diff --git a/backend/app/management/commands/compile_translations.py b/backend/app/management/commands/compile_translations.py
index d19c3888..84acd632 100644
--- a/backend/app/management/commands/compile_translations.py
+++ b/backend/app/management/commands/compile_translations.py
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ def translate(fro, to, src_dir, dest_dir, fuzzy=False):
     # due to conflict with Django BaseCommand parser
     class Arguments:
         def __init__(self, **kwargs):
-            [setattr(self, attr, val) for attr, val in kwargs.items()]
+            for attr, val in kwargs.items():
+                setattr(self, attr, val)
     
     arguments = Arguments(fro=fro, to=to, src=src_dir, dest=dest_dir)
     
diff --git a/backend/app/management/commands/runanalysis.py b/backend/app/management/commands/runanalysis.py
index 66a66945..c4e68ce6 100644
--- a/backend/app/management/commands/runanalysis.py
+++ b/backend/app/management/commands/runanalysis.py
@@ -120,4 +120,3 @@ def handle(self, *args, **options):
             photos_done += 1
             if photos_done % 25 == 0:
                 print(f'\nAnalyzed {photos_done} so far...')
-
diff --git a/backend/config/settings/base.py b/backend/config/settings/base.py
index 324c176b..207f5930 100644
--- a/backend/config/settings/base.py
+++ b/backend/config/settings/base.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 CONFIG_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 BACKEND_DIR = os.path.dirname(CONFIG_DIR)
 PROJECT_ROOT = os.path.dirname(BACKEND_DIR)
-MIGRATIONS_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(CONFIG_DIR), 'app/migrations')
+MIGRATIONS_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(CONFIG_DIR), 'app', 'migrations')
 SETTINGS_DIR = os.path.join(CONFIG_DIR, 'settings')
 
 BACKEND_DATA_DIR = os.path.join(BACKEND_DIR, 'data')
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 # We used to use this directory as a fallback in development for _showing_ images
 # as well, but we no longer do this: all image display is via the S3 bucket.
 LOCAL_PHOTOS_DIR = None
+LOCAL_DB_PATH = os.path.join(BACKEND_DIR, 'db.sqlite3')
 
 BLOG_ROOT_URL = "articles"
 
@@ -128,19 +129,24 @@
 
 # Database
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/3.0/ref/settings/#databases
+db_config = {
+    'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.sqlite3',
+    'NAME': LOCAL_DB_PATH,
+}
 pw_path = Path(PROJECT_ROOT, 'db_password.txt')
-with open(pw_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as pw_file:
-    db_pw = pw_file.readline().strip()
-
-DATABASES = {
-    'default': {
-         'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',
-         'HOST': 'paris1970-urop-fa22.crdpmszp71qh.us-east-1.rds.amazonaws.com',
-         'USER': 'urop',
-         'NAME': 'paris1970-urop-fa22',
-         'PORT': '5432',
-         'PASSWORD': db_pw,
+if os.path.exists(pw_path):
+    with open(pw_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as pw_file:
+        db_pw = pw_file.readline().strip()
+    db_config = {
+        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql',
+        'HOST': 'paris1970-urop-fa22.crdpmszp71qh.us-east-1.rds.amazonaws.com',
+        'USER': 'urop',
+        'NAME': 'paris1970-urop-fa22',
+        'PORT': '5432',
+        'PASSWORD': db_pw,
     }
+DATABASES = {
+    'default': db_config
 }