteIds = events
+      .filter(({ pubkey, id }) => pubkey === event.pubkey && ids.has(id))
+      .map((event) => event.id);
+
+    await eventsDB.deleteFilters([{ ids: deleteIds }]);
+  }
+}
+
 /** Track whenever a hashtag is used, for processing trending tags. */
-// deno-lint-ignore require-await
-async function trackHashtags(event: Event): Promise<void> {
+function trackHashtags(event: Event): void {
   const date = nostrDate(event.created_at);
 
   const tags = event.tags
@@ -93,7 +121,7 @@ function trackRelays(event: Event) {
 }
 
 /** Determine if the event is being received in a timely manner. */
-const isFresh = ({ created_at }: Event): boolean => created_at >= nostrNow() - Time.seconds(10);
+const isFresh = (event: Event): boolean => eventAge(event) < Time.seconds(10);
 
 /** Distribute the event through active subscriptions. */
 function streamOut(event: Event, data: EventData) {
@@ -104,6 +132,18 @@ function streamOut(event: Event, data: EventData) {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Publish the event to other relays.
+ * This should only be done in certain circumstances, like mentioning a user or publishing deletions.
+ */
+function broadcast(event: Event, data: EventData) {
+  if (!data.user || !isFresh(event)) return;
+
+  if (event.kind === 5) {
+    publish(event);
+  }
+}
+
 /** NIP-20 command line result. */
 class RelayError extends Error {
   constructor(prefix: 'duplicate' | 'pow' | 'blocked' | 'rate-limited' | 'invalid' | 'error', message: string) {
diff --git a/src/pool.ts b/src/pool.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5b5eea7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pool.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { getActiveRelays } from '@/db/relays.ts';
+import { type Event, RelayPool } from '@/deps.ts';
+
+const allRelays = await getActiveRelays();
+const pool = new RelayPool(allRelays);
+
+/** Publish an event to the given relays, or the entire pool. */
+function publish(event: Event, relays: string[] = allRelays) {
+  return pool.publish(event, relays);
+}
+
+export { allRelays, pool, publish };
diff --git a/src/tags.ts b/src/tags.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98efc7d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tags.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/** Get the values for a tag in a `Set`. */
+function getTagSet(tags: string[][], tagName: string): Set<string> {
+  const set = new Set<string>();
+
+  tags.forEach((tag) => {
+    if (tag[0] === tagName) {
+      set.add(tag[1]);
+    }
+  });
+
+  return set;
+}
+
+export { getTagSet };