diff --git a/gittensor/constants.py b/gittensor/constants.py
index 9572ee9..fcb28b5 100644
--- a/gittensor/constants.py
+++ b/gittensor/constants.py
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 SECONDS_PER_DAY = 86400
 SECONDS_PER_HOUR = 3600
 
+# =============================================================================
+# PR Scoring & Lookback Windows
+# =============================================================================
+MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS = 30  # how many days a merged pr will count for scoring
+
 # =============================================================================
 # Temp Vars
 # =============================================================================
diff --git a/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py b/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py
index b8a8dd4..4aeaecc 100644
--- a/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py
+++ b/gittensor/utils/github_api_tools.py
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@
 from gittensor.constants import (
     BASE_GITHUB_API_URL,
     MERGE_SUCCESS_RATIO_APPLICATION_DATE,
+    MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS,
 )
-from gittensor.validator.utils.config import MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS
+from gittensor.validator.utils.datetime_utils import CHICAGO_TZ
 
 # core github graphql query
 QUERY = """
@@ -97,10 +98,10 @@
 
 def normalize_repo_name(repo_name: str) -> str:
     """Normalize repository name to lowercase for case-insensitive comparison.
-    
+
     Args:
         repo_name (str): Repository name in format 'owner/repo'
-    
+
     Returns:
         str: Lowercase repository name
     """
@@ -180,9 +181,7 @@ def get_github_user(token: str) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
                 time.sleep(2)
 
         except Exception as e:
-            bt.logging.warning(
-                f"Could not fetch GitHub user (attempt {attempt + 1}/6): {e}"
-            )
+            bt.logging.warning(f"Could not fetch GitHub user (attempt {attempt + 1}/6): {e}")
             if attempt < 5:  # Don't sleep on last attempt
                 time.sleep(2)
 
@@ -242,8 +241,8 @@ def get_github_account_age_days(token: str) -> Optional[int]:
         return None
 
     try:
-        created_dt = datetime.fromisoformat(created_at.rstrip("Z")).replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
-        now_dt = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+        created_dt = datetime.fromisoformat(created_at.rstrip("Z")).replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc).astimezone(CHICAGO_TZ)
+        now_dt = datetime.now(CHICAGO_TZ)
         return (now_dt - created_dt).days
     except Exception as e:
         bt.logging.warning(f"Could not parse GitHub account creation date: {e}")
@@ -372,7 +371,13 @@ def _process_non_merged_pr(
     # Handle CLOSED (not merged) PRs - count if within lookback period
     if pr_state == 'CLOSED' and not pr_raw['mergedAt']:
         if pr_raw.get('closedAt'):
-            closed_dt = datetime.fromisoformat(pr_raw['closedAt'].rstrip("Z")).replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+            from gittensor.validator.utils.datetime_utils import CHICAGO_TZ
+
+            closed_dt = (
+                datetime.fromisoformat(pr_raw['closedAt'].rstrip("Z"))
+                .replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+                .astimezone(CHICAGO_TZ)
+            )
             if (
                 normalized_repo in active_repositories
                 and closed_dt >= date_filter
@@ -408,7 +413,7 @@ def _should_skip_merged_pr(
     normalized_repo = normalize_repo_name(repository_full_name)
     if normalized_repo not in master_repositories:
         return (True, f"Skipping PR #{pr_raw['number']} in {repository_full_name} - ineligible repo")
-    
+
     repo_key = normalized_repo
 
     # Filter by lookback window
@@ -482,7 +487,11 @@ def _should_skip_merged_pr(
     repo_metadata = master_repositories[repo_key]
     inactive_at = repo_metadata.get("inactiveAt")
     if inactive_at is not None:
-        inactive_dt = datetime.fromisoformat(inactive_at.rstrip("Z")).replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+        from gittensor.validator.utils.datetime_utils import CHICAGO_TZ
+
+        inactive_dt = (
+            datetime.fromisoformat(inactive_at.rstrip("Z")).replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc).astimezone(CHICAGO_TZ)
+        )
         # Skip PR if it was merged at or after the repo became inactive
         if merged_dt >= inactive_dt:
             return (
@@ -521,7 +530,7 @@ def get_user_merged_prs_graphql(
         return PRCountResult(valid_prs=[], open_pr_count=0, merged_pr_count=0, closed_pr_count=0)
 
     # Calculate date filter
-    date_filter = datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timedelta(days=MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS)
+    date_filter = datetime.now(CHICAGO_TZ) - timedelta(days=MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS)
 
     # Convert numeric user ID to GraphQL global node ID
     global_user_id = base64.b64encode(f"04:User{user_id}".encode()).decode()
diff --git a/gittensor/validator/evaluation/reward.py b/gittensor/validator/evaluation/reward.py
index 6c39afe..c8300da 100644
--- a/gittensor/validator/evaluation/reward.py
+++ b/gittensor/validator/evaluation/reward.py
@@ -130,9 +130,6 @@ async def get_rewards(
     # Apply all multipliers and calculate final scores
     apply_cross_miner_multipliers_and_finalize(miner_evaluations)
 
