The Connecticut General Assembly will have to pass bills allowing the state to guarantee the loans provided by Webster Bank or any other financial institution to federal workers who are not being paid during the federal government shutdown.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced the new program with Webster’s CEO during a hastily planned press conference Tuesday night.

The program to provide no-interest loans to the 1,200 or so federal workers working without pay has been welcomed by both Republicans and Democrats, but if the state is going to guarantee them, then money needs to be set aside for that purpose.

“We have to vote on that. That would take legislative action,” said Rep. Matt Ritter, (D – Hartford), Majority Leader in the Connecticut House of Representatives.

Ritter said he does not think there would be much to pick apart, because the loans do not provide much exposure to either Webster Bank or the State of Connecticut.

“It’s an emergency vote. It sounds like there should be bipartisan support. I think everyone just wants to make sure the state is protected in case it goes on too long,” he said during an interview Wednesday.

Sen. Cathy Osten, (D – Sprague), who chairs the Appropriations Committee, also said she expects a vote to authorize such an agreement, that would also be coupled with changes to Connecticut’s unemployment benefits. Osten wants to see some kind of benefit built in for the scenario of a government shutdown that would free up money for people who are working without pay.

“Helping out with cashflow,” Osten said. “So that people can buy gas, have food in their house and buy heating oil so that they can stay warm. It’s winter here in Connecticut and we need to have that there.”

Christopher Scofield works at Bradley International Airport. His job to make sure radar and landing systems at the airport are functioning properly for planes to take off and land safely is funded by the FAA. He’s been working without pay since the shutdown started.

“When I first heard about [the loan program], the first thing I thought of was, ‘what an opportunity," he said Wednesday.

Scofield has picked up extra hours at his second job to pick up lost income, which he said made for an 18-hour work day for him this week.

He said he’s not sure whether he’s going to take on one of the interest-free loans, but says the longer the shutdown goes on, the more likely it is that he will have no choice but to take one out.

“I think it’s a great opportunity and I’m glad that somebody is looking out and kind of helping us.”

Hartford police are searching for a driver that hit a pedestrian and then fled the area.

Police said the crash happened on Garden Street between Greenfield and Capen streets. The victim was conscious and alert on scene and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Investigators are looking at cameras in the area to identify a suspect vehicle.

More information was not immediately available.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

When the nation’s capital was hit by almost a foot of snow this past weekend, Nick Elger saw a chance to make a buck.

Elger, 28, usually spends his days working for the Environmental Protection Agency, but he’s one of nearly 400,000 furloughed employees out of work during what’s become America’s longest government shutdown, NBC News reported. 

“I’ve been getting stir crazy just sitting at home,” Elger said. “So I figured in the first few weeks I would just post some things on Craigslist.”

The days wear on and wallets get tighter as the partial government shutdown continues into day 26 with no end in sight.

But Leamy Hall at the Coast Guard Academy has turned into a food pantry for the third day in a row to help any federal employee furloughed or working without pay.

“The very community that the Coast Guard works to save, turning around to help us during this trying time,” Chief Musician Cedric Mayfield of the U.S. Coast Guard, who was with his family packing up food.

Coast guardsmen, reservists, Coast Guard civilians and their families are still without a paycheck and lining up to fill bags and boxes full of food to support their families.

“It saves a couple of trips to the grocery and a couple of hundred bucks here and there,” said Musician First Class Wesley Mayhew.

“I’m probably just going to go ahead. Look for a job. Something part-time. You know, just so we don’t need to dip all the way into our savings,” said Kasey Vega, whose husband is in the Coast Guard.

Some parents were holding their infants as they walked through Leamy Hall, thankful for the supplies of diapers, wipes and other hygiene products.

The community stepped up, too. As one table emptied, it was almost immediately filled again with donations.

Irene Karasevich, of Uncasville, came to drop off food. She has military ties. Her husband, son and grandson all serve or had served in the Navy. The branches that are under the Department of Defense are still getting paid during the shutdown. She also has another grandson in ROTC.

“My daughter collects coupons all year long and there are about 72 boxes of cereal there,” Karasevich said.

Then there were giant trucks coming in, like one from the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Bank filled with fresh produce, meats and frozen food.

“We can help support food, so that’s one less thing they have to spend their money on, they can spend it toward other things,” said Dina Sears-Graves, vice president of community impact at United Way.

Later in the day, another group brought in 12 pallets of food.

