diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 683baee344..efacdee68d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -4,13 +4,6 @@ name: Coatjava-CI
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-  push:
-    branches: [ development ]
-    tags: [ '*' ]
-  schedule:
-    # NOTE: From what I read, the email notification for cron can only go
-    #       to the last committer of this file!!!!!
-    - cron: '0 22 * * *'
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.run_id }}
@@ -20,405 +13,34 @@ defaults:
   run:
     shell: bash
 
-env:
-  JAVA_VERSION: 21 # must be consistent with POM; see also dependabot config for any version limits
-  JAVA_VERSION_LATEST: 25 # the latest `JAVA_VERSION` that we test with CI
-  java_distribution: zulu
-  javadoc_version: 25 # newer than `JAVA_VERSION` for better javadoc
-  groovy_version: 4.x
-  CCDB_CONNECTION: 'sqlite:////cvmfs/oasis.opensciencegrid.org/jlab/hallb/clas12/sw/noarch/data/ccdb/ccdb_latest.sqlite'
-  nthreads: 1
-
 jobs:
 
-  # download & cache
-  #############################################################################
-
-  download_test_data:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/cache@v4
-        id: cache
-        with:
-          key: raw_test_data # fixed key will always hit; clear cache to trigger cache miss
-          path: |
-            clas_018779.evio.00001
-          lookup-only: true
-      - name: install xrootd-client
-        if: ${{ steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true' }}
-        run: |
-          sudo apt -y update
-          sudo apt -y install xrootd-client
-      - name: download
-        if: ${{ steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true' }}
-#        run: |
-#          xrdcp xroot://sci-xrootd.jlab.org///osgpool/hallb/clas12/validation/raw/rg-d/clas_018779.evio.00001 ./
-        run: |
-          git lfs install
-          git clone --depth 1 https://code.jlab.org/hallb/clas12/validation-data
-          cp validation-data/raw/rg-d/clas_018779.evio.00001 .
-
-  # build
-  #############################################################################
-
-  build:
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: true
-      matrix:
-        runner:
-          - ubuntu-latest
-          - macos-latest
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.runner }}
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - uses: actions/setup-java@v5
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.java_distribution }}
-          cache: maven
-      - name: setup cvmfs
-        uses: cvmfs-contrib/github-action-cvmfs@v5
-        with:
-          cvmfs_repositories: 'oasis.opensciencegrid.org'
-      - name: cvmfs
-        run: ls /cvmfs/oasis.opensciencegrid.org/jlab/hallb/clas12/sw/noarch/data/ccdb/ccdb_latest.sqlite
-      - name: bump version to tag if tag trigger
-        if: ${{ github.ref_type == 'tag' }}
-        run: libexec/version-bump.sh ${{ github.ref_name }}
-      - name: build
-        run: |
-          git lfs install
-          git submodule update --init ./etc/data/magfield
-          ./build-coatjava.sh --cvmfs --no-progress -T${{ env.nthreads }}
-          ./install-clara -b -c ./coatjava ./clara  
-      - name: tar # tarball to preserve permissions
-        run: |
-          tar czvf coatjava.tar.gz coatjava
-          tar czvf clara.tar.gz clara
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
-        with:
-          name: build_${{ matrix.runner }}
-          retention-days: 1
-          path: |
-              coatjava.tar.gz
-              clara.tar.gz
-
-  # tests
-  #############################################################################
-
-  java_matrix: # make JSON job matrix, to workaround GitHub's lack of `env` var support in job matrix params
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    outputs:
-      versions: ${{ steps.matrix.outputs.versions }}
-    steps:
-      - name: matrix
-        id: matrix
-        run: echo versions="[\"${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}\",\"${{ env.JAVA_VERSION_LATEST }}\"]" | tee -a $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-
-  unit_tests:
-    needs:
-      - java_matrix
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        JAVA_VERSION: ${{ fromJson(needs.java_matrix.outputs.versions) }}
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - uses: actions/setup-java@v5
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ matrix.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.java_distribution }}
-          cache: maven
-      - uses: cvmfs-contrib/github-action-cvmfs@v5
-        with:
-          cvmfs_repositories: 'oasis.opensciencegrid.org'
-      - name: unit tests
-        run: ./build-coatjava.sh --cvmfs --unittests --no-progress -T${{ env.nthreads }}
-      - name: collect jacoco report
-        if: ${{ matrix.JAVA_VERSION == env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-        run: validation/jacoco-aggregate.sh
