2010 continues to be a year to forget for Toyota, as it has announced yet another voluntary recall for a small production run of 2010 Tacomas.

The recall, which was announced last week, will apply to 8,000 Tacoma 4WD trucks because of a component in their front drive shafts that may contain cracks created during the manufacturing process. If the cracks worsen, there is an increased chance that the drive shaft could separate from the joint.

Consumers are urged to go to a Toyota dealership for a 10-minute inspection that will determine whether the drive shaft needs replacement. No other Toyota vehicles are said to be affected by recall.

The latest recall preceded a report from the Associated Press on Monday that attributed 34 alleged deaths to cases of sudden acceleration in a number of its vehicles since 2000, according to government data.

For those who own a recalled Toyota vehicle, but may face some form of financial restraint that keeps them from getting their car fixed, taking out a payday loan may be able to cover the momentary costs and ensure that the car gets the servicing it needs.

Residents who live in New Mexico’’s Bernalillo County may be paying more for their driving infractions in the near future, as a ticket surcharge is being proposed to help bring in more money for the county.

The proposal, which has already been passed by the state’’s House of Representatives, would tack on a $10 surcharge to all speeding and traffic violation fines in order to pay for jailhouse costs to prevent overcrowding.

"It’’s real tough. It’’s supposed to house 2,100 inmates a night, on any given Sunday there’’s about 2,500- 2,700 people," Moe Maestas, a Democratic legislator representing Albuquerque told local NBC affiliate KOB.com. "We really need to get a handle on the cost of the jail, this will help them a little bit."

Other attempts at handing out tickets across the state of New Mexico have been met with mixed results. The installation of red light cameras in Las Cruces in March 2009 was meant to catch and deter drivers attempting to run through lights, but instead has led to an 18 percent increase in accidents, TheNewspaper.com reported.

For drivers who depend on their vehicles for work and cannot afford to lose their license, but also do not have the funding to pay off tickets they owe and risk additional penalties, a payday loan may enable them to pay off the tickets without incurring additional fines.

Patients suffering from heart disease or recovering from a stroke are becoming increasingly worried about the obstacle they face in obtaining affordable and proper care for their conditions.

According to a new survey from the American Heart Association, nearly two-thirds of heart disease and stroke patients said they did not feel adequately covered by the healthcare system and noted its lack of affordability was their biggest concern.

Additionally, the survey found that almost half of all heart disease patients who reported troubles paying their healthcare bills had put off filling a needed prescription, while 42 percent said they had put off a checkup and 31 percent had pushed back screening test to detect any new developments in their illness.

"The survey should serve as a vivid reminder that too many Americans, including the insured and especially the underinsured, are simply overwhelmed by soaring medical expenses and inadequate coverage," said Nancy Brown, the AHA’’s CEO. "Many of these issues and concerns would be addressed through meaningful and comprehensive healthcare reform – and that’’s why it is so critically important that Congress act this year."

For those who are struggling to afford their medical expenses and putting off care or prescription pick-ups that could help to prevent a recurrence of any conditions due to financial restraints, taking out a short term loanmay be able to provide a stopgap measure and allow for proper care until healthcare cost issues can be cleared up.

The costs for the cremation of a loved one following their passing may be due for an increase for residents in an Illinois county, as a new requirement for coroner reviews could lead to an added fee.

While the increased cost may be handled easily for some families, they may be more difficult for families who turn to the burial method as a means to reduce funeral costs.

The fee increases are part of a new proposal from Franklin County Coroner Dan Blasdel, who is requesting that a new stipulation be added that requires all deaths to be reviewed by a coroner before they are cremated, according to the News Tribune.

Currently, not all deaths need to be reported to the county coroner. Blasdel said the proposal would help to determine accidental deaths that may be regarded a "natural" death if not examined properly. However, along with each review would also come a $50 fee that is charged by the county.

Because cremations are known as a more cost effective way to respectively honor the passing of a loved one – they can cost close to $1,000 while funerals can cost upwards of $5,000 – many families who utilize it may be already somewhat strapped for cash and unable to take on any extra expenses.

If help is needed to cover the cost of a cremation ceremony, a short-term loan may be able to cover expenses until the next payday.

The supermarket chain Trader Joe’’s has announced it is voluntarily recalling some of its granola bars from all of its stores after learning that they may be contaminated and could cause a serious illness.