“We’ve just been so excited about having events like this because it helps offset costs for later, because we don’t know how long it’s going to last,” said Anna Griffiths, whose husband is in the Coast Guard.

Griffiths’ landlord has been understanding about their situation, too. She lives in military housing.

“They have been really helpful in that they’re not assessing late fees right now so we’re not going to get kicked out of our home like others who are living on the economy,” Griffiths said.

Even children of Coast guardsmen felt the weight of the kindness.

“I wouldn’t expect us to be getting this much, but I’m happy that we are,” said teenager Jasmine Vega.

Joy Tanner, who was taking advantage of the pantry at Leamy Hall too, works with the grounds crew at the Coast Guard Academy as a Coast Guard civilian employee.

She’s also without a paycheck, looking to file for unemployment, but said she supports President Trump’s decision about the shutdown.

“We have to just trust he is doing the best for us. You know, it’s about trust,” Tanner, of New London, said.

USCG Southeastern Connecticut Chief Petty Officers Association Craig Breverman, who’s facilitating the food pantry, said they’ll continue it through Tuesday and will reassess if the shutdown continues. They’ve also brought trucks of donations to fellow Coast Guardsmen in New Haven.

New Britain police have arrested two suspects in the shooting death of a 34-year-old New Britain man.

Police said 34-year-old Erik Rivera was shot at the intersection of North and Oak streets Tuesday night. He was transported to Hartford Hospital, where he later died.

Police have arrested a 17-year-old suspect and 18-year-old Justin Hapgood in the case. Hapgood is charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He was held on a $2 million bond and is scheduled for arraignment Thursday.

The 17-year-old was charged with accessory to murder and was also held on a $2 million bond.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information should contact New Britain police.

There’s a new owner of the Enfield Square Mall and along with that comes big hopes for the mall’s future.

“What are they going to do? I hope they’re going to do something good,” said Mary Fitzpatrick of Springfield, Massachusetts.

The mall has suffered rounds of losses years, including big names like Macy’s and Sears.

“I hope they add more stores. There’s not a lot in this mall. I just come here for Target,” said Ashley Constantine of Enfield.

“Kind of like a ghost town compared to what it used to be. Absolutely,” said Lori Messina of Enfield.

We’re learning through town records that a Long Island-based company called Namdar Realty Group bought the mall for about $11 million.

The center had gone to auction after the previous owner was foreclosed upon.

“We’re obviously very excited in Enfield. The mall is a staple of Enfield. We take great pride as residents,” said Mayor Michael Ludwick of Enfield.

Ludwick is looking forward to working with the new owner.

“I think it would be great if we had some type of multi-site kind of development. But I don’t want to put any restrictions or scare anyone away. We’re willing to sit down with the developer,” said Mayor Ludwick.

According to Namdar’s website, it owns 228 properties across the country, including dozens of malls.

While shoppers still lament the loss of Macy’s, JCPenney and Sears, they are dreaming of what’s next.

“I am hoping some new stores come in because we want to build the town up. That would be good bringing the business back in,” said Lori Messina.

The mayor echoes that saying potential redevelopment here will hopefully boost the economy of the entire area.

NBC Connecticut reached out several times to the new owner to see what the plan might be for the mall but we have not yet heard back.

Manchester police are searching for a man wanted on sexual assault charges.

Manchester police said Marvin Argueta-Recinos is wanted in connection with a 2015 sexual assault investigation. He faces charges of second-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree sexual assault, and risk of injury to a minor.

Investigators said they believe he may have fled after confessing to Manchester detectives.

He may be in Manchester, East Hartford or California using a different name, police said. He is believed to have ties to El Salvador.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact Manchester Police at 860-645-5578.

For more than three decades Bread for Life has welcomed in those facing tough times. With the help of donations and volunteers, they serve seven hot meals a week in Southington, make deliveries to those who are homebound, and serve group lunches to seniors living in poverty.

"This is what we do every day of the year. We are here when people are in need," said Bread for Life Executive Director Donna Ayer.

With the government shutdown dragging on, Southington's soup kitchen wanted to make sure federal workers who may be struggling to make ends meet know that they're welcomed too.

"If any other business or corporation shut down and people were out of work in our community, they would be welcome here," said Ayer. "Federal workers are having a difficult time now, so like we would do for anybody, we open our doors and roll up our sleeves and give them a helping hand."

If a hot meal isn't what federal employees need, Director of Operations Missy Cipriano says they can bag up some items for them to take home instead.

