Although 800,000 federal workers have stopped receiving a paycheck during the longest government shutdown in history, their bills have not stopped piling up. Some workers, such as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers and members of the military, are working without pay. 

Some national companies are offering debt relief to impacted workers.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management tweeted a link to sample letters that workers may use to write to their creditors and seek help. 

Here's an overview of some companies offering relief to workers impacted by the shutdown. This list includes companies compiled by USA Today. 

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

Federal workers impacted by the government shutdown are eligible for unemployment benefits, according to the Office of Personnel Management. Obtain information on benefits here. 

CELL PHONES

AT&T is helping workers imapcted by the shutdown by offering flexible payments. Details here.

Sprint is assisting customers by working with customers on a short-term payment solution. Custeroms should call 888-211-4727 or chat with a representative online. 

T-Mobile is providing flexible payment support options to customers, including deferring payments or spreading payments out over time. Contact 611 or 877-746-0909.

Verizon launched a Promise to Pay program, which allows customers to set a future payment date via the app or call 866-266-1445. 

BANKS and MORTGAGES

Wells Fargo will work with "individuals and business banking customers whose income is disrupted as a result of the shutdown. Customers should call 1-800-TO-WELLS, or the number on their credit card, debit card or statement for assistance, or visit any Wells Fargo branch." Contact information here. 

U.S. Bank has launched a low-rate and quick loan for their customers needing assistance. Details here. 

The Federal Credit Union is waiving fees for early withdrawls and other benefits outlined here.

The Congressional Federal Credit Union is offering multiple solutions for those impacted, scuh as a relife line of credit, personal loans, credit increases and deferment on existing loans. More information here. 

Navy Federal Credit Union is offering loan programs for qualified federal workers. Information about how to register can be found here. 

CREDIT CARDS

Chase is offering hardship programs and encourages customers to call 888-356-0023 to explore their options. Some of the benefits being offered include automatically waiving or refunding overdraft and montly service fees. 

Discover says it's available to assist government employees affected by the shutdown. Call 1-800-DISCOVER.  

A Waterford man was injured in a snowmobile accident in New Hampshire. 

Officials from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said they responded to a snowmobile accident in the town of Groton on Saturday afternoon and learned that 59-year-old William Dawley, of Waterford, had been thrown from his snowmobile after hitting an obstacle in a trail and his injuries were not life-threatening injuries. 

He was transported to Speare Memorial Hospital.

UCLA Bruin Katelyn Ohashi put together a show-stopping gymnastics floor routine Saturday in Anaheim, and video of the performance was viewed over 9 million times within 24 hours of being posted, with even Sen. Kamala Harris posting the performance on her Twitter.

"This is fantastic. Congratulations," Harris said to the 20-year-old on the social media platform, with the gymnast responding by telling the California senator, "I got you with tickets too any time!!"

Ohashi, the 2018 NCAA floor champion, earned a perfect score from the judges for her energetic and crowd-energizing routine. The Bruin danced, jumped, tumbled and split to sounds heavily influenced by Michael Jackson, but the soundtrack of the routine was probably best described as the constant cheers from the crowd on hand.

Ohashi appeared to be having fun, and her teammates, coaches and crowd celebrated her perfect 10 score.

With video of the floor routine having been viewed more than 9 million times in the first 24 hours since UCLA gymnastics posted the performance to its Twitter account, one would imagine millions of people agree with the judges' scoring.

Quinnipiac University is shutting down its AM radio station, which has been in operation for over 20 years.

The university announced AM-1220 WQUN will cease operations on June 30, 2019, citing decreasing student interest in the industry. The station has provided New Haven County with everything from Bobcats sports, local traffic and weather reports, local news, to general musical entertainment.

According to the station's website, WQUN serves 400 nonprofit organizations through its work.

The station was used as a training ground for students interested in pursuing careers in radio.

The school said it will shift resources that went into the station to other areas of greater interest to students. The building and property will be repurposed.

