$featured_posts, 'post_status' => 'publish', 'no_found_rows' => true, 'ignore_sticky_posts' => true, 'posts_per_page' => 30, ); // The Featured Posts query. $featured = new WP_Query( $featured_args ); // Proceed only if published posts exist if ( $featured->have_posts() ) : ?> have_posts() endif; // ! empty( $sticky ) ?>