The governor's office has released a Request for Information (RFI) on behalf of the Virginia Office of Public-Private Partnerships (VAP3) and the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME).
Popeye is an American from Santa Monica, California. (According to the official site.)
That is, however, the reason. When Popeye first appeared in Thimble Theatre in January 1929, he was described as a 'one eyed sailor', and was intended as a minor character. Here he is: Segal, the cartoonist who created him, probably didn't give him (or his name) much thought.