diff --git a/home/doris-dashboard/bin/generate_dashboard.py b/home/doris-dashboard/bin/generate_dashboard.py
index f215c2b..d8ebc10 100755
--- a/home/doris-dashboard/bin/generate_dashboard.py
+++ b/home/doris-dashboard/bin/generate_dashboard.py
@@ -1534,10 +1534,11 @@ def focus_card(title:str,kicker:str,headline:str,body:str,tone:str='',href:str='
     return f"<a class='focus-card-link' href='{esc(href)}'{target_attr}>{card_html}</a>"
 
 
-def build_focus_cards(local_items:list[dict[str,Any]], todos:list[dict[str,Any]], pulse:list[dict[str,str]], paperless:dict[str,Any], hermes:dict[str,Any])->tuple[str,str]:
+def build_focus_cards(local_items:list[dict[str,Any]], todos:list[dict[str,Any]], pulse:list[dict[str,str]], paperless:dict[str,Any], hermes:dict[str,Any], excluded_story_keys:set[str] | None=None)->tuple[str,str]:
     urgent_todos=[item for item in todos if (item.get('state') or '') in {'overdue','today'} and (item.get('source') or '') != 'Dashboard']
     warn_items=[item for item in pulse if item.get('state')=='warn']
-    local_story=local_items[0] if local_items else None
+    excluded_story_keys=excluded_story_keys or set()
+    local_story=next((item for item in local_items if story_key(item) not in excluded_story_keys), None)
     cron_summary=hermes_cron_summary()
     session_window=find_usage_window(hermes.get('account_windows',[]), 'session') if hermes.get('ok') else None
     session_remaining=session_window.get('remaining_percent') if session_window else None
@@ -1564,6 +1565,12 @@ def build_focus_cards(local_items:list[dict[str,Any]], todos:list[dict[str,Any]]
         hermes_headline='Hermes telemetry unavailable'
         hermes_body='Could not read local Hermes usage stats right now.'
     local_state='attention' if local_story else 'ok'
+    local_headline=str(local_story.get('title') or '') if local_story else ('Local lane already covered' if local_items else 'Local lane quiet')
+    local_body=(
+        f"{local_story.get('source','Local feed')} • {label(local_story.get('category','local'))}"
+        if local_story else
+        ('The strongest local item is already promoted above, so this slot stays out of the way.' if local_items else 'Nothing local survived filtering hard enough to earn the homepage.')
+    )
     chores_state='warn' if urgent_todos else 'ok'
     paperless_state='warn' if paperless.get('flagged_count',0) else ('ok' if not paperless.get('active_count',0) else 'attention')
     homelab_state='warn' if warn_items else 'ok'
@@ -1573,8 +1580,8 @@ def build_focus_cards(local_items:list[dict[str,Any]], todos:list[dict[str,Any]]
         focus_card(
             'Local watch',
             'Useful nearby',
-            (local_story.get('title') if local_story else 'Local lane quiet'),
-            (f"{local_story.get('source','Local feed')} • {label(local_story.get('category','local'))}" if local_story else 'Nothing local survived filtering hard enough to earn the homepage.'),
+            local_headline,
+            local_body,
             f'local {local_state}'.strip(),
             href=str(local_story.get('url') or '') if local_story else '' ,
             target='_blank' if local_story and local_story.get('url') else ''
@@ -1671,6 +1678,39 @@ def choose_feature_story(preferred_items:list[dict[str,Any]], fallback_items:lis
     return None
 
 
+def choose_secondary_feature_story(preferred_items:list[dict[str,Any]], fallback_items:list[dict[str,Any]], primary_story:dict[str,Any] | None, prefs:dict[str,Any])->dict[str,Any] | None:
+    primary_key=story_key(primary_story) if primary_story else ''
+    state=load_lead_warrant_state()
+    feedback=load_dashboard_feedback()
+    acknowledged=set(state.get('acknowledged',[]))
+    ignored_sources=set(state.get('ignored_sources',[]))
