Business

The Willis-Knighton Health System has completed a $3.9 million assisted living expansion. The hospital system's Savannah at The Oaks community will nearly double in size to 52 apartments. Executive manager Janice Latvala says it fills a gap between independent living and a nursing home. She says the new units are nearly all leased, and she began taking contracts on them five months ago.

A California-based healthy vending machine company is spreading across Louisiana, with franchisees in Shreveport, Lafayette and now Alexandria. The owners of Cenla Healthy Vending, Graves and Anna Theus, launched their business earlier this summer by pitching the concept to local school principals. Two Rapides Parish high schools have signed on and will have vending machines with healthier snacks this school year.

A San Francisco consulting firm can take credit for making a flight school a reality in Natchitoches, La. Jane Zhang, president of Silk Wings Aviation, is helping forge a partnership between a Beijing aeronautics university, the city of Natchitoches, and Northwestern State University. Zhang estimates the flight school could enroll thousands of Chinese citizens a year once the program takes off.