diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index 430552b70..2db90646c 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -14,13 +14,11 @@
   "description": "",
   "dependencies": {
     "collections": "^5.1.13",
-    "express": "^4.21.1",
     "firebase-admin": "^12.7.0",
     "geofire-common": "^6.0.0",
     "socket.io": "^4.8.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "@types/express": "^5.0.0",
     "@types/jest": "^29.5.11",
     "@babel/preset-env": "^7.23.8",
     "@babel/preset-typescript": "^7.23.3",
@@ -32,4 +30,4 @@
       ".js"
     ]
   }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/src/index.ts b/server/src/index.ts
index d3215e501..46149f66d 100644
--- a/server/src/index.ts
+++ b/server/src/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-import { startRESTServer } from "./rest_server/rest_server"
 import { startSocketServer } from "./socket_server/socket_server"
 
-// Unsure if REST server is even necessary for MVP; auth, managing database can be done on client with https://rnfirebase.io/
-//startRESTServer();
 startSocketServer();
diff --git a/server/src/rest_server/rest_server.ts b/server/src/rest_server/rest_server.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index fde871c85..000000000
--- a/server/src/rest_server/rest_server.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-import express from "express";
-import usersRouter from "./routes/users/users";
-
-export const startRESTServer = () => {
-    const port = Number(process.env.express_port) ?? 8081;
-
-    const app = express();
-    app.use(express.json());
-    app.use(express.urlencoded({extended: true}));
-
-    // TODO: ensure authorized
-
-    const router = express.Router();
-    
-    router.all("/", (req, res) => {
-        res.send("Echologator API")
-        res.status(200);
-    });
-
-    router.all("*", (req, res) => {
-        res.send("Path or method could not be found!");
-        res.status(404);
-    });
-
-    // === REST APIs ===
-
-    // PATH:    /users
-    //   post   - creates a new user
-    //   put    - updates an existing user
-    //   delete - deletes a user
-    //   get    - returns a user's public info
-    router.use(usersRouter);
-
-    //
-
-    app.use(router);
-    app.listen(port, () => {
-        return console.log(
-            `[EXP] Listening for requests at http://127.0.0.1:${port}.`
-        );
-    });
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/src/rest_server/routes/users/post_create.ts b/server/src/rest_server/routes/users/post_create.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index ada6946f6..000000000
--- a/server/src/rest_server/routes/users/post_create.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-import usersRouter from "./users";
-
-usersRouter.post("/users", async (req, res) => {
-    
-});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/src/rest_server/routes/users/users.ts b/server/src/rest_server/routes/users/users.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index c5da59eef..000000000
--- a/server/src/rest_server/routes/users/users.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-import express from "express";
-
-const usersRouter = express.Router();
-
-export default usersRouter;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/src/socket_server/firebase_methods.ts b/server/src/socket_server/firebase_methods.ts
index 279b41d89..7463fd3ce 100644
--- a/server/src/socket_server/firebase_methods.ts
+++ b/server/src/socket_server/firebase_methods.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ export const ensureUserAuthorized = async (token: any): Promise<[uid: string | u
 }
 
 export const getUserProfile = async (uid: string): Promise<firebase.firestore.DocumentData | undefined> => {
+    return {
+        displayName: "Test Display Name",
+        profilePicture: 12,
+    }
     const userProfileSnapshot = await firebase.firestore().collection('users').doc(uid).get();
     return userProfileSnapshot.data();
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/src/socket_server/methods/send_message.ts b/server/src/socket_server/methods/send_message.ts
index 6defbb3a6..65e5e1755 100644
--- a/server/src/socket_server/methods/send_message.ts
+++ b/server/src/socket_server/methods/send_message.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,13 @@ import { ConnectionContext } from "../socket_server";
 
 // Called when client sends a message
 export const sendMessage = (ctx: ConnectionContext, message: Message, ack: any): void => {
+    if (message.location === undefined) {
+        message.location = ctx.user.location;
+    }
+
     const recipients = getActiveUsersInView(message.location);
     for (const recipient of recipients) {
+        if (recipient.uid == ctx.user.uid) continue; // skip sender
         recipient.socket.emit("message", message);
     }
 
diff --git a/server/src/socket_server/regions.ts b/server/src/socket_server/regions.ts
index 2d1973242..be2c7b420 100644
--- a/server/src/socket_server/regions.ts
+++ b/server/src/socket_server/regions.ts
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ export const viewDistanceMeters = 100;
 var regions = new SortedSet(
     null,
     function keysEqual(a: { key: any; }, b: { key: any; }) {
-        return a.key === b.key;
+        return b.key === a.key;
     },
     function compareKeys(a: { key: string; }, b: { key: any; }) {
-        return a.key.localeCompare(b.key);
+        return b.key.localeCompare(a.key);
     }
 );
 
