Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest.

It’s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward.

GUEST: KUOW Politics Editor Cat Smith

TODAY'S TOPICS:
Flooding

Live updates: Western Washington braces for more rain and flooding this week - KUOW
Canlis

A market of extremes: How 2026 will impact restaurant winners and losers - Restaurant Dive
Grandpa Rivers & the Indianapolis Colts

Philip Rivers hadn't played an NFL game in 5 years. The grandfather nearly upset a Super Bowl contender. - NBC

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now &ndash; and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. It&rsquo;s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward.
GUEST: KUOW Politics Editor Cat Smith
TODAY'S TOPICS:
<ul>
<li>Flooding
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/rivers-have-crested-but-western-washington-flood-threat-continues-to-loom">Live updates: Western Washington braces for more rain and flooding this week - KUOW</a><a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/kuow-staff"></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Canlis
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/restaurant-finance-development-conference-rfdc-bifurcated-performance-consumers/806988/">A market of extremes: How 2026 will impact restaurant winners and losers - Restaurant Dive</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Grandpa Rivers &amp; the Indianapolis Colts
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/nfl/philip-rivers-colts-nfl-seahawks-rcna249182">Philip Rivers hadn't played an NFL game in 5 years. The grandfather nearly upset a Super Bowl contender. - NBC</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest.

Front Page: Flooding, food prices, and one really old quarterback

Approximately 10,000 people are still under evacuation notice after multiple levee failures across Western Washington.

In King County: flood controls have breached in the last 48 hours. As of this morning, residents in the city of Pacific, east of Tacoma, are under a "go now" evacuation order after a flood control breach on the nearby White River. A levee was breached yesterday in Tukwila and Kent, the evacuation order for the area is no longer in effect. 

Guests:

Casey Martin, KUOW reporter

Josh Baldi, water and land resources division director for King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks

Relevant Links: 

KUOW live updates

 

Approximately 10,000 people are still under evacuation notice after multiple levee failures across Western Washington.
In King County: flood controls have breached in the last 48 hours. As of this morning, residents in the city of Pacific, east of Tacoma, are under a "go now" evacuation order after a flood control breach on the nearby White River. A levee was breached yesterday in Tukwila and Kent, the evacuation order for the area is no longer in effect.&nbsp;
Guests:
Casey Martin, KUOW reporter
Josh Baldi, water and land resources division director for King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Relevant Links:&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/rivers-have-crested-but-western-washington-flood-threat-continues-to-loom">KUOW live updates</a>
&nbsp;

Approximately 10,000 people are still under evacuation notice after multiple levee failures across Western Washington.

Flooding in WA: Pacific evacuation, levee breach and more

The Department of Homeland Security may be shifting its approach to deportation flights by ICE. 

According to reporting by the Washington Post, DHS recently signed a contract to purchase six Boeing 737 planes.

Currently, ICE primarily uses charter planes for deportations. This purchase suggests the agency has plans to expand its capacity to deport people using its own fleet.

What implications does this have for immigration enforcement and the way detainees are moved in and out of the United States? 

GUEST:
McKenzie Funk - Reporter at ProPublica covering immigration, privacy and climate change

RELATED LINKS: 
DHS inks contract to create its own fleet of 737 jets for deportations
Inside ICE Air: Flight Attendants on Deportation Planes Say Disaster Is “Only a Matter of Time”
At Seattle’s Boeing Field, Real-Time Video Offers a Rare Glimpse of America’s Troubled Deportation Flights
Avelo Airlines, a New ICE Air Contractor, Faces Backlash in Connecticut

