WordPress Featured Post

wp_featured_post.php

/**
 * Display the most recent post in the "featured" category and
 * keep if from showing in the default loop on the same page.
 */
function jkc_featured_post() {
	$featured_query = new WP_Query( array(
		'category_name' => 'featured',
		'posts_per_page' => '1',
		'orderby' => 'modified'
	) );

	if ( $featured_query->have_posts() ) :
		while ( $featured_query->have_posts() ) : $featured_query->the_post();
	?>
		<article id="post-<?php the_ID(); ?>" <?php post_class( 'excerpt-featured' ); ?>>

			<?php if( has_post_thumbnail() ) : ?>
			<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" rel="bookmark">
				<?php the_post_thumbnail(); ?>
			</a>
			<?php endif; ?>

			<?php the_title( sprintf( '<h1><a href="%s" rel="bookmark">', esc_url( get_permalink() ) ), '</a></h1>' ); ?>

			<?php the_excerpt(); ?>

		</article><!-- #post-## -->
	<?php
		endwhile;

		// Stop this post from showing again in the default loop.
		query_posts( array( 'post__not_in' => array( $featured_query->post->ID ) ) );

		wp_reset_postdata();
	endif;
}