@@ -27,13 +27,18 @@ export const initRegions = () => {
 export const setActiveUserRegion = (activeUser: ActiveUser, oldLocation: Location | undefined, newLocation: Location): void => {
     if (oldLocation !== undefined) {
         // Remove user from previous geohash
-        delete regions[oldLocation.geohash][activeUser.uid];
+        delete regions.get({ key: oldLocation.geohash, value: undefined }).value[activeUser.uid];
     }
-    regions[newLocation.geohash][activeUser.uid] = activeUser;
+    if (!regions.has({ key: newLocation.geohash, value: undefined })) {
+        regions.push({ key: newLocation.geohash, value: {} })
+    }
+    regions.get({ key: newLocation.geohash, value: undefined }).value[activeUser.uid] = activeUser;
 };
 
 export const removeActiveUser = (activeUser: ActiveUser): void => {
-    delete regions[activeUser.location.geohash][activeUser.uid];
+    if (activeUser.location.geohash == "") return; // User never sent an updateLocation message so they are not in the regions map
+    //if (!regions.has({ key: activeUser.location.geohash, value: undefined })) return;
+    delete regions.get({ key: activeUser.location.geohash, value: undefined }).value[activeUser.uid];
 }
 
 export const getActiveUsersInView = function* (location: Location): Generator<ActiveUser, any, any> {
@@ -46,14 +51,20 @@ export const getActiveUsersInView = function* (location: Location): Generator<Ac
     // For each geohash range, yield all active users contained in the regions
     for (var geohashRange of geohashRanges) {
         const leftBoundGeohash = geohashRange[0];
-        const rightBoundGeohash = geohashRange[0];
+        const rightBoundGeohash = geohashRange[1];
 
         // Find bottom bound for geohashes that are actual in the map
-        var geohash = regions.findLeastGreaterThanOrEqual({key: leftBoundGeohash, value: undefined});
-        var index = regions.indexOf(geohash);
+        var node = regions.findLeastGreaterThanOrEqual({ key: leftBoundGeohash, value: undefined });
+        if (node === undefined) continue;
+
+        var index = node.index;
+        var geohash = node.value.key;
+
+        if (geohash > rightBoundGeohash) continue;
 
+        regions.splayIndex(index);
         while (geohash <= rightBoundGeohash) {
-            const activeUsers = regions[index].value;
+            const activeUsers = Object.values<any>(regions.root.value.value);
             for (const activeUser of activeUsers) {
                 // Run distance check to ensure users are actually in view, since geofire output is liberal
                 if (isWithinRadiusMeters(location, activeUser.location, viewDistanceMeters)) {
@@ -62,7 +73,8 @@ export const getActiveUsersInView = function* (location: Location): Generator<Ac
             }
 
             if (index + 1 >= regions.length) break;
-            geohash = regions[++index];
+            regions.splayIndex(++index);
+            geohash = regions.root.value.key;
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/src/socket_server/socket_server.ts b/server/src/socket_server/socket_server.ts
index 8c1ad1413..fce229935 100644
--- a/server/src/socket_server/socket_server.ts
+++ b/server/src/socket_server/socket_server.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import http from "http"
 import io from "socket.io";
 
 import { ActiveUser } from "../types";
-import firebase from "firebase-admin";
 import * as methods from "./methods";
 import { initRegions, removeActiveUser } from "./regions";
 import { ensureUserAuthorized, getUserProfile } from "./firebase_methods";
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@ export interface ConnectionContext {
 export const startSocketServer = () => {
     initRegions();
 
-    const port = Number(process.env.socket_port) ?? 8082;
+    const port = Number(process.env.socket_port ?? "8082");
 
     const httpServer = http.createServer();
     const socketServer = new io.Server(httpServer, {
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ export const startSocketServer = () => {
         }
 
         console.log(`[WS] User <${uid}> authenticated.`);
-        
+
         //
 
         // === Pull User Profile from Firebase ===
@@ -82,11 +81,11 @@ export const startSocketServer = () => {
 
         // === METHODS ===
 
-        socket.on("ping", (ack: any) => methods.ping(ctx, ack));
+        socket.on("ping", (_: any, ack: any) => methods.ping(ctx, ack));
         socket.on("updateLocation", (location: any, ack: any) => methods.updateLocation(ctx, location, ack))
         socket.on("sendMessage", (message: any, ack: any) => methods.sendMessage(ctx, message, ack));
-        socket.on("getNearbyUsers", (callback: (nearbyUserUids: string[]) => void) => methods.getNearbyUsers(ctx, callback));
-        socket.on("notifyUpdateProfile", (ack: any) => methods.notifyUpdateProfile(ctx, ack));
+        socket.on("getNearbyUsers", (_: any, callback: (nearbyUserUids: string[]) => void) => methods.getNearbyUsers(ctx, callback));
+        socket.on("notifyUpdateProfile", (_: any, ack: any) => methods.notifyUpdateProfile(ctx, ack));
 
         // 
     });
diff --git a/server/src/types/user_profile.ts b/server/src/types/user_profile.ts
index 99330df0a..a30a8d5c9 100644
--- a/server/src/types/user_profile.ts
+++ b/server/src/types/user_profile.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,14 @@
 export interface UserProfile {
     displayName: string,
     profilePicture: number,
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+// [
+//     {
+//         uid: "uid",
+//         profile: {
+//             displayName: "Name",
+//             profilePicture: 2,
+//         }
+//     }
+// ]
\ No newline at end of file