To help you figure things out, there is a Scoop Admin Guide which can hopefully answer most of your questions.
Some tips:
Most of the layout is changed in "Blocks", found in the admin tools menu
Features can be turned on and off, and configured, in "Site Controls" in the admin tools menu
Stories have an "edit" link right beside the "Full Story" link on an index page, and right beside the "Post a Comment" link on the full story page. They can also be edited by clicking the story title in the "Story List" admin tool
Boxes are what allow you to write new features for Scoop; they require a knowledge of the perl programming language to work with effectively, although you can often make small changes without knowing much perl. If you would like a feature added but cannot program it yourself, ScoopHost does custom Scoop programming as one of its services.
If you aren't sure where to look for a particular feature or piece of display, try the "Search Admin Tools" link in the admin tools menu.
Just something to mull over in the days leading up to the upcoming approval of Medicaid Expansion in the Michigan Senate later this month.
With the guv being the stalwart number cruncher he is, what better way is there to help contain patient costs after the federal government begins to scale back its "contribution", then by containing the number of patients your new entitlement will cover?
Think Sections 3403 and 10320 in the PPACA.
Of course, it does play hell with the voting rolls. But they have already lived a long and good life anyway.
Gotta look at the larger picture and keep those overall costs down!