This area at the top of the homepage is called the Home Top Story & Showcase Area. You can use this space to showcase your top stories.
You have two options for this area: displaying a single Top Story or showcasing many stories/photos most recently added to single category. There are many designs that show multiple stories. Some options include just images, others use images with text. Some will spread across the entire width of the homepage, and others will provide space for a sidebar. SNO Design Options will let you choose which look works best for your site by creating widget areas at the top of your screen using the Site Designer.
This carousel can be kept fresh by using the Showcase category and labeling all stories you wan to scroll through this Showcase Area with that category. You can adjust carousel settings by clicking an active SNO a carousel widget on the Widget Control Panel.