-      - name: publish jacoco report
-        if: ${{ matrix.JAVA_VERSION == env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
-        with:
-          name: jacoco_report
-          path: publish/
-          retention-days: 1
-
-  spotbugs:
-    needs: [ build ]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Set up JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.java_distribution }}
-          cache: maven
-      - uses: cvmfs-contrib/github-action-cvmfs@v5
-        with:
-          cvmfs_repositories: 'oasis.opensciencegrid.org'
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v6
-        with:
-          name: build_ubuntu-latest
-      - name: untar build
-        run: tar xzvf coatjava.tar.gz
-      - name: spotbugs
-        run: ./build-coatjava.sh --spotbugs --nomaps --no-progress
-
-  test_decoder:
-    needs: [ build, download_test_data ]
+  test_lfs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Set up JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.java_distribution }}
-          cache: maven
-      - uses: cvmfs-contrib/github-action-cvmfs@v5
-        with:
-          cvmfs_repositories: 'oasis.opensciencegrid.org'
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v6
-        with:
-          name: build_ubuntu-latest
-      - uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
-        with:
-          key: raw_test_data
-          path: |
-            clas_018779.evio.00001
-      - name: untar build
-        run: tar xzvf coatjava.tar.gz
-      - name: run test
-        run: |
-          ls -lhtr
-          ./coatjava/bin/decoder -n 10000 -o dog.hipo ./clas_018779.evio.00001
-
-  test_clara:
-    needs: [ build, download_test_data ]
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: true
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Set up JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.java_distribution }}
-          cache: maven
-      - name: setup cvmfs
-        uses: cvmfs-contrib/github-action-cvmfs@v5
-        with:
-          cvmfs_repositories: 'oasis.opensciencegrid.org'
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v6
-        with:
-          name: build_ubuntu-latest
-      - uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
-        with:
-          key: raw_test_data
-          path: |
-            clas_018779.evio.00001
-      - name: untar build
-        run: |
-          tar xzvf clara.tar.gz
-      - name: run test
-        run: |
-          ls -lhtr
-          ./bin/run-clara -y ./etc/services/rgd-clarode.yml -t 4 -n 500 -c ./clara -o ./tmp ./clas_018779.evio.00001 
-          ls -lhtr
-
-  test_coatjava:
-    needs: [ build ]
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: true
-      matrix:
-        runner:
-          - ubuntu-latest
-        id:
-          - kpp
-          - eb-ep
-          - eb-eg
-          - eb-epc
-          - eb-enc
-          - eb-eftpi
-        include:
-          # run all tests on ubuntu
-          - { id: kpp,      cmd: ./run-advanced-tests.sh }
-          - { id: eb-ep,    cmd: ./run-eb-tests.sh -100 electronproton   }
-          - { id: eb-eg,    cmd: ./run-eb-tests.sh -100 electrongamma    }
-          - { id: eb-epc,   cmd: ./run-eb-tests.sh -100 electronprotonC  }
-          - { id: eb-enc,   cmd: ./run-eb-tests.sh -100 electronneutronC }
-          - { id: eb-eftpi, cmd: ./run-eb-tests.sh -100 electronFTpion   }
-          # run one macos test
-          - { runner: macos-latest, id: eb-ep, cmd: ./run-eb-tests.sh -100 electronproton }
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.runner }}
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Set up JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.java_distribution }}
-          cache: maven
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v6
-        with:
-          name: build_${{ matrix.runner }}
-      - uses: cvmfs-contrib/github-action-cvmfs@v5
-        with:
-          cvmfs_repositories: 'oasis.opensciencegrid.org'
-      - name: untar build
-        run: |
-          tar xzvf coatjava.tar.gz
-          tar xzvf clara.tar.gz
-      - name: run test
-        run: |
-          git lfs install
-          git submodule update --init validation/advanced-tests/data
-          cd validation/advanced-tests
-          echo "COMMAND: ${{ matrix.cmd }}"
-          ${{ matrix.cmd }}
-
-  test_run-groovy:
-    needs: [ build ]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Set up JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.java_distribution }}
-          cache: maven
-      - name: setup groovy
-        uses: wtfjoke/setup-groovy@v3
-        with:
-          groovy-version: ${{ env.groovy_version }}
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v6
-        with:
-          name: build_ubuntu-latest
-      - name: untar build
-        run: tar xzvf coatjava.tar.gz
-      - name: test run-groovy
