President Barack Obama offered remarks that were read Friday night at a gathering sponsored by Hawai‘i Friends of Civil Rights.

“The climate of mutual respect that you are continuing to cultivate became a part of my core early on, teaching me what it meant to be compassionate and understanding, and allowing me to grow into the man I am today,” Obama said. “I carry the lessons of aloha — the notion that shared hopes, dreams and values bind people together — with me every day as I lead our nation, and I commend your efforts to spread the peace and possibility the Aloha Spirit has to offer.”

The message was read by Emme Tomimbang at the event, the fifth annual First Friday Jazz Concert in the second-floor courtyard of the Hawaii State Art Museum.

Lanikai parking to be restricted

The city will again restrict parking in Lanikai this Fourth of July weekend as a public safety measure. The Special Enforcement District limits mean there will be no parking:

>> Today along all Lanikai streets and shoulders, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

>> Monday on Mokulua and Aalapapa drives, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Side streets in Lanikai will also be barricaded and designated as no-parking zones from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Motorists are discouraged from driving into Lanikai at all during the three-day weekend. For visitors trying to access Lanikai beach or the Lanikai pillboxes trail, the city suggests walking, biking, getting dropped off or taking TheBus Route 70.

Free parking for Monday’s Kailua fireworks celebration is available at Lanikai Elementary, Kainalu Elementary, Kailua Elementary and Kailua Intermediate schools, as well as the Kailua Macy’s parking lot. A continuous free shuttle will run between these lots and the Lanikai General Store from 3 to 11 p.m.

Claim beach park sites early

The public will be allowed overnight access to Ala Moana Beach Park tonight to establish picnic sites for the Independence Day holiday celebration.

One canopy and up to two people per site can remain in the park overnight. Tents, alcoholic beverages, animals and personal fireworks are prohibited. Honolulu Police Department officers will enforce the rules.

The park’s normal closure hours still apply today and all individuals and vehicles not involved in the limited overnight access must leave the park by 10 p.m. Park gates will reopen to the public at 4 a.m. July 4.

HPD officers will also be staffing roadways after the July 4 fireworks display as traffic in the areas surrounding Ala Moana and Kapiolani parks will be heavily congested during that time.

East shores will get high surf

A high-surf advisory remains in effect for the east shores of all islands through at least 6 p.m. today.

The National Weather Service said surf will range from 5 to 8 feet as a result of strong and gusty tradewinds.

The surf and resulting currents will make swimming difficult and dangerous, the weather service said.

Maui fire rages out of control

A large brush fire that forced the evacuation of businesses and homes and the closure of Honoa-piilani Highway in Maalaea continued to burn out of control Saturday evening, Maui firefighters said.

Authorities evacuated Maui Ocean Center, Maalaea Harbor shops and about a dozen homes near Maalaea Village Road, said Maui Fire Department spokesman Edward Taomoto. The evacuation was still in place about 7 p.m., and Maui Civil Defense opened shelters at the War Memorial in Wailuku and Lahaina Civic Center in West Maui.

Firefighters were focusing on knocking down hot spots to reopen the highway, Taomoto said. The fire burned about 6,000 acres by 6 p.m.

The fire began about 12:30 p.m. mauka of the intersection of Kuihelani Highway and Honoapiilani near the area where firefighters put out another brush fire earlier Saturday.

Taomoto said a downed Maui Electric power line started a half-acre fire about 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Firefighters extinguished that fire about two hours later, but the fire may have rekindled in the afternoon, causing the larger blaze, Taomoto said.

With the fire burning near the road, authorities closed about a 15-mile stretch of Honoapiilani from Kuihelani to Olowalu.

About 50 firefighters were battling the blaze along with about a dozen state Division of Forestry and Wildlife personnel. Three helicopters and heavy equipment from Goodfellow Bros. and West Maui Land Co. were assisting.

Taomoto said strong winds of about 30 mph hampered firefighting efforts.