Question to see if this is a bug in the system.
If this is not a bug, then please tell me how to accomplish this with the settings.

In the Configuration > Layout Settings tab
In the Option for "Main Page - Opens with Category"...

IF I have that set to 0, then the home page loads with the Featured Products, Followed by the New Products.

IF I have that set to 14 for a particular category, then the home page loads with Category 14 blown out in the left nav column, then in the center of the page, Category 14 loads and show the images, followed by the New Products. Problem is that the Featured Products goes away.

IF I then go to Configuration > Index Listing
In the option for "Show Featured Products on Main Page - Category with SubCategories" and set that item to 1, and the rest of the "Category with SubCategories" items to 0 so there is no prayer of them loading by accident...

I can still NOT get the Featured Items to load on the front page.

What I want is in the center section... the Category 14 to load up first, followed by the Featured Products, followed by New Products, followed by Special Products.