As you may know, I have worked with some of the affected staff for 20 or more years and could not be more grateful for their service to the station, to Quinnipiac and to our communities, especially North Haven and Hamden,” wrote Lynn Bushnell, Quinnipiac’s vice president for public affairs. “Despite the station ceasing operation, we can be certain that Quinnipiac will continue to be a generous and enthusiastic supporter of Hamden, North Haven and the region.”

To leave a car at the West Haven train station parking lot, drivers are supposed to pay $6 a day on weekdays or have a commuter pass. But the state Department of Transportation says people are parking without paying at an alarming rate, and now they’re cracking down.

“If that’s the law then they should pay,” said commuter, Elizabeth Sanchez.

It says the problem is that there is a kiosk system, which leaves drivers to pay on an honor system. The lot is open. There are no gates, and no one is enforcing the parking rules.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” said Dasia Boroughs of West Haven. “If they’re not being questioned or enforced, then obviously people are not paying.”

“I think that’s kind of messed up. People really should pay,” said India Green of West Haven.

A spokesperson for the DOT tells us it recently got the authority from the state legislature to enforce the parking fee in this lot. By enforcing the parking fees, the DOT is hoping it will open up more spaces for those people who do pay.

“They don’t even use the train,” Green said. “They just park here quickly, run across the street quickly.”

There is no exact date yet for when enforcement will begin.

More faces of the partial government shutdown are going public every day the slowdown continues.

That was the case on Monday at Bradley International Airport, as TSA and air traffic control employees discussed their angst over missing their first pay period as a result of the partial shutdown.

“I don’t want to become a professional Zamboni driver. It’s certainly not one of my life goals,” said Christopher Scofield, who works at Bradley as an airway transportation systems specialist. He says he picks up anywhere from 25 to 30 hours each week driving the Zamboni, but says that’s a bonus under normal circumstances, not something meant to pay his bills. “I’m very happy with my full-time job. I help airplanes land on the ground safely every day. I’m very proud of that and I enjoy that greatly.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal joined the group of workers at Bradley, supporting their legal efforts to secure some kind of labor department benefits for going without pay for so long.

He says Democrats do not shoulder the responsibility for the shutdown, instead focusing on Senate Republicans who could call bills to reopen the government, but to this point have not done so.

“The path forward here is pretty clear. Put to a vote on the floor of the Senate the bills that would reopen the government,” Blumenthal said during a visit to Bradley International Airport, “Mitch McConnell ought to be ashamed and embarrassed that he is standing between these laws and the workers of our country getting paid.”

JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines all told NBC Connecticut that there has been minimal disruption so far, as the shutdown has stretched onward.

Sarah Small, a TSA officer of more than 11 years, says she’s felt the disruption, but is making it work as best she can.

“I’ve been OK just because I’m good with my money so, I try not to spend, just on necessities,” Small said.

She does not think the country needs a wall along the Southern border, but says those discussions can certainly happen once the federal government is reopened for business.

“You can open it, and then you can fight as much as you want to get what you need but I believe that we shouldn’t be held, almost accountable, for trying to get what you want.”

As temperatures drop in Connecticut this week, you may notice ponds and lakes freezing over, but that doesn't mean you should trust the ice to be safe.

“Reach, throw, go,” are the steps New Britain Fire Captain Ricardo Mickens says are key in ice rescues. But first and foremost, he says to contact 911. “Get the ball rolling,” Mickens said, “because one of the biggest mistakes people make is delay it and try to do it themselves.”

Ice fishing, skating or hockey all sound fun, but if you're not careful, these activities can turn deadly.

“Hypothermia is our biggest concern,” Mickens said, “but also you have to take consideration drowning. Because if there's a current under the water a lot of people take for granted that the water's actually moving under the ice.”