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

The Department of Homeland Security may be shifting its approach to deportation flights by ICE.&nbsp;
According to reporting by the Washington Post, DHS recently signed a contract to purchase six Boeing 737 planes.
Currently, ICE primarily uses charter planes for deportations. This purchase suggests the agency has plans to expand its capacity to deport people using its own fleet.
What implications does this have for immigration enforcement and the way detainees are moved in and out of the United States?&nbsp;
GUEST:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/people/mac-funk">McKenzie Funk</a> - Reporter at ProPublica covering immigration, privacy and climate change</li>
</ul>
RELATED LINKS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/12/10/dhs-deport-boeing-contract/">DHS inks contract to create its own fleet of 737 jets for deportations</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-ice-air-deportation-flights">Inside ICE Air: Flight Attendants on Deportation Planes Say Disaster Is &ldquo;Only a Matter of Time&rdquo;</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/seattle-boeing-field-ice-deportation-flights">At Seattle&rsquo;s Boeing Field, Real-Time Video Offers a Rare Glimpse of America&rsquo;s Troubled Deportation Flights</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/avelo-airlines-ice-air-connecticut">Avelo Airlines, a New ICE Air Contractor, Faces Backlash in Connecticut</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

DHS is in the process of purchasing six Boeing 737s to create their own deportation fleet. ProPublica immigration reporter McKenzie Funk joins Soundside to talk about what that might mean for the future of ICE.

What might an "in-house" deportation fleet mean for DHS & ICE?

It’s been a busy year for the Seattle Police Department. 

A new chief was sworn in, the longstanding federal consent decree ended and the city reached a new contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild that changes how it can approach unarmed crisis response.

Plus, a new mayor will take office in January.

Mayor-elect Katie Wilson announced this week that she planned to retain Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, despite some rumors to the contrary. 

Soundside's Libby Denkmann talked with Barnes on the morning of Thursday, December 11th, about the incoming administration, the recent policing shooting in Othello, and more. 

Note: Starting at 7:45 in the interview, Barnes cites several statistics about a drop in crime. We asked SPD for more information about the decreased crime percentages, and they said Barnes is referencing the first 11 months of 2025 compared to 2024. But in reference to homicides, the information SPD gave us cites 2019 as the last comparable year, and the reduction is actually 36 percent, instead of 35 percent, as Barnes states. 

Guest
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes

Related Links

Seattle City Council approves new police contract, boosting pay and expanding crisis response -KUOW

Seattle police video shows officers fatally shooting allegedly armed man - The Seattle Times

Seattle City Council Approves Police Contract as South End Mourns Killing in Othello - South Seattle Emerald

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

It&rsquo;s been a busy year for the Seattle Police Department.&nbsp;
A new chief was sworn in, the longstanding federal consent decree ended and the city reached a new contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild that changes how it can approach unarmed crisis response.
Plus, a new mayor will take office in January.
Mayor-elect Katie Wilson announced this week that she planned to retain Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, despite some rumors to the contrary.&nbsp;
Soundside's Libby Denkmann talked with Barnes on the morning of Thursday, December 11th, about the incoming administration, the recent policing shooting in Othello, and more.&nbsp;
Note: Starting at 7:45 in the interview, Barnes cites several statistics about a drop in crime. We asked SPD for more information about the decreased crime percentages, and they said Barnes is referencing the first 11 months of 2025 compared to 2024. But in reference to homicides, the information SPD gave us cites 2019 as the last comparable year, and the reduction is actually 36 percent, instead of 35 percent, as Barnes states.&nbsp;
Guest Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes
Related Links
<a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/seattle-city-council-approves-new-police-contract-boosting-pay-expanding-crisis-response">Seattle City Council approves new police contract, boosting pay and expanding crisis response -KUOW</a> <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/seattle-police-video-shows-officers-fatally-shoot-allegedly-armed-man/">Seattle police video shows officers fatally shooting allegedly armed man</a> - The Seattle Times
<a href="https://southseattleemerald.org/news/2025/12/10/seattle-city-council-approves-police-contract-as-south-end-mourns-killing-in-othello">Seattle City Council Approves Police Contract as South End Mourns Killing in Othello</a> - South Seattle Emerald Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

It's been a busy year for Seattle's police chief. We also talked with him about a new SPOG contract, the 2026 World Cup, and more.  

Front Page: Flooding, food prices, and one really old quarterback

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