NPR hired two key staff members for Project Argo, its $3 million pilot testing new approaches to online local news. PaidContent reports that Joel Sucherman is leaving USA Today to become Argo project director as of Jan. 11; Matt Thompson, a web producer with the Knight Foundation, signs on as editorial product manager on Feb. 1. Two more NPR-based positions are still to be filled, as are blogger/reporter jobs at 12 pilot stations.