Strat11 Assign2

I looked at six articles from the past two issues of the Independent Florida Alligator. The first five sets of quotes I analyze are from Thursday, Feb. 10, 201,1 and the last one is from Friday, Feb. 11, 2011's issue.
1. New jail windows could cut suicides by Meredith Rutland
"We all want the jail fixed," said County Manager Randall Reid at the meeting.
I believe this quote could add strength to this story by re-phrasing it this way: County Manager Randall Reid said they all want the jail fixed. The quote, while it does bring new information to the story, does not add any emotion. Also, Reid is unclear about to whom he's referring.
2. Charles to visit Russia on Spring Break diplomacy trip by Hannah Winston
"Words cannot express how excited I am," she said.
This is the first quote in the story, and while it does express an emotion, I believe it can be paraphrased. The last quote in the story is much stronger and descriptive, and I believe could be moved up. I know quotes are often "kickers", but I think this one has quite the potential to be the "crystallizing quote": "The best diplomacy you can have is to interact with others," she said.
3. Group holds balloon race by Sara Kaner
"The event went fantastic and we hope it will drive people to our website and our sessions," she said.
"It's been 10 years since the UF team has won," said team member Maura Reese. "It's a good time to break the streak."
I believe both of these quotes could be paraphrased, with the exception of the second half of Reese's quote. The remaining quotes don't elicit much emotion or detail that can't be conveyed in prose. I do believe the information is necessary, but I don't think the information should be quoted. In this situation, I would ask the reporter to go back for additional quotes.
4. Santa Fe's student government fights for bus rights by Rachel Stephens
This story did not include any quotes at all, which I found very surprising. This story has such a personal and unique spin to it, I feel quotes are extremely necessary. While the reporter spoke to an individual involved in the initiative, no "crystallizing quotes" appear to have been collected during the interview.
5. Celebrating love - apart by Eugenio Torrens
"It ain't easy. That's for sure," Guenov said.
I would not put this information inside quotation marks because while it does include the speaker's opinion, it sounds as though the reporter only included it in the story because of the speaker's use of the word "ain't." Grammar errors should not be the reason quotes are included in stories. I think the information can be conveyed without this quote.
6. Block tuition on ballot by Hannah Winston
"I think that the opinion of the Student Body is already known, and it's great that it's on the ballot," said Ben Meyers, the Unite Party candidate for Student Body president.
First of all, I don't know why student body is capitalized in this quote. Secondly, I don't think this information needed to be included in quotes because it's not catchy. Also, Meyers doesn't specify here who knows the student body's opinion - something I find important. Maybe the people who should know the opinion of the students don't actually know it.