Voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a measure to finance the new Hill County Mosquito Control District.

By a vote of 1,451 to 222 - a margin of more than 86 percent - residents of the district stamped their approval on a measure allowing a fee to be charged on properties in the district.

"I think people really understand how important this issue is, especially from the health standpoint," said district advocate Terry Lilletvedt said, referring to the recent emergence of West Nile virus in Montana. Eight people in Hill County and 220 statewide contracted the virus this year. In rare in...