diff --git a/client/public/version.js b/client/public/version.js
index 75ff897..f429416 100644
--- a/client/public/version.js
+++ b/client/public/version.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 // Maintainer-controlled web client version.
 // Format: YYYY.MM.DD Rn (example: 2026.02.20 R2)
-window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.21 R84";
+window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.21 R85";
+// Optional display timezone for timestamps. Falls back to America/Detroit if unset/invalid.
+window.CHGRID_TIME_ZONE = "America/Detroit";
diff --git a/client/src/main.ts b/client/src/main.ts
index 6430646..c5b88f0 100644
--- a/client/src/main.ts
+++ b/client/src/main.ts
@@ -29,12 +29,14 @@ const AUDIO_OUTPUT_STORAGE_KEY = 'chatGridAudioOutputDeviceId';
 const AUDIO_INPUT_NAME_STORAGE_KEY = 'chatGridAudioInputDeviceName';
 const AUDIO_OUTPUT_NAME_STORAGE_KEY = 'chatGridAudioOutputDeviceName';
 const AUDIO_OUTPUT_MODE_STORAGE_KEY = 'chatGridAudioOutputMode';
+const DEFAULT_DISPLAY_TIME_ZONE = 'America/Detroit';
 const NICKNAME_STORAGE_KEY = 'spatialChatNickname';
 const NICKNAME_MAX_LENGTH = 32;
 
 declare global {
   interface Window {
     CHGRID_WEB_VERSION?: string;
+    CHGRID_TIME_ZONE?: string;
   }
 }
 
@@ -92,6 +94,7 @@ type ChangelogData = {
 };
 
 const APP_VERSION = String(window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION ?? '').trim();
+const DISPLAY_TIME_ZONE = resolveDisplayTimeZone();
 dom.appVersion.textContent = APP_VERSION
   ? `Another AI experiment with Jage. Version ${APP_VERSION}`
   : 'Another AI experiment with Jage. Version unknown';
@@ -178,6 +181,41 @@ function requiredById<T extends HTMLElement>(id: string): T {
   return found as T;
 }
 
+function resolveDisplayTimeZone(): string {
+  const configured = String(window.CHGRID_TIME_ZONE ?? '').trim();
+  if (configured) {
+    try {
+      new Intl.DateTimeFormat('en-US', { timeZone: configured }).format(new Date());
+      return configured;
+    } catch {
+      // Fall back when configured timezone is invalid.
+    }
+  }
+  return DEFAULT_DISPLAY_TIME_ZONE;
+}
+
+function formatTimestampMs(value: unknown): string {
+  const raw = Number(value);
+  if (!Number.isFinite(raw)) {
+    return String(value ?? '');
+  }
+  const date = new Date(raw);
+  if (Number.isNaN(date.getTime())) {
+    return String(value ?? '');
+  }
+  const parts = new Intl.DateTimeFormat('en-CA', {
+    timeZone: DISPLAY_TIME_ZONE,
+    year: 'numeric',
+    month: '2-digit',
+    day: '2-digit',
+    hour: '2-digit',
+    minute: '2-digit',
+    hour12: false,
+  }).formatToParts(date);
+  const pick = (type: Intl.DateTimeFormatPartTypes): string => parts.find((part) => part.type === type)?.value ?? '00';
+  return `${pick('year')}-${pick('month')}-${pick('day')} ${pick('hour')}:${pick('minute')}`;
+}
+
 function setUpdatesExpanded(expanded: boolean): void {
   dom.updatesToggle.setAttribute('aria-expanded', expanded ? 'true' : 'false');
   dom.updatesToggle.textContent = expanded ? 'Hide updates' : 'Show updates';
@@ -603,8 +641,8 @@ function getItemPropertyValue(item: WorldItem, key: string): string {
   if (key === 'carrierId') return item.carrierId ?? 'none';
   if (key === 'version') return String(item.version);
   if (key === 'createdBy') return item.createdBy;
-  if (key === 'createdAt') return String(item.createdAt);
-  if (key === 'updatedAt') return String(item.updatedAt);
+  if (key === 'createdAt') return formatTimestampMs(item.createdAt);
+  if (key === 'updatedAt') return formatTimestampMs(item.updatedAt);
   if (key === 'capabilities') return item.capabilities.join(', ') || 'none';
   if (key === 'useSound') return item.useSound ?? 'none';
   if (key === 'enabled') return item.params.enabled === false ? 'off' : 'on';
diff --git a/deploy/README.md b/deploy/README.md
index 03f0776..07c6fdc 100644
--- a/deploy/README.md
+++ b/deploy/README.md
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ Logs:
 
 ```bash
 journalctl -u chat-grid.service -f
+tail -f /home/bestmidi/chgrid/server/runtime/server.log
 ```
 
