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No cause of death revealed in initial autopsy

The initial autopsy of a 24-year-old Colorado Mountain College student who died Saturday morning did not reveal a cause of death, Assistant County Coroner Kevin Sessions said.

The visual autopsy has been completed on Joe Michael Osborne, Sessions said, but toxicology reports must come back before a determination is made. The Jefferson County Coroner did the autopsy.

Osborne was found dead in a Steamboat Springs home Saturday afternoon when acquaintances could not wake him.

Police are investigating what role alcohol may have played in Osborne's death. The police investigation revealed that Osborne had been drinking the night before his death at a bar in the 700 block of Lincoln Avenue. Because of his level of intoxication, two men he had met that night offered him a place to stay for the night.

The men took him to their residence in the 500 block of Harm's Court by taxi and helped him into a bed. The next morning, the men checked on Osborne and found him unconscious and not breathing. The men called police, and when emergency personnel responded at the scene, they pronounced him dead.

If Osborne had died from alcohol or drugs, Sessions said, it only would show up in the toxicology reports.

"Sure (alcohol) is a possibility," Sessions said. "That is why the toxicology is so important in this situation."

People who cannot afford coats can get vouchers

LIFT-UP and Steamboat Cleaners will not be sponsoring a winter coat drive this season. However, people who cannot afford a warm winter coat for $10 from the LIFT-UP Thrift Store can go to the Steamboat Springs or Oak Creek food bank to receive a voucher for one free coat. Call 870-8804.

VNA seeks people quitting smoking for 'QuitLink'

The Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association is asking people trying to quit smoking to participate in an effort by the American Cancer Society to conduct "the largest Web-based trial of smoking cessation programs ever held in the United States." The trial is called "QuitLink." The 6,000 smokers who enroll will be randomly assigned to one of six Internet-based smoking cessation programs nationwide. The trial is free and open to any smoker older than 18. Participants will be followed for one year from their enrollment. Smokers can sign up at www.cancer.org/quittobacco.

Sign up for men's

A league hockey

Sign up for men's A league hockey is ongoing until Nov. 1, when teams are selected. Stop by Backdoor Sports to sign up.

Pilot seeks teen writers,

photographers for Style

The Steamboat Pilot & Today is looking for writers, photographers and graphic artists ages 13 to 18 to participate in Teen Style, a monthly section published in the Sunday newspaper for and about teens.

Call Autumn Phillips at 871-4210 or e-mail aphillips@steamboatpilot.com.