Over 900 people are without power in Norwalk Wednesday after an outage in the area of Wall Street and West Avenue, according to Norwalk police.

Eversource reported 919 customers without power in the area Wednesday afternoon. Police said crews were on scene working to restore the power, but that the work was expected to take several hours.

More details were not immediately available. Check back for updates.

Connecticut State Police are looking for a suspect believed to have robbed a person in a gas station parking lot in Killingworth, then robbed a store in Durham Wednesday.

Police said the first incident appeared in the parking lot of the Cloverleaf Gas Station at 237 Route 81 in Killingworth around 5:09 a.m.. The victim told police a man approached and demanded money. The victim struggled with the suspect then fled in a silver sedan. The victim was not hurt.

Later, around 6:25 a.m., a suspect robbed the Krauszer’s Food Store at 459 Madison Road in Durham after struggling with the store clerk. The suspect made off with cash and cigarettes and fled the area in a silver sedan. The clerk was not hurt.

Investigators believe the same suspect committed both robberies. He is described as male, in his 40s, wearing black gloves and a dark-colored knit hat. The suspect was wearing a silver sedan.

Police have released surveillance photos of the suspect and the suspect vehicle. Anyone with information or who recognizes this suspect should contact Killingworth Resident State Trooper TFC Wisner or the Durham Resident State Trooper TFC Morello at Troop F at 860-399-2100 or text TIP711 with any information to 27463. Tips will remain confidential.

A North Haven gym suddenly closed Saturday, leaving some members hoping to burn off their holiday calories caught off guard.

Members who spoke to NBC Connecticut said they were surprised when they walked up to Retro Fitness of North Haven and found a note on the door informing them the gym was permanently closed.

"It was very abrupt," said Sara Faulkner, a member. This is the second time she’s had a gym close on her unexpectedly.

"Now I’m afraid to go anywhere, because I am like, are they gonna close? You know I don’t want that to happen again," she said.

According to an email sent to members, Retro Fitness of North Haven closed Saturday. The email cited profitability issues as the reason for the closure.

"Unfortunately we have not been able to make the business sustainable. In the 3 years that we have been open we have yet to reach the number of members needed to make the business profitable," the email read.

NBC Connecticut was unable to get touch with the owners of the franchise location or their corporate parent for comment.

"It’s sad. the owners were really nice people, I felt bad for them," said gym member John Marro.

The email to members did provide contact information for those seeking refunds - for refunds on prepaid items or the prorated annual fee members should contact Retro Corporate at 732-431-0062 or ABC Financial at customercare@abcfinancial or 888-827-9262.

The state Department of Consumer Protection told NBC Connecticut said it has not received any complaints about this Retro Fitness closing, but said that if any customers experience issues getting a refund, they can file a complaint. Click here to file one online. 

The husband and wife killed in a Griswold house fire last week have been identified. 

The victims of the fire were identified as Janet Lindquist, 61, and Kenneth Lindquist, 56, who both lived in the home. The cause and manner of their death have not been determined.

Officials were investigating a house fire on Dec. 21 said the fire was connected to a car fire 40 miles away in Glastonbury.

Firefighters responded to 70 Kenwood Estates in Griswold around 5:15 a.m. Wednesday after a neighbor called 911 to report a fire and crews found two bodies in the charred remains of the home.  

Griswold Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Holowaty said three adults lived in the house.

Police said there was a link between the house fire and the abandoned car found in flames at the Glastonbury Luxury Apartments in Glastonbury Wednesday morning. State police said the car’s VIN number was connected to the Griswold home, but did not provide any details of how they were linked.

State police said they have identified a person of interest in the Griswold house fire, but they are withholding the person’s name as detectives continue their investigation.

Homeowners are lining up in droves at local tax collection offices, hoping for one last chance to take advantage of a major tax deduction before it is wiped out in the new year.

In Hempstead, town Tax Receiver Donald Clavin said "thousands" of people packed his office Tuesday trying to pay their 2018 property and school taxes a year in advance.

"This is almost chaotic," Oyster Bay Tax Receiver James Stefanich told Newsday . He said homeowners began lining up in the cold an hour before his office opened.

Similar scenes played out at tax collection offices around the country in places with high local taxes.

