NDIC still alive

We've written in these parts a few times about Johnstown's National Drug Intelligence Center -- a Murtha-backed project that has hung on despite accusations, mostly emanating from Republican quarters, that it's wasteful and duplicative. Well, the center lives to see another day: The budget deal consummated late last week to keep the government running through September includes $34 million for the NDIC. The Pennsylvania Congressional delegation is behind it, including freshman Sen. Pat Toomey, who was presented with a political conundrum and chose to back its "very important role."