Item 5.  Other Events

Press release on the following article:

1. First  Financial  Bancorp  announces  first  quarter  2001  earnings and five
percent stock dividend


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


Date:         04/24/01                    FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP
      ------------------------                 (Registrant)

                                        /s/ Allen R. Christenson
                                  By:
                                            Allen R. Christenson
                                            Senior Vice President
                                            Chief Financial Officer





                             First Financial Bancorp

                             P R E S S R E L E A S E

    For Immediate Release                                        April 24, 2001

    Contact Person:
    Leon Zimmerman
    President and CEO
    (209) 367-2000

               First Financial Bancorp Reports First Quarter 2001
                    Earnings and Five Percent Stock Dividend

     Lodi,  Calif.  (April 24, 2001) - First Financial  Bancorp (Symbol:  FLLC),
parent company of Bank of Lodi,  N.A., today reported  earnings of $255,000,  or
$0.16 per diluted share for its first  quarter  ended March 31, 2001.  Assets at
March 31,  2001  totaled  $192.4  million,  representing  an  increase  of $16.3
million,  or 9% over the same period last year.  "We are ahead of our projection
for the first  quarter of 2001"  reported  Leon  Zimmerman,  President and Chief
Executive  Officer.  "As a result of the continued  success of our company,  the
Board of Directors has authorized a five percent stock  dividend  payable on May
22, 2001 to shareholders of record on May 8, 2001."

     During the first quarter of 2001, the Company  established a Small Business
Administration Loan Production Office in Folsom,  California.  In addition,  the
Company has submitted an application  with the Office of the  Comptroller of the
Currency  to  relocate  the  existing  Folsom,  California  Branch to a new site
located on the corner of Blue  Ravine  Road and Folsom  Blvd.  Furthermore,  the
Company    recently    introduced   its   redesigned   web   page   located   at
www.bankoflodi.com.

     "We have many new and exciting  things  planned for the remainder of 2001,"
reported  Zimmerman.  "The recent opening of our Small  Business  Administration
Loan Production  Office, the relocation of our Folsom Branch and the redesign of
our web page are all evidence of our  commitment to growth and expansion and the
development of new products and services.  It is exciting to see the realization
of our efforts."






     First  Financial  Bancorp  is the parent of Bank of Lodi,  N.A.,  a locally
owned  community  bank  formed  in 1982.  Bank of Lodi,  N.A.  offers  financial
services via the web at  www.bankoflodi.com,  by phone at 888-265-8577 or at any
one of its  eight  branches  located  in the  communities  of Lodi,  Woodbridge,
Lockeford, Galt, Plymouth, San Andreas, Elk Grove, and Folsom. Bank of Lodi also
offers  investment  services through its affiliation with Investment  Centers of
America.


                                       END