The tax overhaul signed last week by Republican President Donald Trump puts a new $10,000 limit on the amount of state and local taxes people can deduct from their income when calculating their federal tax liability.

That new cap could translate into a tax hike of hundreds or even thousands of dollars in mostly wealthier, high-tax communities in California, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey and other states.

People in some communities are trying to effectively delay that hike for a year by paying their 2018 taxes in advance

The IRS said Wednesday that some homeowners who prepay local property taxes due in 2018 will be able to claim the deduction on this year's returns, but only if the taxes have already been assessed and billed. People can't guess at what next year's assessment might be, pay it now and claim a deduction for that amount.

"A prepayment of anticipated real property taxes that have not been assessed prior to 2018 are not deductible in 2017," the IRS said on its website.

That distinction wasn't always clear to people flooding into local taxes offices after Christmas, or to the officials trying to help them. But most thought it was worth a try.

"I know later on it is going to hurt me," Scott Arbuse, of East Meadow, New York, said of the disappearing tax deduction as he waited to make a payment. "But at least I save some money now."

Across the country, Steve Sheffield made the same calculation as he went to pay his taxes in Sacramento, California.

"My accountant told me it was the thing to do," Sheffield told the Sacramento Bee . "Next year, I probably won't be able to itemize."

People who evacuated from Puerto Rico because of hurricanes months ago are grateful for shelters and warming centers during Connecticut's cold spell this week. 

Ruthie Williams is staying in New Britain at the Friendship Center on Arch Street.

"It’s really cold out here," Williams told NBC Connecticut.

The shelter is providing meals and a warm place for people sleep out of the bitter cold.

"It’s bad because if I come outside and I’m not properly dressed. I’ll catch an asthma attack because of the heat, coming into the cold," Williams said. 

The Friendship Center accommodates 52 people year-round and with the bitter cold this week, the executive director said they can take in 18 more.

This week, 211 Connecticut line has assisted 231 calls from people who fled Puerto Rico following devasting hurricanes and 2,428 people in total. The kinds of assistance provided includes FEMA help, housing, disaster case management, clothing, SNAP assistance and jobs.

As of Dec. 19, the total number of students from Puerto Rico who have enrolled in Connecticut Public Schools is 1,772.

Maria Reyes, who was also displaced from Puerto Rico, said housing and medical supplies are her greatest need. She left her home after losing everything and arrived in Connecticut on Christmas day. She said she's used to the much warmer weather back home. 

"I’m doing the best I can. I just got here. Looking for the help they’ve given me and I appreciate it," Reyes told NBC Connecticut.

Reyes is thankful to the relief center at Capitol Region Education Council (CREC). They are providing food, clothing, gift cards and new found friendships to Reyes and others like Miriam Barrera.

For Barrera, the cold weather has taken its toll.

"With the cold temperature, I’m depressed," Barrera said. 

Governor Dannel Malloy said he has a whole team working to help those who fled Puerto Rico for Connecticut.

"We are attempting to get the federal government to help us and so I’ve asked for instance if someone was eligible for a housing subsiidy in Puerto Rico make them eligible for a housing subsidy in Connecticut. It just makes sense we are concerned I think on Jan. 13 a number of temporary relief efforts the federal government has funded will expire we’ve asked for those to be suspended as well, I have a whole list of folks working on this on a daily basis," Malloy said. 

The communications director at the CREC relief center said they need volunteers and donations to help those who have come to Connecticut.

The governor activated its severe cold weather protocol to ensure adequate shelter space during the severe cold weather through Jan. 2, 2018.

Head online to www.211ct.org to find warming centers in your community.

Chipped paint and moldy awnings are among other signs of blight business owners in downtown New London do not want to be associated with.

Members of the New London City Center District (CCD) made a list of businesses they inspected on State Street and Bank Street. They believe some buildings are violating the city’s new blight ordinance and they handed the list off to New London’s blight inspector to follow up.

"Because of so many empty storefronts and what appears to be abandoned properties," Charlotte Hennegan, owner of Thames River Greenery and Thames River Wine & Spirits on State Street, said. 

Hennegan is the vice president of the CCD which is comprised of about 150 buildings in the downtown business district. The group is collecting additional taxes by all property owners in the district. The store owner is also part of the group’s new blight committee.

