South Carolina voters head to polls

Polls opened this morning in the state, capping a tumultuous and, at times, politically dizzying week of events and revelations in the Republican presidential nomination process.

Poll stickers are pictured at St Peters Lutheran Church during the South Carolina presidential primary in Chapin, South Carolina January 21, 2012. The stickers are given after voters have cast their ballots. REUTERS/in (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS)

Mary Ann Chasta/REUTERS

A roll of stickers to be given to voters are pictured at a polling station in Chapin, S.C.

SPARTANBURG, SC - JANUARY 21: Republican presidential candidate, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich speaks during a live television interview during a campaign stop at the Grapevine Restaurant on January 21, 2012 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Voters in South Carolina will head to the polls today to vote in the primary election for the U.S. presidential candidate. (Photo by /Getty Images)

John W. Adkisson/Getty Images

Newt Gingrich, who has surged in recent polls, appeared at a restaurant in Spartanburg, S.C., this morning.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney waves from his bus as he leaves a campaign stop in Greenville, South Carolina, January 21, 2012. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS)

REUTERS

Mitt Romney waved from his bus as he left a campaign stop in Greenville, S.C., today.

A supporter of Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney waves a flag at a campaign event at Tommy's Ham House in Greenville, South Carolina January 21, 2012. REUTERS/ (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS)

Eric Thayer/REUTERS

A Mitt Romney supporter waved a flag at a campaign event at in Greenville, S.C.

Precinct worker Stefanie Davis checks in voters Curtis Hayes (L) and Josh Townsend at the New Holly precinct at Blue's Country Store in Latta, South Carolina, January 21, 2012. The precinct, in rural Dillon County, only has 311 active registered voters. Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney must overcome wily political veteran Newt Gingrich in the South Carolina primary on Saturday to keep his march toward the party's nomination on track. REUTERS/(UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS)

Randall Hill/Reuters

A precinct worker checked in voters at a polling station in Latta, S.C.

A voter electronically casts his Republican Primary ballot in a pooling station in Columbia, South Carolina, January 21, 2012. South Carolina voters must choose their preferred candidate between four presidential hopefuls during this highly competitive Republican primary. AFP PHOTO/Mladen ANTONOV (Photo credit should read )

MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images

A voter cast his ballot in Columbia, S.C.

Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, center, meets with patrons during a campaign event at the Grapevine Restaurant in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, the unpredictable voting day of the South Carolina presidential primary. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Matt Rourke/AP

Newt Gingrich, who has surged in recent polls, met with voters at a restaurant in Spartanburg, S.C., this morning.

COLUMBIA, SC - JANUARY 21: A South Carolina resident voter enters VFW Post 641 to cast his ballot January 21, 2012 in Columbia, South Carolina. South Carolina holds its pivotal presidential primary today. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Win McNamee/Getty Images

A South Carolina voter entered VFW to cast his ballot this morning in Columbia, S.C.

Mitt Romney says he’ll attend Florida debates

After being noncommittal yesterday, Mitt Romney said today he will attend the GOP presidential debates next week.

http://c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2012/01/21/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/Gingrich 2012.JPEG-0f93d-630--90x90.jpg Gingrich offensive redraws race

Newt Gingrich’s wild ride through South Carolina has provided at least a short-term cure for a campaign that barely had a pulse coming out of New Hampshire and Iowa.

RENÉE LOTH

The T is in trouble with a capital T

If the T’s latest fare raises and service cuts come to pass, Boston risks becoming a place where the transit service is lousy and the prices are high: in other words, a bad joke.

Health insurers hold back on rate increases in Mass.

State regulators approved premium increases averaging 2.3 percent in the state’s “small group” market, the most modest hikes in at least a decade.

Snow starts blanketing region

A weekend storm started dropping snow on the state this morning and is expected to continue throughout the day.

A jolt for morning news

Boston television stations are revamping their programming in the fight for morning ratings, which are significant revenue generators.

Boston, MA 011312 WHDH morning anchors Anne Allred (cq) and Adam Williams paused off camera during a commercial break on their weekday morning newscast, Friday, January 13 2012. (Globe Staff Photo/Wendy Maeda) section: Business slug: 14stations reporter: Johnny Diaz

wendy maeda/globe staff

Anne Allred and Adam Williams are morning anchors at WHDH. The station’s early morning viewership is down over the past 12 months.

Boston, MA 011312 WHDH has added a new co-anchor/reporter, Sarah French (cq) to join the team of Anne Allred (cq) and Adam Williams (cq) during their weekday morning newscast, Friday, January 13 2012. (Globe Staff Photo/Wendy Maeda) section: Business slug: 14stations reporter: Johnny Diaz

wendy maeda/globe staff

Sarah French was brought on by WHDH as a morning in-studio reporter.

WFXT-TV

WFXT-TV named weekend anchor Shannon Mulaire as the replacement for longtime morning anchor Kim Carrigan.

In this image released by CBS, Gayle King, co-host of

john P. Filo/cbs/associated press

Gayle King cohosts "CBS This Morning."

In this image released by CBS, Charlie Rose, co-host of

john P. Filo/cbs/associated press

Charlie Rose also cohosts "CBS This Morning," which premiered this month with a harder news style.

Christopher L Gasper

Patriots have a clear shot at title

This might be the best chance that Tom Brady, 34, and Bill Belichick, 60 in April, have left to add to their legacy and trophy collection.

“I’d like to see what he actually told Freddie Mac.”

Mitt Romney,  speaking today about Newt Gingrich

Metro

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Critic’s Notebook

Ethel Skakel Kennedy, center, subject of the documentary film

Gift from daughter to mother: ‘Ethel’

A small army of Kennedys descended upon Park City, Utah, yesterday for the premiere of “Ethel,’’ documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy’s love letter to her mother.

Nation & World

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Politics

Political Notebook

Brown sees a wealth of difference

Even as he defended Mitt Romney’s decision not to release his tax returns until April, Senator Scott Brown expressed astonishment yesterday at Romney’s vast wealth.

Business

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Complaint describes loan fraud

A complaint before the Department of Labor revealed widespread mortgage fraud in the Mass. offices of Countrywide Financial Corp. prior to the nation’s housing bust.

Sports

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Suns 79, Celtics 71

Celtics misfire without Rondo

The Boston Celtics scored just 15 points in the opening quarter and 16 in the fourth as they fell last night to the Phoenix Suns.