Newsstand: July 1, 2009

Schools' $2.5B budget intact (Toronto Sun): "After 11 hours of debate over three days, the Toronto District School Board balanced its nearly $2.5-billion budget without chopping money allocated to the city's 550 public schools."

Police ran jury checks in Toronto murder trial, court reveals (National Post): "Jurors in a murder trial in Toronto earlier this year were subjected to background checks without their knowledge, it was revealed in Ontario Superior Court on Tuesday."

TSX rattled by concerns over economic recovery (Toronto Star): "Toronto's main stock index capped off a sharp quarterly gain with a lower close yesterday as weighty financial shares tumbled on concerns about the prospects for a global economic recovery."

Fire razes townhouse construction site (Globe and Mail): "Police and fire officials in Mississauga spent the Tuesday [sic] combing through a sea of smouldering rubble and ash for clues after a “suspicious” fire tore through a construction site, destroying and damaging scores of unfinished townhouses."

Waves of staff walk across picket lines (Globe and Mail): "The number of striking Toronto civic workers who want to return to work has almost doubled in the past week, with no quick end in sight to the 10-day-old labour dispute."

Farmers 'thrilled' after city relents on markets (Toronto Star): "The city has backed down and will now allow farmers' markets to go ahead at civic squares. The farmers are allowed back at Metro Hall tomorrow and Nathan Phillips Square next Wednesday, after being shut out since the city workers' strike began June 22."