front-page.php

<?php
/**
 * This file adds the Home Page to the News Pro Theme.
 *
 * @author StudioPress
 * @package News Pro
 * @subpackage Customizations
 */

add_action( 'genesis_meta', 'news_home_genesis_meta' );
/**
 * Add widget support for homepage. If no widgets active, display the default loop.
 *
 */
function news_home_genesis_meta() {

	if ( is_active_sidebar( 'home-top' ) || is_active_sidebar( 'home-middle-left' ) || is_active_sidebar( 'home-middle-right' ) || is_active_sidebar( 'home-bottom' ) ) {

		// Force content-sidebar layout setting
		add_filter( 'genesis_site_layout', '__genesis_return_content_sidebar' );
		
		// Add news-home body class
		add_filter( 'body_class', 'news_body_class' );
	
	}

	if ( is_active_sidebar( 'home-top' ) ) {
	
		// Add excerpt length filter
		add_action( 'genesis_before_loop', 'news_top_excerpt_length' );
	
		// Add homepage widgets
		add_action( 'genesis_before_loop', 'news_homepage_top_widget' );		
		
		// Remove excerpt length filter
		add_action( 'genesis_before_loop', 'news_remove_top_excerpt_length' );
		
	}

	if ( is_active_sidebar( 'home-middle-left' ) || is_active_sidebar( 'home-middle-right' ) || is_active_sidebar( 'home-bottom' ) ) {

		// Remove the default Genesis loop
		remove_action( 'genesis_loop', 'genesis_do_loop' );

		// Add homepage widgets
		add_action( 'genesis_loop', 'news_homepage_widgets' );

	}
}

function news_body_class( $classes ) {

	$classes[] = 'news-pro-home';
	return $classes;
	
}

function news_excerpt_length( $length ) {
	return 25; // pull first 50 words
}

function news_top_excerpt_length() {

	add_filter( 'excerpt_length', 'news_excerpt_length' );

}

function news_remove_top_excerpt_length() {

	remove_filter( 'excerpt_length', 'news_excerpt_length' );

}

function news_homepage_top_widget() {

	genesis_widget_area( 'home-top', array(
		'before' => '<div class="home-top widget-area">',
		'after'  => '</div>',
	) );

}

function news_homepage_widgets() {
	
	if ( is_active_sidebar( 'home-middle-left' ) || is_active_sidebar( 'home-middle-right' ) ) {

		echo '<div class="home-middle">';

		genesis_widget_area( 'home-middle-left', array(
			'before' => '<div class="home-middle-left widget-area">',
			'after'  => '</div>',
		) );

		genesis_widget_area( 'home-middle-right', array(
			'before' => '<div class="home-middle-right widget-area">',
			'after'  => '</div>',
		) );

		echo '</div>';
	
	}

	genesis_widget_area( 'home-bottom', array(
		'before' => '<div class="home-bottom widget-area">',
		'after'  => '</div>',
	) );

}

genesis();

functions.php

//* Register widget areas
genesis_register_sidebar( array(
	'id'          => 'home-top',
	'name'        => __( 'Home - Top', 'news' ),
	'description' => __( 'This is the top section of the homepage.', 'news' ),
) );
genesis_register_sidebar( array(
	'id'          => 'home-middle-left',
	'name'        => __( 'Home - Middle Left', 'news' ),
	'description' => __( 'This is the middle left section of the homepage.', 'news' ),
) );
genesis_register_sidebar( array(
	'id'          => 'home-middle-right',
	'name'        => __( 'Home - Middle Right', 'news' ),
	'description' => __( 'This is the middle right section of the homepage.', 'news' ),
) );
genesis_register_sidebar( array(
	'id'          => 'home-bottom',
	'name'        => __( 'Home - Bottom', 'news' ),
	'description' => __( 'This is the bottom section of the homepage.', 'news' ),
) );
genesis_register_sidebar( array(
	'id'          => 'after-entry',
	'name'        => __( 'After Entry', 'news' ),
	'description' => __( 'This is the after entry section.', 'news' ),
) );

style.css

.home-top {
	background-color: #f3f3f3;
	border-bottom: 1px solid #e3e3e3;
	clear: both;
	padding: 20px 20px 0;
	padding: 2rem 2rem 0;
}

.home-top .featured-content .entry-title {
	font-size: 30px;
	font-size: 3rem;
}

.home-middle-left {
	border-right: 1px solid #e3e3e3;	
	float: left;
	padding: 20px 20px 0;
	padding: 2rem 2rem 0;
	width: 50%;
}

.home-middle-right {
	float: right;
	padding: 20px 20px 0;
	padding: 2rem 2rem 0;
	width: 50%;
}

.home-bottom {
	border-top: 1px solid #e3e3e3;
	clear: both;
	padding: 20px 20px 0;
	padding: 2rem 2rem 0;
}