Work centered on youth prevention and community partnerships has earned local recognition through this year’s Local Legends nominations.Julia Mees leads Excelsior Springs Substance Abuse Free Environments (SAFE), a coalition focused on preventing youth substance use before it begins.Mees is among the top three nominees for Best Community Leader in the Town and Country Leader’s Annual Local Legends Contest.The contest is hosted each year by the newspaper to recognize individuals and businesses making an impact in the community. During the first round, community members submit write-in nominations across multiple categories. The top three individuals or businesses in each category advance to a second round of voting, where community members select from the finalists. Each category winner is presented with a certificate recognizing their contributions to the community.Mees has been with SAFE since November 2016, when she was hired as pro...