JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s governor has again activated the National Guard in an effort to avoid more unrest in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson.

The announcement comes as a grand jury weighs criminal charges against Darren Wilson, the white police officer who fatally shot Michael Brown. Gov. Jay Nixon gave no indication that an announcement is imminent. The prosecutor expects a decision this month.

In August, Nixon asked the troops to help quell the sometimes-violent protests that occurred nightly following the black 18-year-old’s death.

There also are some operational differences this time. The St. Louis County Police Department will be in charge of security in Ferguson, working with the Highway Patrol and St. Louis city police as part of a unified command.

SPRINGFIELD (AP) – A Springfield man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than $1 million of synthetic marijuana.

The Springfield News-Leader reports 38-year-old Travis Butchee of Springfield was also ordered to forfeit more than $1.3 million in proceeds from the operation. He pleaded guilty in October 2013 to participating in a conspiracy to commit mail fraud and participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Butchee tells authorities he planned to distribute 188 kilograms of the drugs between March 2011 and June 2013. Authorities say Butchee and others shipped materials used to manufacture and distribute synthetic marijuana.

His wife has pleaded guilty to similar charges and is awaiting sentencing.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -€” Consumers are less satisfied with their banks and health insurance plans than they were a year ago, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

The survey of nearly 7,000 consumers found that rising bank fees were the biggest reason customer satisfaction for banks slipped to a score of 76, down 2.6 percent from last year. The decline nearly reverses two years of improvement for retail banks.

But credit unions are different. They enjoy a customer satisfaction score of 85, the highest among all financial services.

Another sore spot for consumers is their health insurance plans. The ACSI found policyholder satisfaction fell 4.1 percent from last year to a score of 70. It’s the first drop in three years.

Although the Affordable Care Act is changing the health care landscape, employer-provided group plans are still the biggest share of the industry. Satisfaction with those plans fell sharply, dropping seven percent to 67. The customer satisfaction score for individual plans held steady at 74.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Treasurer Clint Zweifel says he won’t run for office in 2016.

The Democrat first was elected in 2008 and is prohibited by term limits from seeking re-election.

Before becoming treasurer, Zweifel served six years in the Missouri House representing part of northwest St. Louis County.

Zweifel says he has no career plans after his treasurer’s term ends.

Democrats so far have no announced challengers to Republican U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt in 2016.

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago police say a small plane has crashed into a home on the city’s southwest side.

Police spokesman Ron Gaines says the single-engine plane crashed into the house around 2:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Gaines says the occupants of the home were not injured but he did not know about the condition of the person or people aboard the plane.

Fire officials told local news outlets they were still searching for the plane’s pilot.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Corey told the Chicago Sun-Times, the plane, an Aero Commander 500 cargo jet,  based out of Fairway, Kan., according to the tail number, had just departed from Midway International Airport on its way to Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling when the pilot reported engine problems and tried to return to Midway. The plane crashed about a quarter-mile from its departing runway.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Two hunters are dead and one is injured after accidents during the opening weekend of firearm deer season in Missouri.

The Missouri Department of Conservation on Monday said one person died from a heater explosion in a hunting blind in Ste. Genevieve County. The other hunter fell from a tree stand in Crawford County.

Also, a man suffered nonfatal injuries in Phelps County after he shot himself in the leg trying to load his rifle.

SPRINGFIELD (AP) – Springfield Public Schools officials are considering whether to extend employee health benefits to married same-sex couples.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that the city’s third-largest employer will take up the proposal at a board meeting on Tuesday.

District administrators proposed the idea after a Missouri court struck down the state’s same-sex marriage ban Nov. 5. The proposal would go into effect on Dec. 1 if approved.

Chief Human Resources Officer Parker McKenna says the district surveyed other large employers in the city and state and says many have similarly expanded their benefits. Officials say the change would help the district attract and retain quality employees.

The district has nearly 4,000 employees and provides health benefits to more than 6,000 people. It’s unclear how man additional people would be covered under the proposal.

KANSAS CITY (AP) – A Kansas City animal nonprofit has rescued a litter of six stray puppies from the wintry weather.

KMBC-TV reports Chain of Hope removed the black and brown puppies on Monday before temperatures reached as low as 15 degrees. The puppies are barely old enough to open their eyes and were found under a tarp in a wooded area.

Director Kate Quigley says the group has unsuccessfully tried to trap the mother, who wouldn’t leave her babies. She hopes they can capture the mother using fresh food now that her puppies have been rescued.

Quigley says a bystander alerted the group to the animals.

She says the puppies will be adopted when they’re older.