[FIRST COASTAL LOGO APPEARS HERE]
                                                                   Exhibit 99(a)
                                                                   -------------


                     First Coastal Postpones Annual Meeting
                          in favor of Special Meeting

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, April 4, 2001
NASDAQ: FCME                                       website: www.firstcoastal.com

Contact: Gregory T. Caswell, President & CEO  (207) 772-3242


     PORTLAND, MAINE, April 4 -- First Coastal Corporation (NASDAQ:FCME), today
announced that its Board of Directors has determined that, in light of First
Coastal's pending proposed merger with Norway Bancorp, Inc., First Coastal's
annual meeting of stockholders will be postponed.  First Coastal will, however,
hold a special meeting of stockholders to consider the merger with Norway.  The
date and time for that meeting will be announced as soon as appropriate
regulatory filings and arrangements are made.  If the merger with Norway is not
approved, the annual meeting of stockholders will be rescheduled.

     In connection with the merger, First Coastal will be filing a proxy
statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission. STOCKHOLDERS OF FIRST
COASTAL ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE BECAUSE
IT WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and security holders may obtain
a free copy of the proxy statement when it becomes available and other documents
filed by First Coastal with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection
with the merger at the Securities and Exchange Commission's web site at
www.sec.gov. Stockholders of First Coastal may also obtain for free the proxy
statement and other documents filed by First Coastal in connection with the
merger by directing a request to: First Coastal Corporation, 1200 Congress
Street, Portland, Maine 04102, Attention: Corporate Secretary.

     First Coastal and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be
participants in the solicitation of proxies from First Coastal stockholders in
favor of the merger. These directors and executive officers include the
following: Gregory T. Caswell, MaryEllen FitzGerald, Normand E. Simard, Edward
K. Simensky, David B. Hawkes, Sr., Charles A. Stewart III, Dennis D. Byrd, Roger
E. Klein and William E. Saufley. Collectively, as of March 31, 2001, the
directors and executive officers of First Coastal may be deemed to beneficially
own approximately 9.8% of the outstanding shares of First Coastal common stock.
Stockholders of First Coastal may obtain additional information regarding the
interests of the participants by reading the proxy statement when it becomes
available.

First Coastal Corporation is a Portland, Maine-based $219 million bank holding
company with Coastal Bank, an FDIC insured, Maine state-chartered bank as its
sole operating subsidiary.  Coastal Bank currently has eight banking offices
located in Brunswick (2), Falmouth, Freeport, Portland (2), Saco and Topsham.

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