Officials hope to reopen flood-damaged LA to Phoenix highway

DESERT CENTER, Calif. (AP) — Officials hope to fully reopen the main highway from Los Angeles to Phoenix by early next week after a flash flood washed out part of the road through the Southern California desert. The flooding began Wednesday evening amid the latest round of monsoonal thunderstorms to hit the region this summer. The damaged roadway was part of a detour past a repair project along eastbound Interstate 10 near the small community of Desert Center, about 165 miles east of Los Angeles. The California Department of Transportation on Friday said crews are working around the clock to restore the detour lane by early next week, which would reopen both eastbound lanes to motorists.