 If you previously used `chgrid-signaling.service`, migrate once:
diff --git a/deploy/scripts/install_service.sh b/deploy/scripts/install_service.sh
index d7f470f..cecb524 100755
--- a/deploy/scripts/install_service.sh
+++ b/deploy/scripts/install_service.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ if [[ ! -f "$SRC_UNIT" ]]; then
 fi
 
 sudo cp "$SRC_UNIT" "$DST_UNIT"
+sudo install -d -m 0755 -o bestmidi -g bestmidi "$REPO_ROOT/server/runtime"
+sudo touch "$REPO_ROOT/server/runtime/server.log"
+sudo chown bestmidi:bestmidi "$REPO_ROOT/server/runtime/server.log"
 sudo systemctl daemon-reload
 sudo systemctl enable --now "$UNIT_NAME"
 sudo systemctl restart "$UNIT_NAME"
diff --git a/deploy/systemd/chat-grid.service b/deploy/systemd/chat-grid.service
index 53b8654..0c0fcc5 100644
--- a/deploy/systemd/chat-grid.service
+++ b/deploy/systemd/chat-grid.service
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@ User=bestmidi
 Group=bestmidi
 WorkingDirectory=/home/bestmidi/chgrid/server
 Environment=PATH=/home/bestmidi/chgrid/server/.venv/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
+ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/mkdir -p /home/bestmidi/chgrid/server/runtime
 ExecStart=/home/bestmidi/chgrid/server/.venv/bin/python main.py --config /home/bestmidi/chgrid/server/config.toml
+StandardOutput=append:/home/bestmidi/chgrid/server/runtime/server.log
+StandardError=append:/home/bestmidi/chgrid/server/runtime/server.log
 Restart=always
 RestartSec=3
 
diff --git a/server/app/server.py b/server/app/server.py
index 018d766..0cdaef2 100644
--- a/server/app/server.py
+++ b/server/app/server.py
@@ -139,7 +139,12 @@ class SignalingServer:
                 for item in self.item_service.drop_carried_items_for_disconnect(disconnected):
                     await self._broadcast_item(item)
                 self.item_service.save_state()
-                LOGGER.info("client disconnected id=%s total=%d", disconnected.id, len(self.clients))
+                LOGGER.info(
+                    "client disconnected id=%s nickname=%s total=%d",
+                    disconnected.id,
+                    disconnected.nickname,
+                    len(self.clients),
+                )
                 await self._broadcast(UserLeftPacket(type="user_left", id=disconnected.id), exclude=websocket)
                 await self._broadcast(
                     BroadcastChatMessagePacket(
@@ -249,6 +254,10 @@ class SignalingServer:
                 )
                 return
             client.nickname = requested_nickname
+            if old_nickname == "user...":
+                LOGGER.info("user login id=%s nickname=%s", client.id, client.nickname)
+            else:
+                LOGGER.info("nickname change id=%s old=%s new=%s", client.id, old_nickname, client.nickname)
             await self._send(
                 client.websocket,
                 NicknameResultPacket(
@@ -319,6 +328,15 @@ class SignalingServer:
             self.item_service.add_item(item)
             await self._broadcast_item(item)
             self.item_service.save_state()
+            LOGGER.info(
+                "item created by=%s item_id=%s type=%s title=%s x=%d y=%d",
+                client.nickname,
+                item.id,
+                item.type,
+                item.title,
+                item.x,
+                item.y,
+            )
             item_text = f"{item.title} ({self._item_type_label(item)})"
             await self._broadcast(
                 BroadcastChatMessagePacket(
@@ -389,6 +407,13 @@ class SignalingServer:
             if item.carrierId is None and (item.x != client.x or item.y != client.y):
                 await self._send_item_result(client, False, "delete", "Item is not on your square.", item.id)
                 return
+            LOGGER.info(
+                "item deleted by=%s item_id=%s type=%s title=%s",
+                client.nickname,
+                item.id,
+                item.type,
+                item.title,
+            )
             self.item_service.remove_item(item.id)
             self.item_last_use_ms.pop(item.id, None)
             await self._broadcast(ItemRemovePacket(type="item_remove", itemId=item.id))