Mickens says there should be at least four days of freezing temperatures and 4 inches of ice for it to be safe enough to stand on. But the danger is that there's no way to tell from just looking at the ice whether that's the case.

“You really don't want to go out on ice that isn't confirmed to be safe,” he said. “Refer to your local jurisdiction and don't put yourself in harm’s way especially if it's for a fun activity."

According to its website, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also says that if ice is under 4 inches—you should stay off. Once it reaches that thickness, it is considered safe for ice fishing or other activities on foot. But if you want to bring a snowmobile or ATV onto the ice, it must be between 5 and 7 inches thick.

Most importantly, if you're on thin ice, don't hesitate to call for help.

“Most of the time when we do get these types of calls it’s because someone is trying to be a good Samaritan. Usually it is an animal or a pet that actually wandered into the ice,” said Mickens. “And then they become, you know, a person that’s trapped in ice because they’re heavier and they’re not really thinking through. They just see something and they want to act quickly.”

For more information on Ice Safety, click here, or for specific information about your town or city, call your local authorities.

As the demolition continued at the site of the Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, fire investigators are asking for patience as they try to figure out what sparked the large inferno that destroyed the historic and cultural landmark this weekend.

People are still stunned and there is a real sense of loss in the town, even though the theater had not been active for many years.

“It’s still a part of Stratford you know, it’s just part of the town,” said Diana Woodward, who recalled seeing a show at the theatre when she was growing up. “It really is sad because it’s such an institution. I mean it was on the national news last night so I know my friends in Texas heard about it.”

On Monday, Woodward had to see for herself the destruction caused by the early Sunday morning fire.

“Maybe it could be from the ashes rebirth,” she said.

Opened in 1955 and mostly vacant since the 1980s, the Town of Stratford acquired the Shakespeare Theatre from the state in 2005.

“The deed restrictions if you will would limit it to not only open space, but also recreation and entertainment purposes,” said State Sen.Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) during a Monday afternoon news conference at town hall.

Mayor Laura Hoydick said the town never executed an agreement with a developer or operator to breathe new life into the theater where the likes of Katharine Hepburn, James Earl Jones and Christopher Walken once performed.

“Our lack of a cohesive vision, let me say it that way was the roadblock,” Mayor Hoydick said. “There were many who were impassioned about what should happen there and there were many that had individual efforts.”

The mayor said the town council, with input from the community, will eventually decide what happens to the property.

But first, fire investigators led by the Stratford Fire Marshal are trying to figure out the cause of the fire.

“There’s a systematic way of us investigating the fire, so we start eliminating sections,” Fire Marshal Brian Lampart said.

Investigators are not ruling anything out, including arson, but so far they have not found any evidence of fire accelerants, Lampart said. They also want to find out whether the sprinkler system was working.

“The building is almost 100 percent covered with sprinkler protection and that is definitely something we’re going to be looking at,” said Lampart, who was unaware when the sprinkler system was last inspected.

Deb Persson from Milford told NBC Connecticut she hopes the place will remain a space for the performing arts.

“I think it would be awesome if they would put a park in and maybe put in an outdoor theater for the kids to do their plays in the summer,” she said, “and put some gardens in. And I think they could do a lot with it, I hope that’s what they do.”

Given the size of the fire, it could take some time before investigators determine the cause. The strongest flames were in the area of the stage when firefighters arrived minutes after the first 911 call, Lampart said.

State resources, including a state police K9, have been requested to help with the fire investigation.

It is worth noting William Shakespeare’s original Globe Theatre in London was also destroyed by fire.

Waterbury police are trying to identify several people in connection with an attack at a local gas station Friday morning.

Police said two victims were assaulted by multiple suspects at the City Gas at 1439 Baldwin Street.

Anyone who recognizes any of the subjects pictured above should contact the Waterbury Police Department at 203-574-6941, wpdmedia@wtbypd.org or Crime Stoppers at 203-755-1234.

A summer tradition in Middletown is being called off.