According to a recent posting on the grocer’’s website, the affected product in the recall is the Trader Joe’’s Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars with "use by" dates of July 16 and July 17, 2010.

The statement said that the products were taken off the shelves after suppliers notified the store that the bars could potentially cause a "serious food-borne illness." While not specified in the Trader Joe’’s statement, the Associated Press reported that the bars potentially contained salmonella.

A salmonella infection can result in salmonellosis, which can cause severe stomach cramps and fever for four to seven days and be deadly to those with weakened immune systems, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

"As a precaution, all of the product has been removed from sale and has been destroyed, read the Trader Joe’’s announcement."To date, we have received no reports of illness related to this product."

For consumers who have recently purchased the granola bars and eaten them and are feeling symptoms that could be consistent with salmonella poisoning, urgent medical care may be needed to prevent more serious complications from occurring as well. If health insurance is lacking, taking out a payday loan could help fund a doctor visit to deal with any salmonella-related illnesses.

Any way you shape it, having ongoing health insurance coverage could be a financial lifesaver while assisting with medical care costs.

Colonial Life Insurance recently used a case example of how basic health insurance coverage can fall short sometimes and leave the victim with the hospital bill to pay in full.

The case involved an 18-year-old woman who was driving one day when she flipped her car and was thrown from the vehicle, sustaining internal injuries and a fractured spine. Following an airlift to a local hospital and surgeries to correct the injuries, she learned that the procedures were not covered by her insurance and that she had been left with the $34,000 bill by herself.

"Even some of the best health plans don”t cover all expenses," says Michael Scheetz, the assistant vice president for product development at Colonial Life.

Luckily, with the case of the girl, a voluntary addition to her basic insurance plan ended up helping her pay the bills off

While health insurance can be adjusted to increase one’s coverage over a more basic plan for a price, medical attention that is needed while the coverage has been discontinued due to a missed payment renders the additional expense as worthless.

If a family feels the need to properly protect themselves in case of any type of accident, but fall short financially on an important payment, taking out payday loan to cover a one-time cost could help to keep insurance coverage active.

After a relatively tame January, winter weather seems to be back in full force for February as the mid-Atlantic and East Coast braces for its second blizzard in less than one week.

Because of that, the Restoration Industry Association has compiled a few tips that may be able to prevent houses from being seriously damaged by the winter weather.

One of the hardest things to guard a house against during a snowstorm is water damage caused by liquid that seeps into walls or ceilings and then either freezes or weakens the structure. By creating barriers of packed snow around basement windows and shoveling snow away from the home’’s walls, the risk of leaks can diminish greatly.

Additionally, when leaving a home following a storm. The RIA recommends leaving the heat on so the pipes don”t freeze and run the risk of bursting. Making sure areas around the pipes connected to sinks are not chilled is also recommended.

For homeowners who suffer through rough winter weather this season, there may be damage done to a house that requires urgent attention and repair in order for a family to safely live in it. If this is the case, but available finances are at a minimum, taking out a payday loan may help cover some of the costs.

While sudden cardiac arrest is often associated with older age groups, there is a rising incidence of undiagnosed teenagers being affected by the fatal disease as well.

According to Dr. Abraham Jacob, a cardiologist at The Heart Hospital Baylor in Plano, Texas, even though the teen death rate from sudden cardiac arrest is only 1 per 100,000, the actual rates are likely higher because many teens may have undiagnosed problems that could be prevented if proper testing took place.

"I think if we can prevent one death, that’’s great," Jacob said, according to the Dallas Morning News. "Even if we screen 1,000 kids and find one child out of that, I think we”ve done an incredible service to that family, the community and everyone involved."

According to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest is usually caused when the heart’’s electrical system malfunctions and causes an abnormal rhythm. Scarring from a prior heart attack, a thickened heart muscle, or various heart medications are some of the precursors to sudden cardiac arrest.

While testing is the easiest avenue to learn of any heart issues that need to be fixed to prevent a cardiac episode, the cost for families to get the tests can be too expensive for many to afford. According to the Morning News, health insurance rarely covers the cost of electrocardiograms and echocardiograms, which can $300 and $1,000 each respectively.

For families who feel their teenager’’s life may be at risk and could receive life-saving care by getting their heart tested, but do not have the money to afford the expensive tests, taking out a payday loan may be an easy way to cover a portion of the medical costs.