+    ignored_topics=set(state.get('ignored_topics',[]))
+    candidates=[]
+    fallback=[]
+    seen=set()
+    for pool_name,pool in (('preferred',preferred_items),('fallback',fallback_items)):
+        for item in pool:
+            key=story_key(item)
+            dedupe=key or f"{str(item.get('source') or '').strip().lower()}::{str(item.get('title') or '').strip().lower()}"
+            if dedupe in seen or (primary_key and key == primary_key):
+                continue
+            seen.add(dedupe)
+            fallback.append(item)
+            if good_lead_candidate(item,prefs,feedback,ignored_sources,ignored_topics):
+                candidates.append(item)
+    for item in candidates:
+        if story_key(item) not in acknowledged:
+            return item
+    if candidates:
+        return candidates[0]
+    for item in fallback:
+        if story_key(item) not in acknowledged:
+            return item
+    if fallback:
+        return fallback[0]
+    return None
+
+
 def build_feature_story(feature_item:dict[str,Any] | None)->str:
     if not feature_item:
         return ''
@@ -1680,7 +1720,7 @@ def build_feature_story(feature_item:dict[str,Any] | None)->str:
     when=(feature_item.get('published_at','')[:16].replace('T',' '))
     category=str(feature_item.get('category') or 'other')
     url=str(feature_item.get('url') or '')
-    feature_label='Lead local item' if category=='local' else ('Lead homelab item' if category in {'homelab','smart_home','radio'} else 'Lead signal')
+    feature_label='Next local signal' if category=='local' else ('Next homelab signal' if category in {'homelab','smart_home','radio'} else 'Next signal')
     why_text=why(feature_item)
     return f"""
     <section class='feature-story'>
@@ -1695,7 +1735,7 @@ def build_feature_story(feature_item:dict[str,Any] | None)->str:
           </div>
           <div class='feature-actions'>
             <a href='{esc(url)}' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer' class='feature-open'>Open story</a>
-            <span class='feature-note'>Promoted so you get one strong item instead of four equal tiles.</span>
+            <span class='feature-note'>Secondary signal so the warrant and the next-click card are not the same story.</span>
           </div>
         </div>
       </article>
@@ -2105,15 +2145,17 @@ def render()->str:
     pulse_metrics=''.join(metric_card(x['label'],x['value'],x['state'],x['state']) for x in pulse)
     forecast_html=forecast_panel(weather)
     hero_summary=build_hero_summary(groups['local'],todos,pulse,paperless,hermes)
-    focus_html,focus_state=build_focus_cards(groups['local'],todos,pulse,paperless,hermes)
+    feature_item=choose_feature_story(top_briefing, selected, prefs)
+    secondary_feature_item=choose_secondary_feature_story(top_briefing, selected, feature_item, prefs)
+    excluded_focus_story_keys={key for key in [story_key(feature_item), story_key(secondary_feature_item)] if key}
+    focus_html,focus_state=build_focus_cards(groups['local'],todos,pulse,paperless,hermes,excluded_story_keys=excluded_focus_story_keys)
     focus_signature=donetick_focus_signature(todos)
     hermes_html=build_hermes_section(hermes)
     system_html=build_system_section(system)
     hero_tokens=compact_number(hermes.get('total_tokens',0)) if hermes.get('ok') else '—'
     snapshot_html=build_operator_snapshot(todos,pulse,paperless,hermes)
-    feature_item=choose_feature_story(top_briefing, selected, prefs)
     hero_caseboard_html=build_hero_caseboard(feature_item,todos,paperless)
-    feature_html=build_feature_story(feature_item)
+    feature_html=build_feature_story(secondary_feature_item)
     session_window=find_usage_window(hermes.get('account_windows',[]),'session') if hermes.get('ok') else None
     primary_html=''.join([
         feature_html,