It was announced Motorcycle Mania will no longer take place because of rising security costs.

The event drew thousands from all over the region.

“I wasn’t surprised because I knew it was going to happen. To say the least, I was depressed,” said Rich Greco.

A lot will be missed according to Greco, the event’s chairman.

“Meeting new people there that show up, talking to people that have come in the past, talk about how much fun they’ve had the previous years. I developed a lot of friends and friendships through that,” said Greco.

Over the years the event had grown from 500 bikes to 6,000 last year, along with a crowd estimated at 15,000.

“It’s a very busy day. It’s a good day for the whole business on Main Street Middletown,” said John Cecunjanin.

Cecunjanin owns Fiore, as well as Presto Pizza which just opened on Monday.

“Especially now with two businesses, definitely lose some business but I hope the reconsider it,” said Cecunjanin.

In fact the popularity of Motorcycle Mania helped lead to its downfall.

In a recent statement announcing it would no longer be hosted here, the mayor and local chamber of commerce wrote in part:

“The event, which ran for more than a decade and drew tens of thousands of visitors each year, had grown so large that the cost of providing security has grown to an unsustainable level.”

While there had been no previous problems here, Greco says security – which was paid for by the city – had been a growing concern for the past few years.

Now organizers are thanking everyone who made Motorcycle Mania so successful.

“I’m sorry to see it go. It was a great run,” said Greco.

Organizers say part of the key to the event’s success was the location: a nice, wide Main Street, as well as plenty of nearby restaurants.

And while they say while there is talk of moving it elsewhere, it won’t be the same.

Greco says on Monday two other communities in the state expressed interest in hosting the event this year.

The City of Middletown says it will sponsor another event this summer.

Garbo Lobster will close the doors to its Groton headquarters on Thursday, according to parent company East Coast Seafood Group.

According to Garbo Lobster’s website, the company supplies lobsters around the world and has been a presence in southeastern Connecticut since it was founded about 35 years ago. It’s been headquartered at the Groton site on Thames Street since the early 2000s.

East Coast Seafood Group said in an emailed statement that they’re working with impacted employees at the packing facility, though they did not disclose how many.

“To assist, the company will be absorbing benefit costs of covered employees for a period of time, offering severance to each employee affected, and providing recommendation letters and other support requested by employees during their transition to other employment opportunities,” the company wrote, adding the company will also work with employees if they’re matched with open positions on one of its other facilities.

According to its website, Garbo Lobster also has facilities in Maine and Nova Scotia, Canada.

“The lobster packing operation will be absorbed into the company’s other facilities throughout the northeast,” according to the statement. “The company’s service quality commitment to its customer will not be impacted by the closure in any way.”

“East Coast Seafood Group and Garbo Lobster thank the hardworking employees at the facility and the Groton, CT community for the support over the many years,” the statement continued.

“We used them every day that we we’re open throughout the summer for 35 years,” said Chelsea Mears, owner of Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough located in the Noank section of Groton.

“Amazing to have them just down the street but at the same time, as a business woman, we’re never putting all of our eggs in one basket,” Mears said.

She’ll be reaching out to her other distributors before Abbott’s opens in May.

“There could be a silver lining in this cloud,” said City of Groton Mayor Keith Hedrick, who would like Thames Street to get a face lift.

Neighboring Electric Boat could expand into the space or an EB supplier could move into the 35,000-square foot building, Hedrick said. A restaurant could move in to the adjacent building, which is vacant.

Hedrick said he also plans to take a developer to the site who’s interested in Thames Street overall.

“This could be the driver, this could be the spark that changes the whole face of Thames Street,” Hedrick said.

East Coast Seafood Group and Garbo Lobster did not respond to emails no calls about why they’re shutting down the facility.

However back in August, Garbo Lobster General Manager Chris Brown, who oversees day-to-day operations, told NBC Connecticut they lost a significant portion of business due a Chinese tariff on American products that includes live seafood.