-    # store all miner evaluations after adjusting score
-    await self.bulk_store_evaluation(miner_evaluations)
-
     # Normalize the rewards between [0,1]
     normalized_rewards = normalize_rewards_linear(miner_evaluations)
 
diff --git a/gittensor/validator/utils/config.py b/gittensor/validator/utils/config.py
index e38cae3..7d2af43 100644
--- a/gittensor/validator/utils/config.py
+++ b/gittensor/validator/utils/config.py
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@
 
 import bittensor as bt
 
+# from gittensor.constants import MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS
+
 # NOTE: bump this number when we make new updates
 __version__ = "2.0.7"
 
 
 VALIDATOR_WAIT = 60  # 60 seconds
 VALIDATOR_STEPS_INTERVAL = 120  # 2 hours, every time a scoring round happens
-MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS = 30  # how many days a merged pr will count for scoring
 
 # required env vars
 WANDB_API_KEY = os.getenv('WANDB_API_KEY')
@@ -17,5 +18,5 @@
 # log values
 bt.logging.info(f"VALIDATOR_WAIT: {VALIDATOR_WAIT}")
 bt.logging.info(f"VALIDATOR_STEPS_INTERVAL: {VALIDATOR_STEPS_INTERVAL}")
-bt.logging.info(f"MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS: {MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS}")
+# bt.logging.info(f"MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS: {MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS}")
 bt.logging.info(f"WANDB_PROJECT: {WANDB_PROJECT}")
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_github_api_tools.py b/tests/utils/test_github_api_tools.py
index 06b3768..8475dc2 100644
--- a/tests/utils/test_github_api_tools.py
+++ b/tests/utils/test_github_api_tools.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 sys.modules['gittensor.validator'] = Mock()
 sys.modules['gittensor.validator.utils'] = Mock()
 sys.modules['gittensor.validator.utils.config'] = Mock()
-sys.modules['gittensor.validator.utils.config'].MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS = 30
 
 from gittensor.utils.github_api_tools import (
     get_user_merged_prs_graphql,
diff --git a/tests/validator/test_handle_exceptions.py b/tests/validator/test_handle_exceptions.py
index 9757727..0fefbeb 100644
--- a/tests/validator/test_handle_exceptions.py
+++ b/tests/validator/test_handle_exceptions.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 sys.modules["gittensor.validator"] = Mock()
 sys.modules["gittensor.validator.utils"] = Mock()
 sys.modules["gittensor.validator.utils.config"] = Mock()
-sys.modules["gittensor.validator.utils.config"].MERGED_PR_LOOKBACK_DAYS = 30
 sys.modules["gittensor.validator.utils.config"].WANDB_PROJECT = "gittensor-validators"
 sys.modules["gittensor.validator.utils.config"].__version__ = "2.0.5"
 sys.modules["gittensor.validator.utils.storage"] = Mock()
diff --git a/tests/validator/test_timezone_consistency.py b/tests/validator/test_timezone_consistency.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffcacd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/validator/test_timezone_consistency.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import unittest
+from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+from gittensor.validator.evaluation.scoring import calculate_time_decay_multiplier
+from gittensor.classes import PullRequest
+from gittensor.validator.utils.datetime_utils import CHICAGO_TZ, parse_github_timestamp
+
+
+class TestTimezoneConsistency(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_calculate_time_decay_multiplier_chicago(self):
+        # Create a mock PR with merged_at in Chicago timezone
+        merged_at = datetime.now(CHICAGO_TZ) - timedelta(hours=10)
+        pr = MagicMock(spec=PullRequest)
+        pr.merged_at = merged_at
+
+        # Calculate multiplier
+        multiplier = calculate_time_decay_multiplier(pr)
+
+        # We expect some decay after 10 hours (grace period is 4 hours)
+        self.assertLess(multiplier, 1.0)
+        self.assertGreater(multiplier, 0.0)
+
+    def test_parse_github_timestamp_returns_chicago(self):
+        timestamp_str = "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
+        dt = parse_github_timestamp(timestamp_str)
+
+        # Check if it's Chicago
+        # pytz timezones can be tricky to compare directly with == due to dst,
+        # but checking the zone name or using .zone attribute works.
+        self.assertEqual(dt.tzinfo.zone, CHICAGO_TZ.zone)
+
+        # 10:30 UTC is 04:30 Chicago (CST, UTC-6) in January
+        self.assertEqual(dt.year, 2024)
+        self.assertEqual(dt.month, 1)
+        self.assertEqual(dt.day, 15)
+        self.assertEqual(dt.hour, 4)
+        self.assertEqual(dt.minute, 30)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main()