"If you don't need the hot meal but you need the staples, whether it's cereal or soup or anything to get by, we have some items that can help you to make a meal. We don't want anybody to go hungry in our community," said Cipriano.

Cipriano says the overwhelming majority of items that come through their doors are donated and most of the people helping are volunteers. Cipriano says organizations, individuals, and companies all reaching out to help those in need says a lot about the communities here.

"We work together, we fix, we help, we love on each other. And it helps build a better community, society, and country. That's what it says. We're doing what makes us better," said Cipriano.

If you'd like to learn more about Bread for Life or help out, you can click here. You can also call 860-276-8389. 

President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani claimed during a Wednesday night CNN interview that he "never said" the Trump campaign didn't collude with Russia, a stance that runs counter to his and Trump's past comments, NBC News reported.

Trump has repeatedly asserted that his campaign did not collude with Russian officials. The issue of whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia is the issue at the heart of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

"I never said there was no collusion between the campaign or between people in the campaign," Giuliani told CNN's Chris Cuomo. Giuliani, who has previously claimed "no collusion" but that "collusion is not a crime," was adamant that Trump did not personally collude with Russia.

Firefighters battled a fire at Baker’s Auto on Route 44 in Putnam early Thursday morning and one firefighter suffered minor injuries and had to be transported to the hospital. 

Firefighters were called to respond at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday and had to extend their hose lines for nearly a mile, to the area near Wendy’s, so Route 44 was closed from the Putnam Parkade to Thurber Road. 

The fire has been knocked down and most of the mutual aid that was called in left the scene. 

It is unclear what started the fire.

NBC Connecticut is connecting you to the 2019 Make-A-Wish “Miles for Smiles” campaign.

Make a child’s wish come true by donating your unused airline miles. On January 17, our phone lines will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call 1-877-847-3030 and donate your unused airline miles, which will, in turn, be applied to help grant the wishes of deserving local children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Donate your miles from these participating airlines: United Airlines, Delta, American, Southwest, and JetBlue.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

No spare miles lying around? Make-A-Wish is also accepting monetary donations as well.

More than 70-percent of Make-A-Wish’s granted wishes involve travel and NBC Connecticut viewers have helped offset travel costs for many.

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. Your donation will help children and their families through emotionally and physically challenging times.

Maria Butina last month pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an undisclosed agent of Russia in the U.S., but her parents told NBC News they can't believe she knowingly worked on the Kremlin's behalf.

Butina's family in Russia said she was an ambitious student who enjoyed sports, reading "Harry Potter" and Ray Bradbury books and shooting. She founded Russian pro-gun rights group Right to Bear Arms in 2011.

“She wanted to influence society,” her sister said.

Butina was arrested last year after building a network within the U.S. National Rifle Association, admitting that she established "unofficial lines of communication with Americans having power and influence over U.S. politics … for the benefit of the Russian Federation."

Russia's government has denied that she has ties to official government conduct.

Ella Briggs decided to run for Connecticut Kid Governor because she thought she could make a difference. She said she faced bullying problems and now makes a 90-minute trip to a school where she's been accepted with open arms. She has big goals to make sure all students feel accepted.

The Super Blood Wolf Moon is almost at our door.

This lunar phenomenon with a quirky name will be visible Sunday night across the country, for those without cloud cover.

It'll be an unmissable event for American stargazers, since it's the only lunar eclipse that will be seen over the United States all year, according to Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a NASA partner.

"Super blood moon" is a term given to lunar eclipses that occur when the moon is at its closest to Earth, making it appear bigger in the sky — a "super moon." And during a lunar eclipse, when the moon is in the Earth's shadow, it turns red. That's because it's mostly red light that bends around the Earth, while blue light is scattered by the atmosphere, making it appear blue.

Last January, a Super Blue Blood Moon captivated people across the country. That one got the "blue moon" moniker because it was the second full moon of the month, a rare occurrence that gave us the phrase "once in a blue moon."

Sunday's moon is the first of January, and it's referred to as a wolf moon because of Native American folklore, according to Space.com. Each month's full moon had a name, and January's came from the packs of wolves that would howl outside Algonquin villages. Other full moon names include the worm moon (March) strawberry moon (June), and harvest moon (September).

Viewing this weekend's Super Wolf Blood Moon might require a later bedtime.