"We experienced an immediate shut off of business,” Brown said to NBC Connecticut in August.

“We were shipping anywhere 100- to 150,000 pounds a week on a given timeframe to China, however now that has dropped down to nothing,” he continued.

Garbo Lobster falls under the jurisdiction of Congressman Joe Courtney. In an emailed statement to NBC Connecticut Monday Courtney said in part: “As was predicted during our August visit to Garbo, local lobster consumers and restaurants in our region, as well as lobstermen throughout the northeast, will now be moving their business with Garbo to wholesalers in Canada. This trade war is causing real-life harm to American workers and our Administration needs a much more measured approach to advocate for real reform of unfair trade arrangements.”

Courtney also said he spoke with the Connecticut Department of Labor Commissioner about initiating “Trade Adjustment Assistance to cushion the blow for these employees and will work with the Commissioner to help ramp up federal programs as soon as possible.”

The AHL All-Star weekend is coming up at the end of January and one of Hartford’s top defensemen will be representing for the Wolf Pack.

John Gilmour is a three-year pro and now he'll be a two-time All-Star. But his introduction to hockey was a little slippery.

“I didn't like it because I kept falling,” said Gilmour. “I didn't know how to skate, I mean skating's frustrating if you don't know how to skate right?

Hard work paid off. Gilmour said his dad kept him in power skating classes until he remembers a time when he never wanted to leave the ice.

“All these kids I was in elementary school with were better skaters than me so it wasn't until around grade 5 or 6 where I started to feel like I was better than them at skating,” said Gilmour. “At first it was a struggle.”

Now, years later, Gilmour is a two-time AHL All-Star.

“It's definitely a big honor,” said Gilmour about being chosen for a second year in a row. “It was a lot of fun last year and I'm sure it will be a lot of fun this year."

The 2019 AHL All-Star weekend runs January 27-28 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Getting your groceries or other purchases put in a bag the next time you’re at the store could cost you if a bill state lawmakers are considering becomes law.

Each bag could come with a 5 cent fee as part of that proposal, which is meant to encourage recycling.

The charge would apply to both plastic and paper bags at a large number of stores across our state. Its supporters say it’s about helping the environment, but some shoppers said they see it as just another money grab.

Denise Vojnich said she always brings her own reusable bags with her to the store instead of taking free ones at the register, so she supports the proposal being considered statewide that could compel more people to do the same.

“Who wants to pay more money at the grocery store? If you can save money by reusing, then they’re going to reuse. It’s going to force them,” the Newington resident said.

Proposed HB Bill 5019 would charge that 5 cents for every single use bag a customer takes at stores with more than $2 million in annual sales, joining places like Washington, DC and Montgomery County, Maryland which already charge residents a fee for plastic bags.

The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Christine Conley, said it’s all about encouraging citizens to make positive change in the environment.

“The goal is to get people to not be using single use bags. The goal is to get people to use recyclable bags, multi-use bags, and to limit plastic bags in our parks, on our beaches and in our landfills,” the Democrat, who represents the 40th District, said.

But some residents, like Mark Barkasy of Manchester, said people who want to recycle bags should do it on their own, and this is yet another bill for residents already paying too much.

“Honestly we’re taxed enough in this state as it is,” Barkasy said. “If they want to do that, I see plenty of people doing that already in a lot of the local stores.”

The proposal has been referred to the environmental committee. The next step would be public hearings, which Conley said could happen in the next couple of months before possibly moving forward to the full legislature for a vote.

British lawmakers are set to vote Tuesday on whether to approve Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal that would take the country out of the European Union.

Whatever the outcome, the world's fifth-largest economy is set to take a massive hit — and so could the U.S., NBC News reported.

