Candidate Info for Home Page

Hi Folks,

I am working on the home page mockup and I need some help figuring out what information to feature and where. I have compiled a list of possible information to feature:

 - News (from php.net)
 - News (from elsewhere, e.g. phpdeveloper.org)
 - Join Community blurb
 - Navigation Tips & Tricks blurb
 - Get help/support
 - Conferences
 - User Group Events
 - Training Events
 - Twitter feed
 - Recent pecl releases
 - Recent pear releases
 - Popular pecl packages
 - Popular pear releases
 - Recent pecl/pear combined
 - Popular pecl/pear combined

Anything to add to this list? Which of these do we want to include on the home page and where? 

At the moment we are talking about having a right-hand sidebar and a center section with a grid like layout. The grid could be two or three columns across and any number of rows tall. Each cell in the grid would feature one of the above sources of information (likely with a graphic).

Thanks!
Stew