The moon will begin to darken at 9:36 p.m. ET, but it will dramatically change color about an hour later, at 10:33 p.m. ET, when it moves into the darkest part of Earth's shadow, called the umbra, according to JPL. That's what's called a total eclipse. Because the moon is closer to Earth, it may appear darker than in other lunar eclipses.

That phase of the eclipse lasts until 1:50 a.m. ET, and the moon will completely exit the penumbra, the Earth's partial shadow, by 2:48 ET.

After that, it'll be a long wait for the next lunar eclipse that will be visible in North America. It's coming on July 5, 2020, according to NASA, and it will only be a partial eclipse. The next total lunar eclipse is coming to our skies on May 26, 2021.

With wintry weather in the forecast for Friday morning and Saturday night into Sunday, staff members at Bradley International Airport are monitoring the weather and said some flights could be affected. 

A statement from Bradley Airport says they are on standby to start snow removal operations as necessary. 

The airport is advising passengers to contact their airline to confirm the status of their flight and to ask about any rebooking options. 

A wintry storm is coming and there are some things you can do to protect the pipes in the home you are living in or the one you are selling.

Avery's Beverages in New Britain released a new soda this week called the “Shutdown Swill” amid the partial shutdown of the federal government, which is now in its fourth week. 

Avery’s general manager, Bob Metz, said the idea came to them last week. 

“It started to become apparent that this shutdown might become an historic event,” said Metz. "That's when the wheels started turning and we said, ‘Maybe we should commemorate it with a soda.’" 

Every detail of the new soda has a meaning, including its color. 

"We wanted something green, ‘cause you know it's all about money,’" he said. 

The new beverage comes with red caps or blue caps so that customers can choose which political party they want to toast to and this is not the first time Avery's Soda has put out a political pop. 

“The whole thing started probably three election cycles ago when Barack Obama ran against John McCain, so we created our John McCream and our Barack O’Berry," Metz said. 

Customers’ reactions to the limited-time-flavor are mixed. 

“I heard about it this morning that this was out,” said customer, Chris Moran. “Knowing how foolish this entire situation is, I thought it was a great thing to have and to try." 

Richard Albert, a President Donald Trump supporter, said he wouldn't buy the soda for himself. 

“I’m here for the Trump six-pack for my daughter in Mississippi,” he said. "I take it as being funny." 

Federal workers, like Phil Willis, can take home a bottle for free. 

“We're gonna collect the bottle and keep it just as a memento," said Willis.

Metz says he doesn’t want to profit at someone else's expense. 

“The sooner it goes away that's fine with us," he said. 

Greenhouse Tavern & Cafe in Burlington is responding to the shutdown in its own way and offering free breakfast to furloughed federal workers and their families this weekend. 

“We just feel bad that they've been put in that situation,” said the co-owner, Glenn Staubley. “Whatever little bit we can do to help them out, we'd like to do."

The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness is looking for volunteers to help with their annual census of the homeless population.

The organization will do a point-in-time count starting the evening of January 22 and running through January 23. That part of the survey counts adults and families with children on one night to get a snapshot of the homeless population. It is then followed by a week-long survey of the youth population that is homeless, which runs from January 23 through January 29. Many youth are missed in the point-in-time count because they often don’t use adult emergency shelters or other services for the homeless, according to the coalition.

The data is used to get a look at the overall status of homelessness in the state and to compare it year to year. In 2018, the point-in-time count found an estimated 3,383 people experiencing homelessness in Connecticut, 683 of them children. The youth count found an estimated 5,054 people under the age of 25 either homeless or with unstable housing arrangements.

Volunteers will be trained on how to go about the survey and briefed on community resources before they hit the streets as part of a team.

To learn more or sign up, click here.

There have been two additional deaths associated with the flu in Connecticut, which makes eight flu-related deaths reported this season.

A report released today from the state Department of Health says there were two flu-associated deaths during the week that ended on Jan. 12. 

Seven flu-associated deaths have been associated with influenza A and one with influenza B.

Five of the deaths this season were people over 65 years old, two have been people between 50 and 64 years old and one was 25 to 49 years of age, according to the Department of Health.

The Department of Health says flu remains widespread in Connecticut and there have been 1,248 influenza positive laboratory tests since Aug. 26.

This is the breakdown of where they have been:

• Hartford County: 381
• New Haven: 383
• Fairfield: 183
• Middlesex: 80
• New London: 65
• Litchfield: 45
• Tolland: 34
• Windham: 34
• Forty-three are in unknown counties.