Brexit has already proven its potential to upset other economies. "With the original referendum with respect to Brexit … if you look at the Dow, there was a tremendous drop post the vote," said Tifphani White-King at Mazars USA.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 608 points, or almost 3.4 percent, the day after the vote — and the pain didn't stop there. Global markets lost $2 trillion in value. The U.S. dollar increased in value, and "that's not always a good thing," White-King said. A higher dollar makes U.S. exports more expensive for buyers in other countries. It also means stocks and U.S. investments are more expensive for international buyers.

Officials are trying to figure out what sparked a house fire in New Milford early Tuesday morning.

According to police, a house fire broke out at 380 Kent Road around 1:30 a.m.

When crews arrived, officers said the house was well involved.

There were no injuries reported.

It is unclear how many people will be displaced.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Kent Road was closed while crews battled the flames, but it has since reopened.

Hartford Police are investigating after a man was grazed by a bullet during a shooting on Monday night.

Officers on Garden Street and Albany Avenue were flagged down by a 38-year-old man, who was suffering from a minor injury to his neck shortly before 9 p.m.

The man told police that he was on Garden Street waiting for a friend, when he was forced from his vehicle at gun point.

He said while he was being escorted to the back of a multi-family home, a struggle ensued and he got shot.

According to police, the shot caused a minor graze wound to the back of the man's neck.

Officers believe both the victim and suspects fled in different directions.

Police said there was no shot spotter activation and there was no evidence of a crime at the alleged location of the incident.

Detectives responded to the scene and have met with the victim, who has since been released from medical care.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call Hartford Police at (860) 757-4179.

Interstate 91 in Middletown has reopened after an overturned tractor-trailer crash closed part of it on Tuesday morning.

According to Connecticut Department of Transportation, the overturned tractor-trailer was on I-91 southbound between exits 20 and 19.

The three right lanes were closed, but the highway has since fully reopened.

There were no injuries reported.

Hartford teachers are expected to head to Bulkeley High School tonight to push for the board of education to make changes to their proposed contract. 

Teachers said that what they’re being offered in the contract will hurt the school system and the students. 

The board is proposing a two-year pay freeze, a reduction in sick days and changes to health care, according to the Hartford Federation of Teachers. 

Hartford teachers have told NBC Connecticut that they’re already paying thousands of dollars for school supplies and some are working second jobs to make ends meet. 

“In the last three years, I've spent over $10,000 just for school supplies for my classroom, “John Tusch, a Hartford teacher, said. 

During a board meeting last week, several teachers said more of them have left in the middle of the year than ever before because of the contracts. 

“This year is my 15th year in the classroom and I've seen more teachers leave mid-year than ever before,” Tiffany Moyer-Washington said. 

With no agreement, the contract now goes to binding arbitration. 

In a statement, the superintendent said they continue to negotiate in good faith and that "we have not and will not engage in discussion that could unintentionally derail our ongoing productive conversations." 

The Board of Education meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. 

Working 24 hour shifts and waking up whenever duty calls, firefighters are no strangers to sleep deprivation. There's a lot less sleep these days at Milford Fire Department. That's what happens when you have nine newborn babies waking you up instead. Heidi Voight sits down with the new families as the firefighters take on daddy duty.

A 13-year-old girl was attacked by an unknown man in an unprovoked attack in Brooklyn last week, police say.

The NYPD says the 13-year-old girl was walking on Quentin Road in Marine Park last Tuesday around 4:30 p.m. when a 40-something-year-old man came up from behind her, grabbed her neck and slapped her in the face.

No words were exchanged and the man ran off in unknown direction, police said. The girl suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

The suspect and the victim do not know each other, according to officials.

Neighbors were shocked, noting that teens and tweens usually feel safe to walk around Quentin Road by themselves, especially in broad daylight.

"There's a high school, junior high school and elementary school, all within six, seven blocks of here," said Paul Podell. 

"It's awful," said Michael Joffe of Willowbrook. "I mean, you definitely wouldn't expect it here. You wouldn't expect it anywhere, really." 

Witnesses are urged to call Crime Stoppers with tips.