Sterling House of Wichita, Kan., to Merge with Wisconsin Company.(Originated from The Kansas City Star, Mo.)

Aug. 10--In a move that will create the nation's biggest operator of assisted-living centers, Wichita-based Sterling House Corp. has agreed to merge with Alternative Living Services Inc. of Brookfield, Wis.

The combined company, which will be named Alternative Living Services Inc., will have 178 centers in 19 states, not counting franchised units.

Eby Holdings of Olathe owns five franchised Sterling House centers in Johnson County -- two in Olathe, two in Lenexa and one in Leawood. Eby also is a franchisee of Sterling House centers in Lawrence and Topeka, and is building more of the centers in Iowa and Nebraska.

"There will be no changes …