"There’s a true vitality of business and living in downtown New London. We just have to showcase it," Hennegan said.

New London Blight Inspector Kenyon Haye said there are more than 20 storefronts on State and Bank streets in violation of the city’s blight ordinance. 

Haye has been conducting routine inspections and reaching out to make sure property owners fix any violations. 

"A main issue with a lot of these buildings is stripping and peeling paint. But with it being winter right now, there’s very little that can be done," Haye said.

Haye said he’s gotten about 90 percent compliance, so far, which includes word from several property owners that they will be doing work as the weather warms up.

The blight inspector mentioned the removal of a moldy awning atop the former Lola’s Fashion store at the corner of State and Bank streets and the Salvation Army taking the sign off its former Bank Street storefront and posting 'No Dumping' signs on its rear, to let people know they’re no longer taking donations there.

If property owners don’t comply, Haye said he can enforce civil penalties of $100 a day or ask police to enforce criminal penalties that could reach $250 a day. 

New London Main Street launched a Light Up New London initiative to put lights in downtown storefronts to make the area more inviting and comfortable at night.

"Because the storefronts are dark and any time that there’s darkness, people just don’t feel welcome walking around in the evening," Kristin Havrilla Clarke, New London Main Street’s executive director, said.

Route 8 in Waterbury is closed following a crash. 

Three cars were involved in the crash that led to Route 8 north to shut down between exits 31 and 32. 

Minor injuries have been reported. 

No other information was immediately available. 

In 2011, Zach Wahls, then a 19-year-old University of Iowa student, addressed the Iowa House of Representatives during a public debate on same-sex marriage. His passionate 3-minute speech —where he proudly admitted he was “raised by two women” and spoke about the strength of his family — went viral and thrust him into the national spotlight as an advocate for LGBTQ rights.

Wahls, now 26, announced he is running as a Democratic candidate for Iowa’s 37th State Senate District in 2018. In a statement announcing his candidacy, the Iowa native said he’s throwing his hat in the political ring “for one simple reason.”

“This is an all-hands-on-deck moment that will determine the future of our state for generations to come, and I feel responsible for doing my part,” Wahls said in the statement published Thursday. “Our state has a choice to make. Are we going to let Republicans continue their attacks on healthcare, education, and workers’ rights or are we going to stand and fight for the values that have defined this state for hundreds of years?"

Following his viral 2011 speech, which currently has more than 3 million views on YouTube, Wahls remained an active advocate for LGBTQ rights. In addition to his public speaking and lobbying on behalf of LGBTQ equality, he has published a book about his family, titled "My Two Moms."

NBC Connecticut Meteorologists are tracking dangerously cold temperatures by Thursday morning.

A wind chill advisory is in effect for northern Connecticut.

Gov. Dannel Malloy activated the state severe weather protocol Tuesday due to a stretch of cold weather in the forecast.

Warming centers will be open across Connecticut. You can find the latest list of warming centers by clicking here.

We are not expecting record cold but the peak of it will bring in some awfully low wind chills. This is the kind of cold we get at least several times a year.

Wind chills on Thursday morning will range from -5 to -15 for southern Connecticut with wind chills of -10 to -20 for northern Connecticut.

Take a look at First Alert Feels Like Temperatures for 7 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Wind chills really don't improve much into the afternoon with many cities and towns still experencing below zero wind chill values.

We're also not forecasting temperatures to rise above freezing through the next 10 days.

One organization helps bring Santa to children with disabilities or illnesses who often can't make the trip to a mall or shopping center for a holiday visit. 

Not everyone gets a personal visit from Santa, but Addison Moran in Willington isn't just anyone. Her mom, Cynthia Rankin, calls her a miracle child. 

"She lights up a room. She loves everybody. She has the biggest smile on her face," Rankin said. 

Rankin said Addison spent her 7th birthday in the hospital after getting pneumonia and rhinovirus. It's something that would be difficult for any child to go through, but especially Addison who has a rare genetic disorder, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. 

"By far the worst, most frightening hospitalization we ever had with her," Rankin said. "It was really hard and stressful on everybody."

After a month in the hospital, the family came home and Santa came knocking.