-        run: coatjava/bin/run-groovy validation/advanced-tests/test-run-groovy.groovy
-
-  dependency_analysis:
-    needs: [ build ]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Set up JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.java_distribution }}
-          cache: maven
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v6
-        with:
-          name: build_ubuntu-latest
-      - name: untar build
-        run: tar xzvf coatjava.tar.gz
-      - name: print dependency tree
-        run: libexec/dependency-tree.sh
-      - name: dependency analysis
-        run: libexec/dependency-analysis.sh
-
-  # documentation
-  #############################################################################
-
-  generate_documentation:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: [ unit_tests ]
-    steps:
-      ### mkdocs
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: install mkdocs dependencies
-        run: python -m pip install -r docs/mkdocs/requirements.txt
-      - name: generate mkdocs
-        run: docs/mkdocs/generate.sh pages
-      ### jacoco
-      - name: download jacoco report artifact
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v6
-        with:
-          name: jacoco_report
-          path: pages/jacoco
-      ### javadoc
-      - name: set up JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v5
-        with:
-          java-version: ${{ env.javadoc_version }}
-          distribution: ${{ env.java_distribution }}
-          cache: maven
-      - name: build coatjava javadocs # javadoc:aggregate output dir cannot be controlled, so assume the latest "standard" path and `mv` it
-        run: |
-          libexec/build-javadocs.sh
-          mv target/reports/apidocs pages/javadoc
-      ### upload artifacts
-      - uses: actions/upload-pages-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          retention-days: 7
-          path: pages/
-
-  deploy_web_pages:
-    if: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/development' }}
-    needs: [ generate_documentation ]
-    permissions:
-      pages: write
-      id-token: write
-    environment:
-      name: github-pages
-      url: ${{ steps.deployment.outputs.page_url }}
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: deployment
-        id: deployment
-        uses: actions/deploy-pages@v4
-
-  # finalize
-  #############################################################################
-
-  release_build:
-    if: ${{ github.ref_type == 'tag' }}
-    needs: [ build ]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      contents: write
-      issues: write
     env:
-      GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-      REPO_URL: ${{ github.event.repository.html_url }}
-      RUN_ID: ${{ github.run_id }}
-      TAG_NAME: ${{ github.ref_name }}
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v6
-        with:
-          name: build_ubuntu-latest
-      - name: rename artifact
-        run: |
-          tar xzf coatjava.tar.gz
-          mv coatjava{,-${{ env.TAG_NAME }}}
-          tar czf coatjava-${{ env.TAG_NAME }}{.tar.gz,}
-      - name: release
-        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
-        with:
-          files: coatjava-${{ env.TAG_NAME }}.tar.gz
-      - name: open issue if failed
-        if: ${{ cancelled() || failure() }}
-        uses: JasonEtco/create-an-issue@v2
-        with:
-          filename: .github/issue_release.md
-
-  final:
-    needs:
-      - test_coatjava
-      - dependency_analysis
-      - test_run-groovy
-      - generate_documentation
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: pass
-        run: exit 0
+      GIT_LFS_SKIP_SMUDGE: 1 # skip automatic LFS checkout
+    steps:
+      - name: git clone
+        run: git clone --depth 1 https://code.jlab.org/hallb/clas12/validation-data.git
+      - run: git lfs install
+        working-directory: validation-data
+      - run: tree
+        working-directory: validation-data
+      - run: git status
+        working-directory: validation-data
+      - run: git lfs pull -I README.md
+        working-directory: validation-data
+      - name: pull evio
+        working-directory: validation-data
+        run: |
+          for f in $(find raw -type f); do
+            echo "PULL $f"
+            git lfs pull -I $f || echo "FAILED TO PULL $f"
+          done
+      - name: pull tarballs
+        working-directory: validation-data
+        run: |
+          for f in $(find recon -type f -name "*.zst"); do
+            echo "PULL $f"
+            git lfs pull -I $f || echo "FAILED TO PULL $f"
+          done
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validation.yml b/.github/workflows/validation.yml
index 6c42d6d924..9e035dc8d0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validation.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 name: Validation
 
 on:
-  pull_request:
+  # pull_request:
   push:
     branches: [ development ]
     tags: [ '*' ]