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+6 President Obama holds a campaign rally at Byrd Park, where an estimated 15,000 people wait for hours to see him. Meanwhile, undecided voters were face down in a pile of their own drool, wondering what to eat for lunch.

-6 But a few days later, opponent Mitt Romney's plans for a rally at the University of Richmond's Robin Center are dashed by megastorm Sandy. Fortunately, thousands of empty chairs still show up in full force.

+4 Haunting the streets from Byrd Park to Carytown, around a thousand Richmonders dress as the undead for the annual Richmond Zombie Walk. If anyone found an overripe left eyeball around Belmont Avenue, hit us up on Facebook.

-7 Buying generators from the backs of trucks and stocking up on toilet paper, Richmond prepares to hunker down for the much-hyped Frankenstorm. Style Weekly's exclusive SuperHDStormPredictor gives your bowl of Halloween candy a 10 percent chance of lasting till Wednesday night.

+2 Richmond enters its final full week of political door knockers, campaign mailers and television ads in the run-up to Election Day. For once Richmonders were praying for a power outage.

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+2 The Washington Redskins settle on a site for summer training camp behind the Science Museum of Virginia, with the city announcing the main sponsor as Bon Secours. Is anyone else finally starting to believe there are secret plans to clone Robert Griffin III? Connect the dots, people!

+7 Rescued after a three-day search, Richmond veterinarian Jason Hiser is one of two Virginia hikers returning home safely after getting lost in Glacier National Park during stark wintry conditions. Was there a third hiker? The men would only say, "He was temporarily in our bellies but forever in our hearts."

+1 Financial adviser John Maloney, a former associate editor at Style Weekly, files to run for the House of Delegates as an independent against incumbent G. Manoli Loupassi. Damn liberal media always getting in the way of Republicans.

+5 About a thousand people turn out for HandsOn Day, a rallying cry for volunteers to tackle projects across Richmond — which is followed by a party at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery. Because nothing makes you forget about banging your thumb with a hammer like a nice pumpkin ale.

+5 Ax-throwing, log-tossing and whisky tasting highlight the Central Virginia Highland Games and Celtic Festival. Thankfully it was a mild weekend, 'cause you know the old Scottish proverb: When the wind's a-blowin', kilts be a-flowin'.

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+9 Legendary performers Ralph Stanley, Rosanne Cash and Fred Wesley are among the musicians who draw an estimated 200,000 people to a sunny weekend at the annual Richmond Folk Festival. Excluded for yet another year is that lady who plays the dulcimer in Carytown.

+5 Richmond's version of the Tony Awards draws the performing arts community and local celebrities to a rollicking night of awards from theater critics, with "Spring Awakening" and "The Rocky Horror Show" emerging as big winners. Everyone's liver deserves a standing ovation.

-2 As Richmond.com reports, longtime Main Street watering hole and sports pub Mulligan's Bar and Grill closes for good, citing financial challenges and a strict landlord. But what did the wings ever do to deserve this? Won't someone think of the wings?

+3 Halloween season kicks into high gear with the Creepy Hollow Hayride, Ashland Berry Farm's Terror on the Farm and Kings Dominion's Halloween Haunt. But this year's scariest attraction turns out to be the VCU Police Ride-Along.

+1 Jumping into the two-man race for Richmond mayor, self-described City Council gadfly Silver Persinger announces his write-in campaign. Mayor Dwight Jones immediately issues a ban on pencils.

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+7 A slew of festivals dominate the weekend, including OystoberFest, Hogtober and Oktoberfest. Which is why we spent Sunday celebrating Naptoberfest.

+2 The weekend also plays host to the Conclave of Richmond Pipe Smokers' 28th annual Pipe and Cigar Smokers' Exposition. Highlights included the crowning of Mr. Craggy Face 2012, the Rockin' Chair Whittling Championships, and Smokin' Hot Singles: Pickup Lines That Work After Your Tracheotomy.

-4 A website hooking up sugar daddies with young women ranks Richmond as the ninth most promiscuous city for men, with a poll showing that 55 percent have had seven or more partners in the last year. The Conclave of Richmond Pipe Smokers strikes again.

-3 On the heels of selling off the Times-Dispatch and most of its newspapers, Richmond-based Media General sells its last paper — The Tampa Tribune — leaving it with only digital and broadcast companies. At least the company won't have a way to print its stock price anymore.

-2 Starbucks runs low on Pumpkin Spice, as discovered by 103.7 The River's Melissa Chase, who finds a store apology sign that reads: "Experiencing shortages throughout the region." It's the worst news she's received since learning the Kardashian sisters decided against filming a spoof of "Gangnam Style."

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+3The American Institute for Economic Research declares Richmond as the ninth best midsize city for college students, right behind Raleigh, N.C., and ahead of New Orleans and Virginia Beach. Economists have finally found a use for the Kegger Algorithm.

+6VA PrideFest draws thousands to a Saturday of fellowship and frivolity at Kanawha Plaza, including performer Raven from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” RVA rainbow stickers and for the first time, liquor. Someone, somewhere, still hasn’t gotten out of bed.

+5The State Fair of Virginia kicks off its run. It was reassuring to see that the new owners kept those magical memories and special traditions alive. Like indigestion.

+2Army veteran, lawyer and first-time political candidate Wayne Powell squares off against House majority leader and incumbent Rep. Eric Cantor in a Virginia Chamber of Commerce debate broadcast on CSPAN-2. Unfortunately it couldn’t approximate working in the U.S. Senate, because cockfighting is illegal.

0Speaking of politics, presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are all up in Virginia voters’ faces, simultaneously campaigning in the state amid a sea of political advertising. The only thing that will make this stop is Nov. 6.