"Addison was just ecstatic when he walked through the door and we were so happy to see her having the biggest smile on her face after spending so much time at the hospital and being so sick," Rankin said

Santa brought presents and smiles to the entire family and it's all thanks to something called the Secret Sleigh Project. It's based in Colorado and operated by three volunteers. 

The founder, Sarah Portillo, said back in 2015, she wanted to bring Santa home to her daughter who had medical complications and couldn't go see Santa at the mall. Santa came to visit her daughter at home and from there, the idea quickly grew into the Secret Sleigh Project.

Portillo said they've brought Santa to the homes of more than 200 children around the country who have acute medical illnesses, chronic illnesses or can't leave their homes.

Rankin said while she was sitting in the ICU with her daughter, she came across the organization and reached out. 

"She didn't see me until the last moment. She was very quiet and all of a sudden, you could see her hands going and the smile on her face," Santa told NBC Connecticut. 

Santa said it was a heartwarming experience to meet with Addison and her family. He, of course, brought presents for everyone.

"This was a great opportunity for me to bring and share what I have," Santa said.

For Addison and her family, it meant the world.

"I was in tears after he left. I was really, really happy," Rankin said.

Santa said he's already looking forward to visiting with more children like Addison next year.

If you'd like to volunteer or learn more about the Secret Sleigh Project, you can go here.

Claire's stores nationwide have pulled nine items from store shelves after a family in Rhode Island says they found asbestos in their 6-year-old's makeup.

Kristi Warner said she had been concerned about the ingredients of the makeup, so she sent it to an independent lab in North Carolina.

Test results showed Tremolite Asbestos was inside the glitter makeup kit, a toxic, cancer causing material.

Warner took the results to her employer, Deaton Law Firm, which then purchased 17 more Claire's products from nine different states and sent them all in for further testing. 

Every product tested by Scientific Analytical Institute came back positive for Tremolite Asbestos.

The results of the test were shared with WJAR, the NBC station in Providence Rhode Island.

Claire's issued a response to the investigation saying "As a result of today's inquiry from WJAR, we have taken the precautionary measure of pulling the items in question from sale, and will be conducting an immediate investigation into the alleged issues."

You can see a full list of the items pulled from store shelves by CLICKING HERE.

On Claire's website, there's a statement saying:

"At Claire’s the safety of our customers is of paramount importance, and we are passionate about the safety and integrity of our products. We work closely with our vendors to ensure our products are tested and assessed in line with the relevant country regulations and guidelines. As a result of today’s inquiry from WJAR-TV, we have taken the precautionary measure of pulling the items in question from sale (pictured below), and will be conducting an immediate investigation into the alleged issues. Once we have more information and have the results of the investigation we will take the necessary action. If you have items you wish to return in the interim period we will issue a refund."

NBA fans have debated for years whether LeBron James or Michael Jordan is the superior player, but now a former president is weighing in on the controversy. 

Former President Barack Obama, appearing on BBC Radio 4 along with Prince Harry, was asked a series of rapid-fire questions by the prince, and was ultimately asked which player he thought was better. 

"Jordan," he said. "Although I love LeBron, I'm a Chicago guy." 

It's not all that surprising that Obama selected Jordan in the debate. In Nov. 2016, the former president presented Jordan with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Jordan's hey-day in Chicago occurred at the same time that Obama was getting his start in community organizing. 

The New Jersey State Police have spent at least $850,000 in recent years on a technology that allows troopers to track cell phone use without phone owners knowing, according to documents provided NBC10.

The taxpayer money was paid to a Florida-based company called the Harris Corp., according to heavily redacted documents obtained through a right-to-know request. The request was originally sent in December 2016.

NBC10 asked for all state police documents pertaining to the Harris Corp., which is the maker of a device called a Stingray.

The technology behind the Stingray, which is known as a "cell site simulator," mimics a cell tower to attract nearby phone signals. It then gathers identifying information and locations about the cell phones.

[[466856913, C]]

The New Jersey state police did not respond to requests to discuss their use of the technology, and the more than 100 pages of invoices and other documents were heavily redacted to hide how troopers use the devices. But one reference to the Harris Corp. was not redacted, nor were expenditures on the invoices.

Many law enforcement agencies across the country use the Stingray technology, and open government advocates have argued in recent years for the agencies to become more transparent about how cell site simulators are used in investigations.

