Good Morning, Pennsylvania: Hispanic heritage; gym biz; Halloween decor

Also, how court fees can keep struggling people in trouble.

View in browser  |  Get our newsletters Good Morning, Pennsylvania TUESDAY, SEPT. 19, 2023 • TODAY'S WEATHER Happy Halloween, already? We are certainly fans of the unexplained, paranormal, the odd and the weird. (A study has found that Pennsylvania is among the states that are most "obsessed" with haunted houses.)   But doesn't it feel like Halloween is being rushed a lot more than usual this year? We already know that Christmas is pushed out far too early, but Halloween? It's not even fall yet, but if you take a drive almost anywhere in central Pa., you'll see a lot of yards with giant skeletons, inflated ghosts and colorful pumpkins.   Why? Maybe it's because summer 2023 was so hot, we're eager for cool weather holidays. Perhaps the increased attention on UFOs has made more people want to celebrate the unexplained.   Or it's just fun, so we should relax and stock up on Halloween candy to eat between now and the week before trick-or-treat.   Now, let's take a look at this morning's headlines. Curated by Janet Pickel PHOTO OF THE DAY: Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB perform Saturday during the Harrisburg University summer concert series in Riverfront Park. (Zach Gleiter, for PennLive.com) Special report 'The crime of being poor': Consequences can pile up for people charged with relatively insignificant violations because of outsized fees that can keep people mired in debt, incarcerated or worse.   Pa. law requires numerous fees to be assessed on every violation, from things like overgrown lawn grass to the most serious violent crimes, including murder. The typical debt imposed in Pennsylvania is nearly double the national average.   Fees include $5 for firearm training even if the crime has nothing to do with a gun, $10 for domestic violence prevention even if the crime did not involve domestic violence, $35 to help pay for the state crime victims' compensation fund and multiple fees that go to upgrading computer systems. Read more Celebrating heritage Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates a diverse cultural legacy. PennLive is showcasing central Pennsylvanians who represent the thriving and dynamic Latino community in the region. They include educators, elected officials, social advocates, business entrepreneurs, artists and writers. See also: Hispanic Heritage Festival included games, music Read more More headlines House explosion: At least one person was killed in a house explosion/fire in Lancaster County yesterday afternoon.   Student killed at bus stop: A 25-year-old woman has been charged with striking and killing a 16-year-old girl while the student was trying to board a school bus in York County last year, court documents show. The driver told officers that she "must have been distracted" when she crashed into the girl, who died about two weeks later.   Fatal crash: A 28-year-old man was killed Sunday when he crashed into a tow truck that was slowing down to pass another crash scene on Route 581 in Cumberland County, authorities said.    Chocolate plant records: Federal safety investigators have subpoenaed the state PUC for gas utility UGI-related records connected to the fatal explosion at a West Reading chocolate factory. Read more Advertisement Business Train crash payments: Norfolk Southern announced new details about its plan to compensate East Palestine, Ohio, residents for lost home values after the fiery derailment in February near the Pa. border.   Business works out: Trudy and Franz Kindler opened the West Shore Health Club in 1967. Their work has grown over the decades to the point where they now own 121 Planet Fitness gyms across eight states, serving more than 950,000 members.   Growing in state: An Australian company that has a box-making factory in Cumberland County says it'll invest $500 million more into Pennsylvania with the opening of factories and upgrades. Read more Football The latest in college, high school and NFL football news: Penn State-Iowa mailbag Big Ten Power Poll: Should Big 3 secede? Penn State players celebrate with fans after Illinois win: photos Thousands honor Pa. high school football player who died PennLive's Mid-Penn Dandy Dozen football rankings Saquon Barkley to miss weeks with injury: report Browns star Nick Chubb leaves game vs. Steelers with knee injury Read more OTHER DON'T-MISS STORIES Relaxed dress code will let Sen. John Fetterman wear shorts, hoodies Capital City Mall bomb threats likely 'swatting': police Thousands of mink escape Pa. fur farm after fence is cut: police Pa. Lottery winners might be able to choose to remain anonymous Pop star Pink visits Hersheypark You're caught up. Thanks for joining us in Good Morning, Pennsylvania. You can always find the latest Pennsylvania news by visiting PennLive.com. If you value the hard work of our journalists, consider becoming a subscriber.   See you next issue. GAMES & COMICS Today's Crossword More free puzzles & games Today's Comics Today's crossword Puzzles & games Today's comics CRIME, CRASHES, CALAMITIES: UPDATES FROM THE PENNLIVE COPS DESK NEWSLETTER Know what's going in your neighborhood and beyond with the latest police, fire, traffic, courts and related news. Click here to subscribe. EAT, SHOP, GO WITH PENNLIVE NEWSLETTER Your weekly report on food, restaurants, businesses, retail centers, things to do and places to go all around central Pa. Click here to subscribe. TODAY'S OBITUARIES Click here to read PennLive obituaries. TODAY IN PA PODCAST: Clorox in short supply after cyberattack Listen to PennLive's daily news briefing at this link, or on your favorite apps, including Alexa, Apple, Spotify and Stitcher. NOT ENOUGH NEWS? PennLive content is included with both print and digital subscriptions. You can also choose from our selection of local news, sports or lifestyle newsletters and apps. 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