EXHIBIT 99



                             FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP

For Immediate Release                                           November 4, 2004
Contact Person:
Leon Zimmerman
President and CEO
(209) 367-2000
                  FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE

                      MERGER WITH PLACER SIERRA BANCSHARES


         Lodi, Calif.  (Business Wire) -November 4, 2004-First Financial Bancorp
(OTCBB:  "FLLC") the parent company of Bank of Lodi,  N.A., today announced that
its  shareholders  have approved the proposed  merger of the company with Placer
Sierra Bancshares. The vote in favor of the merger was 1,378,868 or 75.6% of the
outstanding shares of the Company,  the vote opposing the transaction was 50,746
or 2.8% of the  outstanding  shares  and  6,349  shares or 0.3%  abstained.  The
transaction is awaiting  regulatory  approval.  The proposed  merger,  valued at
$25.40 per share of First  Financial  Bancorp  stock is expected to close by the
end of 2004 or early 2005.

ABOUT FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP
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, at any one of its nine
branches  located  in the  communities  of Lodi,  Woodbridge,  Lockeford,  Galt,
Plymouth,  San Andreas, Elk Grove, Folsom, and Sacramento or its loan production
office   located   in  Folsom,   California.

THIS PRESS  RELEASE  CONTAINS  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS  WITH  RESPECT TO THE
FINANCIAL  CONDITION,  RESULTS OF  OPERATION  AND  BUSINESSES  OF PLACER  SIERRA
BANCSHARES  AND FIRST  FINANCIAL  BANCORP  WITHIN  THE  MEANING  OF THE  PRIVATE
SECURITIES  LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995. THESE INCLUDE  STATEMENTS THAT RELATE
TO FUTURE  FINANCIAL  PERFORMANCE  AND  CONDITION,  AND PENDING  MERGERS.  THESE
FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS  INVOLVE  CERTAIN RISKS AND  UNCERTAINTIES,  MANY OF
WHICH ARE BEYOND THE COMPANY'S CONTROL. FACTORS THAT MAY CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO
DIFFER  MATERIALLY FROM THOSE  CONTEMPLATED BY SUCH  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS
INCLUDE,  AMONG OTHERS:  (1) THE RECEIPT OF REGULATORY AND SHAREHOLDER  APPROVAL
FOR THE ACQUISITION;  (2) THE SUCCESS OF PLACER SIERRA BANCSHARES AT INTEGRATING
FIRST FINANCIAL  BANCORP INTO ITS  ORGANIZATION  AND ACHIEVING THE TARGETED COST
SAVINGS;  (3)  DETERIORATION  IN GENERAL ECONOMIC  CONDITIONS,  INTERNATIONALLY,
NATIONALLY OR IN THE STATE OF  CALIFORNIA;  (4) INCREASED  COMPETITIVE  PRESSURE
AMONG FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANIES; (5) CHANGES IN THE INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT
REDUCING  INTEREST  MARGINS OR INCREASING  INTEREST RATE RISK; (6) THE IMPACT OF
TERRORIST  ACTS OR MILITARY  ACTIONS;  AND (7) OTHER  RISKS  DETAILED IN REPORTS
FILED BY PLACER SIERRA  BANCSHARES WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION.
FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS  SPEAK ONLY AS OF THE DATE THEY ARE MADE, AND PLACER
SIERRA  BANCSHARES  DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS TO
REFLECT  CIRCUMSTANCES  OR EVENTS THAT OCCUR AFTER THE DATE THE  FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS ARE MADE.