An official with the ACLU of New Jersey described the device as "mass surveillance technology."

Jeanne LoCicero, the group's deputy legal director, is very familiar with the redactions associated with the Harris Corp. and the Stingray device. She said the ACLU of New Jersey asked for the same documents that NBC10 sought. The response from the state police was the same.

"The response to our OPRA request is really disappointing because it shed virtually no information on how Stingray technology is being used and New Jerseyans deserve to know," LoCicero said. "This is really invasive and sweeping search tools that were developed for the military and now they’re being used in New Jersey and public needs to know more."

LoCicero said that with the technology “the police can drive by and find out everybody who is in a building.”

In February, NBC10 first reported on a Delaware man's legal fight against the state police there over their use of cell site simulators. He's still awaiting a court resolution.

At the time, retired FBI agent J.J. Klaver said the reluctance by law enforcement agencies to divulge information about the technology is related to staying ahead of their targets.

"If people know how to avoid detection by it, then they’re going to take those step where they don’t want to be caught," Klaver said.

But LoCicero sees another side effect to an agency spending nearly $1 million without talking about what exactly it's used for.

"It is a lot of money, and with very little oversight," she said.

AR-15 semiautomatic rifles may have been used in recent mass shootings from Newtown to San Bernardino, but the many Americans who love them see the guns as finely tuned tools, exciting toys or a symbol of American values, NBC News reported.

"There are few things you'll find that are wonderfully appealing to look at, wonderful exercises in mechanical engineering, and that could save your life," said Maryland AR-15 owner Daniel Chandler, 26.

There have been attempts to ban the weapon, prompting "panic buying" that led to record sales under President Barack Obama, though fears of prohibition have subsided under President Donald Trump, as have purchases.

Devotees argue that the weapon — America's most popular rifle — has been wrongly demonized, as the vast majority of owners never use it for crime.

A serious crash has closed Route 190 in Somers.

A tractor trailer hit a tree near Scully Road, according to Tolland County dispatchers.

The road is expected to be closed for an extended period of time.

A body was found at Tunxis Country Club on Town Farm Road in Farmington on Thursday.

Police are not releasing any other details but said the road will be closed for several hours while they investigate.

There are no concerns for nearby residents or the general public, according to police.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service issued a notice Wednesday warning homeowners who are rushing to prepay their 2018 property taxes that their payment may not be tax deductible, NBC News reported. 

A law signed by President Donald Trump, which goes into effect next year, will impose a $10,000 combined limit on the deduction of state and local income property taxes. While there is no limit on that deduction for 2017, a full deduction for the prepayment of state or local property taxes depends on whether the taxpayer makes the payment this year and whether the property taxes are assessed prior to 2018.

"A prepayment of anticipated real property taxes that have not been assessed prior to 2018 are not deductible in 2017," the IRS notice said.

"State or local law determines whether and when a property tax is assessed, which is generally when the taxpayer becomes liable for the property tax imposed," it said.

A smokehouse in Torrington is recalling smoked salmon due to a potential contamination risk, the company said. 

Nodine's Smokehouse is recalling its Smoked Salmon in 1.5 pound and 8 oz packages because of the chance they are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The lot numbers for the products are 40173 and 33173.

Nodine's is distributed nationwide in retail stores and through mail orders.

Customers with the 1.5 pound or 8 oz smoked salmon should return these items for a full refund, according to Nodine's Smokehouse's website. 

Consumers with questions may contact Nodine's Smokehouse, Inc. at (800) 222-2059

We have issued a First Alert for some light snow to impact Connecticut this weekend. A fast moving clipper system will swing by to our south during the day on Saturday.

We are expecting snow to develop during the midday hours on Saturday, and last into the evening before ending close to midnight. The snow will fall at a light, to at times moderate rate on Saturday.

With air temperatures being in the upper teens to lower 20s, this will be a very light and fluffy snowfall, of which will accumulate very easily.

We anticapte a general 1-3" of accumulation statewide by the end of the day Saturday. If you have any travel plans, keep in mind there will be some slick spots on the roadways during the second half of the day.

In the wake of this minor snowfall, another shot of arctic air moves in for Sunday and Monday, with temperatures within a few degrees of 0 to ring in 2018.

Stay with NBC Connecticut's team of meteorologists on air and online for further updates.